FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION
 

February 1983 1325 K Street NW 

NEW PEC BROCHURE SERIl!S 

EXPLAINS ELECTION LAW 

In January, the Commission published a new 

series of small brochures discussing specific aspects of the federal election law. Each brochure 

deals with a topic which has attracted the interest of the general public or of groups which are 

involved with election law. 

Designed for readability and clarity, the brochures parallel and expand upon other Commission 

publications. Several brochures aim to help the 

general public better understand FEC functions 

and federal election laws. Others seek to reach 

out to individuals and groups involved in political 

activities, such as candidates, party committees, 

and political action committees. 

The brochures cover the following ten topics: 

volunteer activity; local party activity; candidate 

registration; using FEC campaign finance information; contributions; independent expenditures; 

corporate and labor communications; corporate 

and labor facilities; political ads and solicitations; 

and advisory opinions. 

Copies of the brochures may be obtained from the 

Commission's Office of Public Communications, 

202/523-4068 or toll free 800/424-9530. 

PEC REISSUES CAMPAIGN GUIDE 

POR CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATES 

AND COMMl'ITEHS 

The Commission has reissued its Campaign 

Guide for Congressional Candidates and Committees. Part One of the GUide, essentially the same 

as the earlier edition, focuses exclusively on those 

requirements of the Act and FEC Regulations 

affecting candidates for the U.S. House and 

Senate, their principal campaign committees and 

other authorized committees. Part Two, a new 

addition to the Guide, reproduces FEC reporting 

forms and shows how to fill them out. 

Based on the Act and Commission Regulations, 

the Guide includes eita tions to regulations, selected advisory opinions and FEC directives. 

Copies of the Guide are available free of charge 

by contacting: Office of Public Comrnunteations, 

Washington DC 20463 Volume 9, Number2 

PEC, 1325 K Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 

20643; or call 202/523-4068 or toll free 800/424­

9530. 

PEC RECORD ON MICROFILM 

During January, the Public Records Office 

made the Commission's monthly newsletter, the 

FEC Record, available on microfilm. The micro

film reel contains all issues, supplements and 

indexes to the Record from September 1975 

through the most recent issue. Paper copies of 

this microfilmed information are available at 10 

cents per page. The microfilm reel is also avail

able at $10. Checks should be made payable to the 

FEC. For more information, contact the Public 

Records Office, FEC, 1325 K Street, N.W., Wash

ington, D.C. 20463; or call 202/523-4181 or toll

free 800/424-9530. 

SPECIAL ELECTIONS 

During February and March, special election

will be held in three states to fill vacant House 

seats. On Pebruary 12, Texas will hold a specia

election in its 6th Congressional District to fil

the seat formerly held by Representative William 

Philip Gramm. New York has scheduled a specia

election for March I, to fill the 7th Congressiona

District seat formerly held by the late Benjamin 

S. Rosenthal. On March 29, Colorado will hold a 

special election in its 6th Congressional Distric

to fill the seat left vacant by the death of John L

Swigert, Jr. 

The principal campaign committees of candidate

participating in these special elections must file 

the appropria te pre- and post-election reports. Al

other political committees which support candi

dates in the special elections (and which do no

report on a monthly basis) must also follow thi

reporting schedule. 

The FEC will send notices on reporting require

ments and filing dates to individuals known to be 

actively pursuing election to these House seats

All other committees supporting candidates in the 

special elections should contact the Commission 

for more information on required reports. Cal

202/523-4068 or toll free 800/424-9530. 
February 1983 FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION Volume 9, Numte

As another alternative, under the Act and C

mission ReguJations, an office account could 

established to defray the transition expenses. 

nations to, and expenditures from, the acco

ADVISORY OPINIONS: SUMMARIES 

An Advisory Opinion (AO) issued by the Commission provides guidance with regard to the 

specific situation described in the AOR. Any 

qualified person who has requested an A0 and 

acts in accordance with the opinion will not be 

subject to any sanctions under the Act. Other 

persons may rely on the opinion if they are 

involved in a specific activity which is indistinguishable in all material aspects from the activity 

discussed in the AO. Those seeking guidance for 

their own activity, however, should consult the 

full text of an A0 and not rely only on the 

sum mary given here. 

