Final Audit Report of the 

Commission on Mike Bishop for 

Congress 

(January 1, 2015 - December 31, 2016) 

Why the Audit 

Was Done 

Federal law permits the 

Commission to conduct 

audits and field 

investigations of any 

political committee that is 

required to file reports 

under the Federal 

Election Carhpaign Act 

(the Act). The 

Commission generally 

conducts such audits 

when a committee 

appears not to have met 

the threshold 

requirements for 

substantial compliance 

with the Act.' The audit 

determines whether the 

committee complied with 

the limitations, 

prohibitions and 

disclosure requirements 

of the Act. 

Future Action 

The Commission may ' 

initiate an enforcement 

action, at a later time, 

with respect to the matter 

discussed in this report. 

About the Campaign (p. 2) 

Mike Bishop for Congress is the principal campaign committee 

for Mike Bishop, Republican candidate for the United States 

House of Representatives from the state of Michigan, 8"* 

Congressional District, and is headquartered in Brighton, 

Michigan. For more information, see the Campaign Organization 

chart, p.2. 

Financial Activity (p. 2) 

• Receipts 

o Contributions from Individuals 

o Contributions from Political 

Committees 

o Transfers from Other Authorized 

Committees 

o Other Receipts 

Total Receipts 

• Disbursements 

o Operating Expenditures 

o Contribution Refunds 

o Other Disbursements 

Total Disbursements 

Commission Finding (p. 3) 

• Reporting of Debts and Obligations 

$705,312 

924,834 

6,619 

3,305 

$ 1,640,070 

$ 1,573,276 

100 

15,100 

$ 1,588,476 

52 U.S.C. §30111(b). 
Final Audit Report of the 

Commission on Mike Bishop for 

Congress 

(January 1, 2015 - December 31, 2016) 
Table of Contents 

Page 

Part I. Background 

Authority for Audit 1 

Scope of Audit 1 

Audit Hearing 1 

Part II. Overview of Campaign 

Campaign Organization 2 

Overview of Financial Activity 2 

Part III. Summary 

Commission Finding 3 

Part IV. Commission Finding 

Reporting of Debts and Obligations 4 
Part I 

Background 

Authority for Audit 

This report is based on an audit of Mike Bishop for Congress (MBFC), undertaken by the 

Audit Division of the Federal Election Commission (the Commission) in accordance with 

the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended (the Act). The Audit Division 

conducted the audit pursuant to 52 U.S.C. §30111 (b), which permits the Commission to 

conduct audits and field investigations of any political committee that is required to file a 

report under 52 U.S.C. §30104. Prior to conducting any audit under this subsection, the 

Commission must perform an internal review of reports filed by selected committees to 

determine if the reports filed by a particular committee meet the threshold requirements 

for substantial compliance with the Act. 52 U.S.C. §30.111(b). 

Scope of Audit 

Following Commission-approved procedures, the Audit staff evaluated various risk 

factors and as a result, this audit examined: 

1. the disclosure of disbursements, debts and obligations; 

2. the disclosure of individual contributors* occupation and name of employer; 

3. the consistency between reported figures and bank records; 

4. the completeness of records; and 

5. other committee operations necessary to the review. 

Audit Hearing 

MBFC declined the opportunity for a hearing before the Commission on the matter 

presented in this report. 
Part 11 

Overview of Campaign 

Campaign Organization 

Important Dates 

• Date of Registration April 4,2014 

• Audit Coverage January 1,201S - December 31,2016 

Headquarters Brighton, Michigan 

Bank Information 

• Bank Depositories One 

• Bank Accounts One checking 

Treasurer 

• Treasurer When Audit Was Conducted Valerie Tillstrom 

• Treasurer During Period Covered by Audit Valerie Tillstrom 

Management Information 

• Attended FEC Campaign Finance Seminar No 

• Who Handled Accounting and 

Recordkeeping Tasks 

Paid Staff 

Overview of Financial Activity 

(Audited Amounts) 

