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      Free Speech For People, et al. v. FEC (22-666)

Free Speech For People, et al. v. FEC (22-666) 
 Summary
          
            Documents
 Summary

  
  
    On March 10, 2022, Free Speech For People and Campaign for Accountability (“plaintiffs”) filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia alleging that the FEC’s dismissal of the plaintiffs’ administrative complaint was contrary to law. The plaintiffs seek injunctive and declaratory relief under the Federal Election Campaign Act (the Act).BackgroundAccording to the court complaint, on December 16, 2016, plaintiffs filed an administrative complaint with the FEC against the Government of the Russian Federation (“Russian Federation”) and Donald J. Trump for President, Inc. (“Trump Campaign”), alleging violations of the Act. The administrative complaint alleges that the Russian Federation sought to influence the 2016 presidential election by paying hackers to breach Democratic National Committee servers and leak the hacked information; paying individuals to make social media posts; and paying for political advertisements. The administrative complaint also alleges that the Russian Federation did not disclose any of the spending and that some of its political spending was “coordinated” with the Trump Campaign.The plaintiffs ask the court to declare the FEC’s dismissal of the administrative complaint contrary to law, and to order the FEC to conform with the declaration within 30 days.Source: FEC Record — March 2022
 Documents

  
  
    District Court (DC)Court decisions:Related documents:Defendant Federal Election Commission's Reply Memorandum in Support of Its Motion to Dismiss for Failure to State a Claim (09/22/2022)Memorandum in Opposition to Defendant Federal Election Commission's Motion to Dismiss (08/25/2022)Defendant Federal Election Commission's Motion to Dismiss (06/03/2022)Defendant Federal Election Commission's Memorandum in Support of its Motion to Dismiss for Failure to State a Claim (06/03/2022)Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief (03/10/2022)


This information is not intended to replace the law or to change its meaning, nor does this information create or confer any rights for or on any person or bind the Federal Election Commission or the public. The reader is encouraged also to consult the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended (52 U.S.C. 30101 et seq.), Commission regulations (Title 11 of the Code of Federal Regulations), Commission advisory opinions and applicable court decisions.


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