AO 1982-5'1: Raising Funds to Defray 

Transition Activities 

The Buddy MacKay for Congress Campaign (the 

Committee), the principal campaign committee 

for Mr. MacKay's 1982 Congressional campaign, 

could use several methods to defray transition 

expenses incurred by Mr. MacKay during the 

period between the general election and his 

swearing-in ceremony as a federal officeholder. 

For example, the Committee could use excess 

funds remaining from Mr. MacKay's campaign 

because, under the Act and Commission Regulations, a federal officeholder may use these funds 

to defray any expenses incurred in connection 

with his duties, including expenses incurred for 

transition activities. (Mr. MacKay was considered 

a federal officeholder even before he was sworn 

in because the Act defines federal officeholder as 

someone "elected to or serving in" federal office. 

2 U.S.C. S439a; 11 CFR 113.) 

Mr. MacKl!-y could also establish a 1984 reelection 

committee and use contributions to the 1984 

committee to defray the transition expenses. 

(Once Mr. MacKay received in excess of $5,000 in 

contributions, he would become a candidate for 

the 1984 election and would have to register by 

filing a new Statement of Candidacy on FEC 

Form 2 or by letter. 2 U.s.C. S431(2) and 11 CFR 

100.3, 101.1 and 102.12.) Expenses would be 

reported as disbursements of the 1984 reelection 

committee and contributions, also reportable, 

would count toward donors' limits for Mr. 

MacKay's 1984 reelection campaign. 

would not be subject to the requirements of 

Act, provided the funds were not used for fed

election-influencing activities. See 2 U.

SS439a and 441a; 11 CFR 110, 113.I(b), 113.3 

113.4(a). An office account would, however

subject to House rules and income tax laws, b

of which are outside the Commission's juris

tion. (Date issued: December 10, 198e1; Lengt

pages) 

ADVISORY OPINION REQUllSTS 

The following chart lists recent requests 

advisory opinions (AORs). The full text of e

AOR is available to the public in the Comm

sion's Office of PUblic Records. 

AOR Subject 

1982-61 Association's combined dues eol

tion/PAC solicitation plan; disposi

of corporate donations. (Date m

public: December 17, 1982; Length

pages, plus supplement) 

1982-62 Eligibility of 1980 new party Presid

tial candidate for general elec

public funding prior to the 1984 gen

election. (Date made public: Decem

17, 1982; Length: 4 pages) 

1982-63 Check-off system used by law partn

ship to solicit noncorporate partn

and employees of corporate partn

(Date made public: December 21, 19

Length: 2 pages) 

1982-64 Donations to repay bank loan recei

by Congressional candidate for perso

living expenses. (Date made pub

December 23, 1982; Length: 2 pages) 

1982-65 PAC information provided in corpo

tion's annual report; definition of sol

tation. (Date made public, Decem

23, 1982; Length: 3 pages, plus supp

ment) 

The Record is published by the Federal Election Commission, 1325 K Street, N.W., Washington, 

D.C. 20463. Commissioners are: Danny Lee McDonald, Chairman; Lee Ann Elliott, Vice Chairman; 

Joan D. Aikens; Thomas E. Harris; John Warren McGarry; Frank P. Reiche; William F. 

Hildenbrand, Secretary of the senate, Ex Officio; Benjamin J. Guthrie, Clerk of the House of 

Representatives, Ex Officio. For more information, call 202/523-4068 or toll-free 800/424-9530. 

2 
February 1983 FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION Volume 9, Number 2 

• 1982-66 Act's jurisdiction over merchandising 

program to promote fictitious 1984 

Presidential candidate. (Date made 

publici December 27, 1982; Length: 3 

pages) 

1983-1 Campaign funds used to defray portion 

of Congressman's rent for district residence. (Date made puolles January 14, 

1983; Length: I page) 

1983-2 Computer services leased by campaign 

to raise funds to retire debts. (Date 

made public: January 14, 1983; Length: 

I page) 

FEC v. NATIONAL RIGHT
 

TO WORK COMMITTEE
 

• 

On December 13, 1982, the Supreme Court 

issued a unanimous decision reversing a decision 

by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of 

Columbia Circuit in FEC v. National Right to 

Work Committee (NRWC) (U.S. Supreme Court 

No. 81-1506). In its opinion, the Court held that 

some 267,000 individuals solicited by NRWC for 

contributions to its separate segregated fund 

during 1976 did not qualify as solicitable "members" of NRWC under Section 44Ib(b)(4)(C) of the 

election law. (NRWC is a nonprofit corporation 

without capital stock, which advocates voluntary 

unionism.) 

