Restore Our Future Inc., a super PAC supporting Mitt Romney in the 2012 presidential election, agreed to pay the civil penalty in a conciliation agreement with the Federal Election Commission (FEC). The re-use constituted an illegal contribution.

The Campaign Legal Center (CLC) filed a complaint with the FEC in February 2012 after the super PAC started to re-use a media ad produced and previously run by the Mitt Romney campaign in the 2008 election. The super PAC used the old ad in major independent expenditures during the 2012 primaries and general election, in support of Mitt Romney. 

Read the Campaign Legal Center December 11th press release.

Miguel B. Fernandez, chairman of MBF Health Partners, a Miami, Florida health care company, reported Wednesday to the Federal Election Commission, that he made $10,950 in independent expenditures against presidential candidate Donald Trump.

Fernandez stated he paid $10,950 on December 6th to the Miami Herald Media Company for an advertisement opposing Trump. The ad ran on Sunday, December 6th. Fernandez emailed his reasons and a copy of the ad to news groups, including Politico. His announcement tactics gained wide media attention and free media visibility far more valuable than the cost of the ad. Trump, as well, has benefited from free media coverage of his own Twitter comments, which have almost no cost.

Fernandez stated he will also run the ad on December 14th in Las Vegas, Nevada, and Des Moines, Iowa.

Earlier this year, Fernandez contributed $2,015,250 to Right to Rise USA, a super PAC supporting presidential candidate Jeb Bush. He also gave $100,000 to New Republican.org, another super PAC.

Defending Main Street SuperPAC Inc. reported Tuesday it took in receipts of $600,008 during November, and made only $474 in disbursements. The super PAC now has $1,190,271 cash-on-hand as of November 30th.

The Super PAC is associated with former Rep. Steven LaTourette, R-Ohio, who is known as a labor-friendly Republican who supports centrist Republicans. He is now president of McDonald Hopkins Government Strategies LLC. Earlier this year he lobbied for the United Brotherhood of Carpenters & Joiners. His spouse, Jennifer, is a also with the firm and lobbies for the Airports Council International, among other clients.

Major donors to the super PAC during November include Silicon Valley entrepreneur Sean Parker (former co-founder of Napster, and former president of Facebook), who contributed $200,000. In the 2013-2014 cycle, Parker gave to many Republican and Democratic candidates, as well as $250,000 to former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords' Americans for Responsible Solutions PAC; $350,000 to Mississippi Conservatives, which supported Sen. Thad Cochran, R-MS; and $500,000 to Larry Lessig's Mayday PAC, which supported candidates favoring campaign finance reform.

Also contributing to the Super PAC in November were a labor-related super PAC Working for Working Americans-Federal ($250,000), and the Air Line Piots Association PAC ($150,0000).

Earlier this year the super PAC had received $100,000 from the Int'l. Union of Operating Engineers (EPEC), and $100,000 from the Laborers' LIUNA Building America.

Conservative Solutions PAC reported Monday it paid $1,273,293 to Target Enterprises LLC (CA) for independent expenditures supporting Marco Rubio in Iowa. The super PAC paid $1,183,616 for media ad placements beginning on Dec. 7th, and $89,677 for online advertising beginning Dec.7th. The super PAC did not report a date of disbursement or obligation.

In July, the PAC reported $16 million in receipts during the first six months of this year, including $5 million from Norm Braman, auto dealer at Braman Motors Inc, Miami, FL, and $3 million from Larry Ellison, chairman and chief technology officer at Oracle Corp., Walnut Creek, CA.

Right To Rise USA reported last night it paid $7,326,502 on Nov. 23rd to Oath Strategies LLC (VA) for media ads to impact on voters in New Hampshire, Iowa, South Carolina, Ohio, and Nevada. The ads were for distribution starting on Nov. 30th.

The super PAC paid $4,423,057 to Oath Strategies LLC for media placement of ads for New Hampshire; $1,078,806 for ads in Iowa; $1,132,196 for ads in South Carolina; $345,795 for ads in Ohio; $118,961 for ads in Nevada; and $227,686 for national cable media buys on Fox channels.

Women Vote!, a super PAC of Emily's List, reported December 1st it paid $999,902 for independent expenditures supporting Rep. Donna Edwards in her U.S. Senate race. The super PAC paid Mundy Katowitz Media $960,002 on Nov. 24th for TV media buys with ads starting to run on December 1st. The super PAC also paid $39,900 to Mundy Katowitz Media for media production. 

Rep. Donna Edwards, D-MD, in running against Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D-MD, to fill the seat of retiring Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-MD.

View Edwards' Senate campaign financial profile, and her House financial profile. View Van Hollen's Senate campaign financial profile, and his House financial profile.