Cash-on-hand ^ January 1,2015 $40,589 

Receipts 

o Contributions from Individuals 705,312 

o Contributions from Political Committees 924,834 

o Transfers from Other Authorized 

Committees 

6,619 

o Other Receipts 3,305 

Total Receipts $ 1,640,070 

Disbursements 

o Operating Expenditures 1,573,276 

o Contribution Refunds 100 

o Other Disbursements 15,100 

Total Disbursements $ 1,588,476 

Cash-on-hand @ December 31,2016 $92,183 
Part 111 

Summary 

Commission Finding 

Reporting of Debts and Obligations 

During audit fieldwork, the Audit staff noted that MBFC failed to disclose debts and 

obligations to ten vendors totaling $139,524. Subsequent to the exit conference, MBFC 

amended its disclosure reports to include these debts and obligations on Schedule D 

(Debts and Obligations) which materially corrected the public record. The Treasurer 

stated that she.had no formal response to the Interim Audit Report recommendation. 

The Commission approved a finding that MBFC failed to disclose debts and obligations 

to ten vendors totaling $139,524. (For more detail, see p. 4.) 
Part IV 

Commission Finding 

I Reporting of Debts and Obligations 

Summary 

During audit fieldwork, the Audit staff noted that MBFC failed to disclose debts and 

obligations to ten vendors totaling $139,524. Subsequent to the exit conference, MBFC 

amended its disclosure reports to include these debts and obligations on Schedule D 

(Debts and Obligations) which materially corrected the public record. The Treasurer 

stated that she had no formal response to the Interim Audit Report recommendation. 

The Commission approved a finding that MBFC failed to disclose debts and obligations 

to ten vendors totaling $139,524. 

Legal Standard 

A. Continuous Reporting Required. A political committee must disclose the amount 

and nature of outstanding debts and obligations until those debts are extinguished. 

52 U.S.C. §30104(b)(8) and 11 CFR §§ 104.3(d) and 104.11(a). 

B. Separate Schedules. A political committee must file separate schedules for debts 

owed by the committee and debts owed to the committee, together with a statement 

explaining the circumstances and conditions under which each debt and obligation 

was incurred or extinguished. 11 CFR § 104.11 (a). 

C. Itemizing Debts and Obligations. 

• A debt of $500 or less must be reported once it has been outstanding 60 days from 

the date incurred (the date of the transaction); the committee reports it on the next 

regularly scheduled report. 

• A debt exceeding $500 must be disclosed in the report that covers the date on 

which the debt was incurred. 11 CFR § 104.11 (b). 

Facts and Analsrsis 

A. Facts 

During audit fieldwork, the Audit staff reviewed MBFC's disbursement records and 

disclosure reports for proper reporting of debts and obligations. This review identified 

debts owed to ten vendors totaling $139,524^ that MBFC failed to report on Schedule D 

during the audit period. Based on a review of the records, these vendors mainly provided 

advertising, solicitation/fundraising and consulting services. The Audit staff calculated 

Each debt in this amount was counted only once even if it was required to be disclosed over multiple periods. 
the debts owed to the vendors based on the invoice date and the subsequent payment date. 

Debts were outstanding for periods ranging from 23^ to 186 days. 

B. Interim Audit Report & Audit Division Recommendation 

The Audit staff discussed the reporting of debts and obligations with MBFC 

representatives at the exit conference and provided a schedule detailing the transactions 

requiring disclosure on Schedule D. MBFC representatives acknowledged they 

understood the schedule and would submit corrective amended disclosure reports. 

Subsequent to the exit conference, MBFC amended its disclosure reports to include these 

debts and obligations on Schedule D which materially corrected the public record. 

The Interim Audit Report recommended that MBFC provide any additional comments it 

may have with respect to this matter. 

C. Committee Response to Interim Audit Report 

The Treasurer stated that she had no formal response to the Interim Audit Report 

recommendation. 

D. Draft Final Audit Report 

The Draft Final Audit Report acknowledged that MBFC amended its disclosure reports to 

materially correct the public record. 

E. Committee Response to the Draft Final Audit Report 

The Treasurer's response to the Draft Final Audit Report provided no additional 

comments. 

Commissioia Conclusion 

On May 31,2018, the Commission considered the Audit Division Recommendation 

Memorandum in which the Audit staff recommended that the Commission find that 

MBFC failed to disclose debts and obligations to ten vendors totaling $139,524. 

The Commission approved the Audit staff's recommendation. 

^ Three debts were outstanding for 23,24, and 29 days, respectively. Each of these items were outstanding 

at the end of reporting periods and therefore reportable.