Complaint 

The Commission initially filed suit against 

NRWC in November 1977, claiming that NRWC 

had violated Section 44Ib(b)(4)(A) of the Act by 

soliciting funds to its separate segregated fund 

from persons Who were neither stockholders nor 

executive or administrative personnel. NRWC 

contended that its solicitations were permissible 

since those solicited were "members" of NRWC, 

within the meaning of the Act and Regulations,· 

and that, under Section 44Ib(b)(4)(C) of the Act, 

corporations without capital stock may pay the 

costs of soliciting contributions from their members. The Commission argued, however, that those 

solicited by NRWC were not members since both 

the bylaws of NRWC and its articles of incorpora­

• As defined by II CFR 114.l(e), '''members' 

mean all persons who are currently satisfying the 

requirements for membership....A person is not 

considered a member...if the only requirement for 

membership is a contribution to a separate segregated [urui." 

tion (filed with Virginia) stated that NRWC had n

members. 

After receiving notice of the FEC's intent to fil

a civil action, NRWC filed suit in October 197

(NR WC v. FEC), seeking injunctive and declara

tory relief and challenging the constitutionality o

Sections 44Ib(b)(4)(A) and (C) of the Act, whic

together prohibit nonstoek corporations from 

soliciting persons other than their "members

Among its constitutional claims, NRWC asserte

that Section 44Ib(b)(4)(C) was unconstitutionall

vague and infringed upon the First Amendmen

rights of free speech and association of thos

persons solicited by NRWC. In February 1978, th

cases were consolidated for argument before th

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. 

Lower Court Rulings 

Referring to NRWC's articles of incorpor

tion and bylaws, the district court found tha

NRWC was organized without members. The cou

therefore held that NRWC had violated Sectio

44Ib(b)(4)(C) by soliciting contributions to i

separate segregated fund from persons who wer

not members of NRWC. 

Reversing the district court's ruling in a Septem

ber 1981 decision, the appeals court held that th

term "member" "embraces at least those individ

uals whom NRWC describes as its active an

supporting members.... n which included all "thos

individuals solicited by NRWC...." The court als

found that NRWC's operation "accurately ident

fies and solicits only those individuals who share 

similar political philosophy and who have ev

denced a willingness to promote that philosoph

through support of the committee." The appea

court concluded that the district court's definitio

of "members" was "so narrow that it infringes o

associatlonat rights." The court noted that tw

identifiable public interests served by the Ac

(I.e., to eliminate the appearance or actualtty ·

corruption in federal elections and to preven

coercive contributions) were not "served by re

stricting the solicitation activities of a nonstoc

corporation organized solely for political pu

poses." 

Supreme Court's Ruling 

In rejecting the appeals court's reasoning, th

Supreme Court held that the "persons solicited b

NRWC were insufficiently attached to the corpo

ration to qualify as members under Section 441

(b)(4)(C) of the Act." In this regard, the Cou

noted that the legislative history of Section 441

(b)(4)(C) indicated that "'members' of nonstoe

corporations were to be defined, at least in par

by analogy to stockholders of business corpora

tions and me mbers of labor unions. The analogy t

stockholders and union members suggests tha

continue

3 
February 1983 FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION Volume 9,Numte

some rel8.tively enduring and independently significant financial or organizational attachment is 

required to be a 'member' under §441b(b)(4)(C)." 

The Court found that those individuals solicited 

by NRWC through "random mass mailings" failed 

to meet this membership requirement: "Among 

other things, NRWC's solicitation letters did not 

mention membership, its articles of incorporation 

disolaim the existence of members, and members 

play no part in the operations or administration of 

the corporation." Consequently, the Court found 

·that the respondent's arguments would "virtually 

excise from the statute the restriction of solicitation to 'members'••••" and would "open the door to 

all but unlimited corporate SOlicitation." 