The four campaign finance riders that have already been added in the House and Senate Appropriations Committees to appropriation bills would:

-Repeal limits on the amounts that parties can spend in coordination with their candidates.

-Prevent the White House from issuing an Executive Order requiring disclosure of campaign finance activities by government contractors.

-Prevent the SEC from issuing regulations to require public corporations to disclose their campaign finance related activities to their shareholders.

-Prevent the IRS from issuing new regulations to stop non-profit groups from misusing the tax laws to spend contributions in federal elections.

View Roll Call's article, "Campaign Finance Riders Face Fight In Year-End Spending Bill."

Financial activity through Monday will be reported in monthly reports due by December 20th. At some companies, Monday's pay envelopes may include a PAC solicitation to make sure employees max-out on their yearly contribution limits. If they haven't done payroll deduction to reach the maximum, December would be the last time to make contributions to reach the 2015 limit. Individuals may contribute up to $5,000 each calendar year to a PAC (separate segregated fund or non-connected).

National party committees will also be fundraising in December for individuals to max-out by giving $32,400 this calendar year, and $100,200 per year to each new accounts for recounts and headquarters expenses. The parties will also be seeking contributions from multi-candidate PACs up to $15,000 per year, and $45,000 per year to each new account. The DNC and RNC will also be seeking similar contributions for their convention accounts.

State, District and local parties committees that have federal accounts will be seeking a combined $5,000 maximum contribution from PACs, and combined $10,000 from individuals. 

Federal candidates will be also be fundraising even though their campaign committees do not have calendar year contribution limits. Many candidates will want to show a large year-end cash balance to deter other candidates or show their own strength. Those with early 2016 primaries will need immediate resources.

Even non-profit groups that operate in the political arena will be soliciting unlimited December contributions, including 501c3 organizations whose contributions are tax-deductible. 

The Barack Obama Foundation, a 501c3 non-profit, is also fundraising while Obama is in office. In 2014, the foundation had contributions and pledges of $5.9 million, and disclosed some donors.

View the 2015 Contribution Chart of the Federal Election Commission.

Republican donor and News Corporation chairman/ CEO Rupert Murdoch tweeted Friday "Strong word. Tribune newspaper group to be bought by Wall St firm, LA Times to go philanthropist Eli Broad and local group."

Billionaire Eli Broad, 82, is ranked by Forbes as the 65th wealthiest man in the world. He was co-founder of the home building company KB Homes, and founder of retirement saving company SunAmerica. He now runs the Broad Foundation, which is a strong supporter of charter public schools, among other issues and activities.

Broad has been a regular donor to Democratic candidates, committees and super PACs. Since 1979, he and his wife, Edythe, have given $2.3 million to federal candidates and committees. 

In the 2013-2014 cycle, Broad gave $495,000 including $255,000 to the Senate Majority PAC; $100,000 to the House Majority PAC; $25,000 to Ready For Hillary PAC; as well as to many other committees and candidates. 

In the 2011-2012 cycle, he gave $477,000 including $250,000 to Mayors Against Illegal Guns Action Fund; $100,000 to the Majority PAC; as well as to many other committees and candidates.

Use Political MoneyLine's Donor Search to look up all his federal contributions.

Update 11/30: The Tribune Publishing Company stated on Monday that it was not in talks to sell itself.

Security is Strength PAC, reported late Wednesday that it had spent $1,043,496 on Nov. 23-25 for new political advertisements as independent expenditures supporting Graham in the New Hampshire presidential primary.

The super PAC paid Wilson Grand Communications (VA) $1 million for placement of cable advertisements, and $15,000 for production costs. The PAC also paid 406 Enterprises LLC (DC) $28,496 for mobile advertising.

The Pew Research Center released a new polling report on Monday entitled, "Beyond Distrust: How Americans View Their Government, Broad criticism, but positive performance ratings in many areas."

Part 6 of the report, "Perceptions of elected officials and the role of money in politics," indicates that when people were asked to name in their own words, "What is the biggest problem with elected officials in Washington," the largest response was "influenced by special interest money." The concern was named by similar proportions of Republicans and Democrats.

The Freedom Project, the leadership PAC of former Rep. John Boehner, R-OH, reported Friday evening it had $1,060,872 cash-on-hand as of October 31st. 

During the month of October, the PAC reported no receipts except $5,000 returned from Benishek for Congress. The PAC spent $48,710 during October on some administrative and staff expenses, $5,856 for donor mementos, and $3,824 at Trattoria Alberto.

