FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20463

BEFORE THE FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION

In the Matters of

Fair People for Fair Government 

Coalition for a Safe Secure America

)

) 

) 

) 

MUR 7460 

MURs 7536 & 7551 

STATEMENT OF REASONS OF CHAIR SHANA M. BROUSSARD, VICE CHAIR 

ALLEN DICKERSON, AND COMMISSIONERS SEAN J. COOKSEY, JAMES E. 

“TREY” TRAINOR, III, STEVEN T. WALTHER, AND ELLEN L. WEINTRAUB

These matters involve allegations that entities calling themselves Fair People for Fair 

Government (“Fair People”) and Coalition for a Safe Secure America (“CSSA”) failed to include 

required disclaimers on mailers containing express advocacy and failed to report the cost of those 

mailers to the Commission. 

The Complaint in Matter Under Review 7460 alleges that Fair People distributed mailers 

expressly advocating the defeat of two candidates in the 2018 Republican primary election for 

Florida’s 18th Congressional District and failed to file disclosure reports with the Commission. 

The mailers, which were distributed in July 2018, approximately one month before the August 

28, 2018 primary election, challenged the character and fitness of Republican primary candidates 

Dave Cummings and Brian Mast.1

 The mailers included the statement “Paid for by Fair People 

for Fair Government” but did not provide the group’s address, telephone number, or website.2 In 

addition, after the Complaint was filed, the Commission was unable to locate an address or other 

contact information for Fair People with respect to the required notice under 11 C.F.R. § 111.5.3 

Nor does the Commission have information that Fair People engaged in activity beyond the 

alleged distribution of the mailers identified in the Complaint. 

Matters Under Review 7536 and 7551 involve similar allegations. The Complaints allege 

that CSSA failed to include the required disclaimers on mailers that were critical of thencandidate Mike Braun and distributed a week before the 2018 U.S. Senate election. In its 

1

 Compl. Attach. 1 and 2.

2

 Id.

3

 Fair People is not registered with the Internal Revenue Service or the State of Florida. 

MUR746000033
MUR 7460 (Fair People for Fair Government)

MURs 7536 and 7551 (Coalition for a Safe Secure America, et al.) 

Statement of Reasons

Page 2 of 2

May 27, 2021

May 27, 2021

May 27, 2021

May 28, 2021

May 28, 2021

Response, CSSA acknowledged that it was responsible for the mailers. It also represented that it 

was a § 501(c)(4) entity that had dissolved as of December 31, 2018.4

In light of the circumstances outlined above, the limited prospects of a successful 

investigation, and in an effort to direct its constrained resources to more significant matters, the 

Commission exercises its prosecutorial discretion and dismisses these matters.5

____________________ __________________________ 

Date Shana M. Broussard 

Chair

____________________ __________________________ 

Date Allen Dickerson 

Vice Chair

_May 28, 2021_______ __________________________ 

Date Sean J. Cooksey 

Commissioner

____________________ __________________________ 

Date James E. “Trey” Trainor, III

Commissioner 

____________________ __________________________ 

Date Steven T. Walther 

Commissioner 

____________________ ____________________________ 

Date Ellen L. Weintraub 

Commissioner

4 See CSSA MUR 7536 Resp. at 1; CSSA MUR 7551 Resp. at 1.

5

 See Certification, MUR 7460 (Fair People for Fair Government) (Apr. 8, 2021); Certification, MURs 7536

and 7551(Coalition for a Safe Secure America) (Apr. 8, 2021); Heckler v. Chaney, 470 U.S. 821, 831 (1985). 

Although the Commission was unanimous in deciding to dismiss MUR 7460 as a matter of prosecutorial discretion, 

Commissioners Broussard and Weintraub supported an earlier motion to find reason to believe that Fair People 

violated the Act as recommended in the First General Counsel’s Report. See Certification, MUR 7460 (Fair People 

for Fair Government) (Apr. 8, 2021). 

MUR746000034