The Court found that the Act's restrictions on 

solicitations by nonstoek corporations did not 

raise "any unsurmountable constitutional difficulties." The First Amendment "associational rights 

asserted by respondent.••are overborne by the interests Congress has sought to protect in enacting 

Section 441b." In this regard, "the statute reflects 

a legisl8.tive judgment that the special characteristics of the corporate structure require particuI8.rly careful regulation," Moreover, the Court 

noted that "the governmental interest in preventing both actual corruption and the appearance 

of corruption of elected representatives has long 

been recognized [by the Courtl, First National 

Bank of Boston v. Bellotti, 435 U.S. at 787, n.26, 

and there is no reason why it may not in this case 

be accomplished by treating unions, corporations, 

and sirnilar organizations differently from individuals. California Medical Association v. FEC, 435 

us, 182,201 (1981)." 

As to the defendants' claim that Section 441b(b) 

(4)(C) was unconstitutionally vague, the Court 

maintained that "there may be more than one way 

under the statute to go about determining who are 

'members' of a nonprofit corporation, and the 

statute may leave room for uncertainty at the 

periphery of its exception for solicitation of 

'members.' However, on this record we are satisfied that NRWC's activities extended in large 

part, if not in toto, to people who would not be 

members under any reasonable interpretation of 

the statute. See Broadrick v. Okl8.homa, 413 U.s. 

601 (1973)." 

SUMMARY OF MURs 

The Act gives the FEC exclusive jurisdict

for its civil enforcement. Potential violations 

assigned case numbers by the Office of Gene

Counsel and become "Matters Under Revie

(MURs). All MUR investigations are kept con

dential by the Commission, as required by 

Act. (For a summary of compliance procedur

see 2 U.s.C. §§437g and 437(dXa) and 11 C

Part 111.) 

This article does not sum marize every stage 

the compliance process. Rather, the summ

provides only enough background to make cl

the Commission's final determination. Note t

the Commission's actions are not necessa

based on, or in agreement with, the Gene

Counsel's analysis. The full text of this MUR 

available for review and purchase in the Comm

sion's Public Records Office. 

MURs 1439/1442:	 Labor Union's Failure 

to Report Intemal 

Communication Costs 

On October 5, 1982, the Commission entered i

a conciliation agreement with the Utah affili

of an international labor organization, which 

failed to disclose internal partisan communicat

costs exceeding $2,000, in vlolation of 2 U.S

§431(9)(B)(iii) and 11 CPR 100.8(b)(4). The st

affiliate (the union) had incurred the communi

tion costs (amounting to $4,347.73) as the res

of a letter sent to union members which expres

advocated the defeat of a U.S. Senator seek

reelection in 1982. The letter, mailed on Janu

7, 1982, and again on March 10, 1982, also so

ited contributions to the union's voter educat

fund. 

Complaint: This compliance matter arose as 

result of two separa te complaints filed agai

the union by an individual and a state pa

committee on April 28, 1982, and May 10, 19

respectively. Since the violations of the Act 

leged by the two complainants overlapped, 

General Counsel's Office combined the compla

for purposes of its investigation. The allegati

concerned the reprinting of portions of the uni

letter in a labor newspaper on March 12, 19

(The labor newspaper is published weekly in W

consin and distributed to members of Wiscon

unions and some out-of-state subscribers.) T

complainants alleged that the union had viola 

the following provisions of the Act: 

4 
.­

February 1983 FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION Volume 9,Number 

• §§44Ib(a) and 44l(b)(2)(A) by using its trea­ nal partisan communications when they aggrega

sury funds (and those of other labor councils) over $2,000 per election.**) 

to finance a partisan communication distributed outside its restricted class;* On July 14, 1982, the Commission found reason 

§§441b(a), (b)(2), (b)(3) and (b)(4XAXii) by believe that the union had violated 2 U.S.

soliciting and accepting contributions from
 

individuals outside its restricted class;
 

§44Ib(b)(2)(C) by depositing solicited contri­


butions in its voter education fund rather
 

than in a separate segregated fund;
 

§§44Ib(a) and 44Ib(a)(3XA) by financing an
 

opinion survey; 

§441d by failing to identify itself as the 

sponsor of public political advertising; and 

§433 or §434 by failing to register and report 

as a political committee. 

• 

General Counsel's Report: In responding to these 

allegations, the union claimed that it had not 

sponsored the reprinting of its letter in the labor 

newspaper. In support of its claim, the union 

submitted an affidavit stating that it had distributed the letter only to its restricted class, that is, 

to members of labor organizations aWliated with 

the same international labor organization with 

which the union is affiliated. (See 11 CFR 

114.J(e).) The General Counsel found no evidence 

to refute the union's claim. 