So far in 2015, the PAC has reported receipts of $1,374,361, including $544,000 from PACs. The committee contributed $728,000 to federal candidates and committees. View the Political MoneyLine financial summary. (Updated)

Since September 1, 1995 the PAC has raised $21.8 million.

The Republican National Committee (RNC) reported receipts of $8,654,443 and disbursements of $7,717,032 during October, leaving $20,367,094 cash-on-hand as of October 31st, with debts of $1,825,000. The committee received over $2 million into its new accounts for building funds, recount funds, and convention funds. Five members of the DeVos family (MI) each gave $100,200 to the building fund for a total of $501,000. The five also gave a total of $402,200 to the convention fund. Trammell Crow (investor, Crow Holdings, TX) gave $100,200 to the building fund. Julian Robertson (manager, Tiger Management LLC, NY) gave $100,200 each to the building fund, recount fund and convention fund. 

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) reported receipts of $4,456,789 and disbursements of $5,254,929 during October, leaving $4,703,186 cash-on-hand as of October 31st, with debts of $6,921,661. The committee received $264,000 from Hillary Victory Fund and $250,000 from Bernie 2016. Major donors giving $33,400 each included Elizabeth Bagley (US Mission to the UN, NY); Fred Eychaner (president, Newsweb Corp., IL); Deven Parekh (managing director, Insight Venture Partners, NY); Linda Price (attorney, Apex Energy, OK); Amy Rao (CEO, IAS, CA); Charif Souki (CEO, Cheniere Corp., TX); and Judith Wagner (investment manager, Wagner Investment Management, CO). 

The National Republican Senatorial Committee (DSCC) reported receipts of $2,332,317 and disbursements of $1,896,335 during October, leaving $10,304,698 cash-on-hand as of October 31st, and no debts. The committee received $323,400 into its new accounts for building funds, and recounts. Mrs. Barbara R. Banke (co-proprietor, Jackson Family Enterprises, CA) gave $100,000 to the building fund. Gregory W. Wendt (Capital Group, CA) gave $100,000 to the building fund. Donors to the committee giving $33,400 included Nicolas F. Brady (chairman, Choptank Partners, MD)); John Catsimatdis (CEO, Red Apple Group, NY); Mrs. Margo Catsimatdis (Hellenic News of America, NY); and nine members of the DeVos family (MI) for a total of $330,600. The committee does not file electronically.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) reported receipts of $3,842,114 and disbursements of $3,429,119, leaving $9,633,603 cash-on-hand as of October 31st, with debts of $10,620,835. The committee received $433,448 into its new accounts for building funds, and recount funds. S. Donald Sussman (CEO, Paloma Partners Management Co., ME) gave $100,200 to the building fund and the same amount to the recount fund. The DSCC repaid $1.2 million in loans. Major donors included Jeffrey Katzenberg (CEO, Dreamworks SKG, CA) gave $33,400; S. Donald Sussman gave $33,400. David O. Maxwell (retired, DC) and Joan P. Maxwell, each gave $33,400. The committee does not file electronically.

The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) reported receipts of $5,058,307 and disbursements of $1,927,889 leaving $22,938,595 cash-on-hand as of October 31st, and no debts. The committee received $309,032 into its new accounts. Charles Munger (retired, CA) gave $100,200 into the building fund. Major donors each giving $33,400 to the committee included former Sen. Phil Gramm (US Policy Metrics, TX); Wendy Gramm (retired, TX); Peter Kalikow (real estate executive, H.J. Kalikow & Co., NY); and Jay Pryor (V.P., Chevron Corp., TX). Ryan for Congress and Kevin McCarthy for Congress each transferred in $500,000 along with transfers from many other members.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) reported receipts of $5,399,657 and disbursements of $2,739,869 leaving $24,421,693 cash-on-hand as of October 31st, and no debts. The committee received $716,606 into its new accounts. Fred Eychaner (owner, Newsweb, IL) gave $100,200 to the recount fund and $100,200 to the building fund. James Simons (retired, NY) gave $100,200 to the building fund, and $100,200 to the recount fund. Major donors to the committee each giving $33,400 included Peter Angelos (attorney, MD); Fred Eychaner (owner, Newsweb, IL); Bruce Ratner (CEO, Forest City Ratner Companies, NY); and Anthony Rossi (chairman, RMK Management Corp., IL); among many others.

Thomas Steyer, founder of Fahr LLC (CA), contributed $8 million on October 26th to his Super PAC, NextGen Climate Action Committee. Marcy Carsey, producer in California, contributed $300,000 on October 2nd. The Super PAC reported receipts of $8.3 million, spent $3.8 million, and has $6.8 million cash-on-hand, and debts of $10,984.

