Federal Election Commission Inoperable After Quorum Loss
The Federal Election Commission (FEC) is currently unable to operate as of Wednesday, following the resignation of Republican Commissioner Allen Dickerson on April 30. His departure has left the commission without the necessary quorum to conduct its essential functions, including the enforcement of campaign finance laws.
President Donald Trump has yet to appoint replacements for Dickerson and Democratic Commissioner Ellen Weintraub, who was controversially dismissed by Trump in February. This absence of new nominations, which require confirmation by the U.S. Senate, has left the FEC short of the four-member quorum needed from its usual six commissioners.
The primary role of the FEC is to regulate financial contributions in federal elections, ensuring compliance by overseeing reports from campaigns, political action committees (PACs), and parties. These reports detail fundraising activities, donor identities, and expenditure records. Without the quorum, the FEC cannot adjudicate investigation outcomes, levy penalties, or provide formal guidance on campaign finance laws.
Alix Fraser, vice president of advocacy at the campaign reform group Issue One, expressed concern over the situation to NOTUS. “The FEC is supposed to be the nation’s top campaign finance referee,” Fraser stated. “The loss of a quorum at the FEC is more than a bureaucratic hiccup — it’s the refs walking off the field at a moment when robust scrutiny of money in politics is needed more than ever.”
This is not the first time such an impasse has occurred under Trump’s administration. During his first term, the FEC was similarly incapacitated following the resignation of Matthew Petersen in August 2019. The commission was inactive for nine months, and shortly after regaining function, it was again inoperative for five months following Caroline Hunter’s resignation.
The ongoing vacancies at the FEC contribute to a growing backlog of unresolved issues, placing additional pressure on future commissioners, whenever they are appointed. Recently, Trump was found guilty of breaching campaign finance laws related to a hush money payment during his 2016 campaign. Despite this, he received an unconditional discharge after his 2024 presidential election victory. Furthermore, allegations emerged last year accusing Trump of using campaign funds to cover his legal expenses.
Efforts to obtain a comment from a White House spokesperson regarding this situation were unsuccessful.
For more information, please refer to the original article on American Journal News.