Therefore, since the union had limited the distribution of the letter to its restricted class, and 

since costs for such communications are specifically exempt from the Act's definitions of "contribution" and "expenditure," the General Counsel 

recommended that the Commission find no reason 

to believe that the union had violated those 

provisions of the Act alleged by the complainants. 

Moreover, the General Counsel concluded that the 

labor newspaper should not be made a respondent 

in the complaint because its publication of portions of the letter constituted a news editorial, 

also exempt from the Act's definitions of "contribution" and "expenditure." (See 2 U.S.C. §431(9)

(B)(1).) 

However, the General Counsel recommended that 

the Commission find reason to believe that the 

union had violated §43l(9)(B)(ii1) by failing to 

report the costs of preparing and mailing the 

letter. (A labor organization or corporation must 

use FEe Form 7 to report expenditures for inter­

§43J(9)(B)(iii) and 11 CFR 100.8(B)(4). At t

same time, the Commission found no reason 

believe the union had violated those provisions 

the Act alleged by the complainants (see above). 

Responding to the Commission's determinatio

the union claimed that its letter was not a par

san Tt 'eommunteatton but rather constituted 

communication primarily devoted to subje

other than the express advoeaey of the election 

defeat of a clearly identified Candidate.' " 

The General Counsel concluded that, although t

union had voluntarily complied with the Act 

filing a report disclosing information on the ma

ings, the union had nevertheless failed to disclo

the information on time. The Office of Gene

Counsel therefore recommended that the Co

mission find probable cause to believe the uni

and violated §43l(9XBXii1). 

Commission Determination: On October 5, 198

before reaching a "probable cause" determinatio

the Commission entered into a conciliation agre

ment with the respondent in which the uni

admitted that it had violated 2 U.S.C. §43l(9)(

(iii) and 11 CFR 100.8(b)(4) and agreed to pay 

civil penalty of $150.00. 

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICE 

The item below identifies an FEC docum

that appeared in the Federal Register duri

January. Copies of the notice are available in t

Public Records Office. 

Notice Title 

1983-1 Filing Dates for Texas Special Ejecti

(48 Fed. Reg. 2067, January 17, 1983) 

1983-2 Filing Dates for Colorado Special El

tion (48 Fed. Reg. 3047, January 

1983) 

• * A labor organization's restricted class comprises its members and their families, who are the * *The $2,000 threshold for reporting appl

only persons who may be solicited at any time by separately to each election process within a c

the labor organization or receive partisan commu­ endar year (i.e., all primary elections, the gene

nications from it. ! I CFR 114.3(a) and 114.5(g)(Z). election or any special or run-off election). 

5 
February 1983 FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION Volume 9, Numrer 2 

CHART I 

TOP 10 MONEY RAISERS 

Amount Raise

PAC AC'I1VlTYINCRBASES DURING 

1981-82 ELECTION CYCLE 

From January I, 1981, through October 13, 

1982, PAC· contributions to all federal candidates totaled $74.2 million (representing 45.4 percent of the $163.3 million spent by PACs during 

the period). Of this amount, $70.4 million went to 

1982 House and Senate candidates, a 39 percent 

increase over the $50.7 million PACs contributed 

to Congressional candidates during the same 

period in the 1980 election cycle. 

Information on PAC activity, which was released 

by the FEC on January 7, 1983, also shows that 

incumbents received 69 percent of all PAC contributions--four times the amount received by 

challengers. PAGs made more contributions to 

Democrats than to Republicans, Of the total 

PACs contributed to 1982 Congressional candidates, 54.2 percent went to Democrats and 45.8 

percent to Republicans. 

Charts I and II below list those PACs which 

raised the most money and made the most contributions to federal candidates through midOctober of 1982. More extensive information on 

PAC activity for the entire 1981-82 election 

cycle is expected in the Spring of 1983. 

"PAC is a popular term used to define all 

Political Action Committee 1/1/81 - 10/13/8

National Congressional Club $9,053,64

National Conservative Political 8,923,43

Action Committee 

Realtors Political Action Committee 2,772,28

(National Association of Realtors)· 

Fund for a Conservative Majority 2,490,14

American Medical Political Action 2,375,77

Committee (American Medical 

Assoelation) 

Citizens for the Republic 2,292,36

Committee for the Survival of a 2,134,56

Free Congress 

National Committee for an 2,131,56

Effective Congress 

Fund for a Dernoeratic Majority 2,126,18

Committee for the Future of America, 1,971,13

Inc. 

CRARTII 

TOP 10 CONTRIBUTORS TO 

FEDERAL CANDIDATES 

Amount Contribute

Political Action Committee 1/1/81 - 10/13/8

Realtors Political Action Committee $2,045,09

(National Association of Realtors). 

American Medical Political Action 1,638,79

Committee (American Medical 

Association) 

UAWVoluntary Community Action 1,470,35

Program (United Auto Workers) 

Machinists Non-Partisan Political 1,252,20

League (International Association 

of Machinists &: Aerospace Workers) 

National Education Association PAC 1,073,89

(National Education Association) 

American Bankers Association 870,11

BANKPAC (American Bankers 

Association) 

Build Political Action Committee of the 852,74

National Association of Home Builders 

Committee for Thorough Agricultural 842,45

Political Education (Associated 

Milk Producers, Inc.) 

Automobile and Truck Dealers Election 829,94

Action Committee 

AFL-CIO COPE Political Contributions 823,12

Committee (AFL-CIO) 

political committees that have not been authorized by candidates or political parties. The term 

includes separate segregated funds connected to 

corporations and labor organizations as well as "The connected organizations (i.e., sponsor

ganization 

political committees 

(t.e., corporate 

without 

or labor sponsor). 

any connected or­ of 

parentheses. 

separate segregated funds are indicated i

6 
February 1983 FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION Volume 9, Numter 

Several different offices at the Commission 

serve the public by providing information and 

materials. The article below describes the type of 

information services offered by these offices. 

PUBUC RECORDS OFFICE 

Who is running for federal office in my 

Congressional district or state? 

How may 1 obtain a candidate's full name and 

address, as well as the name and address of 

his/her campaign committee? 

How much money has a PAC raised and 

spent? 

These are the types of questions fielded by the 

FEC's Public Records Office, which provides information on the campaign finance activities of 

political committees and candidates involved in 

federal elections. Located on the street floor of 

the Federal Election Commission, the PUblic Records Office is open for public use weekdays from 

9 a.m, to 5 p.rn., and evenings and weekends 

during heavy reporting periods. The office is a 

library facility with ample work space and a 

knowledgeable staff to help locate documents. 

The FEC encourages the public to review the 

many documents which are available: 

Campaign finance reports (I972-present) 

filed by candidates for federal office (Presidency, Senate and House of Representatives) and political committees which support 

them; 

Statistical summaries of campaign finance
 

reports;
 

Computer indexes on campaign finance infor­


mation (and cross indexes to locate docu­


ments);
 

Advisory Opinion Requests and Advisory
 

·Opinions;
 

Completed compliance cases;
 

Audit reports;
 

Press releases; 

Commission memoranda, agendas of all Commission meetings, agenda items and minutes. 

• 

Those outside the Washington area may request 

documents by phone or matl, When identifying the 

documents you want, indicate the full name of the 

political committee reporting, the date or type of 

report or document desired, and your address and 

telephone number. The Commission charges five 

cents per page for eopies from paper files and 10 

cents per page for copies made from microfilm. 

~me~imes a preliminary phone call can help you 

pinpomt your request and thereby expedite the 

Commission's response. Call the Public Records 

Offiee at 202/523-4181 or toll free 800/424-9530. 

PUUUC COMMUNICATIONS 

How much money maya PAC contribute to 

federal candidate? 

Should a political committee, authorized by 

Congressional candidate, file its terminati

report with the Clerk of the House of Repr

sentatives or with the candidate's princip

earnpaign committee? 

When does our committee have to file 

next report? 

Mayan employee's immediate supervisor s

licit the employee for political contributio

to the company's PAC? 

Has the Commission issued an advisory opi

ion on topic x during the last six months? 

These questions are among the many the Comm

sion receives daily on its toll free (800) pho

line. Five information specialists, located in t

PUblic Communications Office, respond to su

questions immediately. The information speci

ists are not attorneys and cannot, by law, gi

opinions of an advisory nature.* They can, howe

er, help candidates and political committees u

derstand, and voluntarily comply With, the fede

election law. They also assist others who a

interested or involved in federal elections. F

example, information specialists will: 

Explain and clarify FEC advisory opinion

Regulations and procedures (e.g., procedur

for filing a complaint with the FEC or f

registering a political committee); 

Recommend appropriate publications and r

porting forms; 

Research advisory opinions and statutory a

regulatory provisions relevant to a speci

question; and 

Refer callers to the appropriate agency wh

the requests pertain to topics outside t

Commission's jurisdiction (e.g., tax issu

ballot questions or vote issues). 

Information specialists also supply this same ki

of information in letters responding to writt

inquiries. In addition, they accept public speaki

engagements; partieipate in seminars on campai

finance and the election law that are sponsored 

the FEC and other organiza tions; and speak 

formally to groups visiting the Commission. 

The Public Communications Office is open to t

public weekdays from 8 a.rn, until 6 p.m, T

office may be contacted by writing the FEC 

1325 K Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20463· 

by calling 202/523-4068 or toll-free 800/42

9530. continu

°NOTE: Commission staff may not gra

approval or disapproval of a specific campaign a

tivity, Individuals seeking FEC sanction for 

specific activity must request an advisory opini

from the Commission. See 11 CFR Part 112. 

7 
February 1983 FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION Volume 9, Numt.e

REPORTS ANALYSIS DIVlSION 

The Reports Analysis Division (RAD) reviews 

the campaign finance reports filed by political 

committees and assists filers in complying with 

the election law's disclosure requirements. If a 

committee receives a letter from the Federal 

Election Commission concerning its report, the 

committee should contact RAD. Call 202/523­

4048 or toll-free 800/424-9530. Committees 

should ask to speak to RAD or to a specific 

reports analyst. 

PUBLICATIONS OFFICE 

The FEC's Publications Office produces materials to help candidates, political committees 

and other interested individuals understand and 

comply with the election law. The monthly newsletter, the FEC Record, summarizes Commission 

litigation, advisory opinions, policies and procedures. Three campaign guides prepared respectively for political party committees, candidates 

and PACs explain how the law affects the activities of each committee and provides examples of 

completed FEC forms. Free copies of these publications may be obtained by contacting the Public 

Communications Office at 202/523-4068 or toll 

free 800/424-9530. Please do not contact the 

Publica tions Office. 

CLEARINGHOUSE 

In addition to the information services described above, the FEC's National Clearinghouse 

on Election Administration provides information 

to the public on the electoral process. The Clearinghouse also conducts regional seminars and publishes studies on election administration. Clearinghouse reports on election administration are 

available to the public at cost. For further information, or to obtain a list of publications and 

their prices, contact the Clearinghouse at 

202/523-4181 or toll free 800/424-9530. 

FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION
 

1325 K Street, NW.
 

Washington, D.C. 20463
 

Official Business 

PRESS OFFICE 

Staff of the Press Office are the Comm

sion's official media spokespersons. In addition 

publicizing Commission decisions, policies and a

tions, they respond to all inquiries from repr

senta tives of print and broadcast media. Mo

specifically, a staff of three: 

Answer questions on all aspects of the fede

al election law and Commission actions; 

Answer questions about campaign finance

providing data taken from reports filed w

the FEC by political committees; 

Prepare statistics on campaign finance acti

ity for public release; 

Generate press releases on FEC-related a

tivities; 

Arrange interviews between the media a

the Commissioners; and 

Handle all requests under the Freedom 

Information Act. 

Media representatives should direct their inquir

to the Press Office. The office, located on t

street floor of the Commission, is open weekda

from 9 a.m, to 5:30 p.rn, Press may contact t

office at 202/523-4065 or toll-free 800/424-953

When calling the toll-free number, please a

specifically for the Press Office. 

COMMISSION LIBRARY 

The Commission law library, part of t

Office of General Counsel, is also open to t

public. The library's collection includes basic leg

research tools plus materials dealing with poli

cal campaign finance, corporate and labor poli

cal activity and campaign finance reform. T

library staff prepares an Index to Advisory Op

ions and a Campaign Finance and Federal Electi

i'iIbliography, both available from the public Re

ords Office. 

First Class Mail
 

Postage & Fees Paid
 

FEC
 

Washington. D.C.
 

Permit No. G-31