The Super PAC sent $400,000 to NextGen Climate Action Committee-Pennsylvania; $315,000 to Truman National Security Project (DC); $100,000 to Common Good-VA; and $78,000 to the Virginia League of Conservation voters. The Super PAC paid Bully Pulpit Interactive LLC (DC) $1,770,360 during October for digital advertisements.

In 2013-2014, Steyer was the largest donor to Super PACs, giving a total of $74 million to his two Super PACs.

The Federal Election Commission certified O'Malley had raised $100,000 by collecting $5,000 in 20 different states. Only a maximum of $250 per individual applies toward the $5,000 in each state. O'Malley has also agreed to an overall spending limit, state spending limits, and an extensive campaign audit.

Based on O'Malley's initial threshold submission of $379,873 the Commission will request that the United States Treasury make an initial payment of $100,000 to O'Malley's campaign. Additional submissions for matching funds may be made on the 5th day of each month. The Treasury may pay out funds beginning in January 2016.

View the FEC press release. View O'Malley threshold submission documents. View list of contributors and states.

The FEC Inspector General has again this year hammered away at challenges that face the Federal Election Commission. Here are the three major areas listed in the Inspector General's Statement on the Federal Election Commission's Management and Performance Challenges - 2015 report.

"Management consistently lacks the proper planning documentation and oversight of IT projects that are critical to the fulfillment of the agency's mission and are required to ensure the security and reliability of agency data." For example, the FEC's Chief Information Officer is also the full-time Staff Director, which "hinders the effectiveness and efficiency of agency business," "For several years, the Office of the Inspector General has reported on IT projects that have yet to be completed or properly implemented." 

"FEC lacks adequate structure and continued stability in key senior leadership positions that are accountable for the mission and objectives of the agency." For example, the position of General Counsel has been vacant since July 2013. The Chief Financial Officer has been vacant since October 2012. The Deputy Staff Director for Management and Administration has been vacant since August 2014.

"The Office of Human Resources (OHR) lacks leadership stability and adequate resources to achieve its mission critical program goals and objectives." For example, the FEC has had four different OHR directors since FY2010."

On Monday, the House takes up H.R. 308, the Keep The Promise Act, under suspension of the rules, which normally has non-controversial legislation that doesn't cost taxpayers money. The bill is strongly supported by the Gila River Indian Community, an Indian tribe which operates a casino in Arizona. The bill seeks to block development of a rival casino by the Tohono O'odham Nation. View the CBO report.

Indian tribes have spent $19,694,000 lobbying during the first three quarters of 2015, including $2,260,000 spent by the Gila River Indian Community, and $920,000 spent by the Tohono O'odham Nation. During the third quarter, the firm of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld reported receiving $620,000 from the tribe for lobbying. Dentons US LLP was the largest lobbying firm used by the Tohono O'odham Nation, and reported receiving $500,000 in the third quarter for lobbying.

Along with lobbying expenditures, Indian tribes have also given contributions to political parties and candidates. They do not need to set up a political action committee and may donate in the name of the tribe. Since the 1999-2000 election cycle, federally registered tribes have given over $100 million in contributions, including a high of $17.7 million in the presidential 2011-2012 cycle, and $16.9 million in the 2013-2014 cycle. So far in the 2015-2016 cycle, they have given $6.7 million. 

The Gila River Indian Community has given $3,038,413 in contributions since 1999, and ranks as the 8th largest giver. Recipients in 2015 have reported receiving $250,694 from the Gila River Indian Community. The Tohono O'dham Nation has given $612,360 since 1999, including $38,500 given in 2015.

Political organizations receiving the most from the tribes since 1999 have been two accounts of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee ($10.4 million); the two accounts of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee ($9.2 million); two accounts of the National Republican Congressional Committee ($7.6 million); the National Republican Senatorial Committee ($4.2 million); and two accounts of the Democratic National Committee ($3.9 million).

The candidates receiving the most were Barack Obama ($3.1 million); and John Boehner ($953K).

View the full chart of tribe donations since 1999. 

Rep. Chaka Fattah, D-PA, loaned his legal defense fund $85,000, even though he reported having very few assets at the end of last year.

In a third quarter report, the Preservation of Public Service Legal Trust reported Fattah loaned the fund $85,000 on September 23th. Other donors included $5,000 from Bob Brady for Congress (PA); $5,000 from Friends of Jim Clyburn (SC); $5,000 from Fattah's leadership PAC, Leadership for American Opportunity (DC); $5,000 from Friends of Cindy Bass (PA); $2,000 from Ruben Hinojosa for Congress (TX); $1,000 from Cleaver for Congress (MO); and $1,000 from Clay Jr. for Congress (MO). The fund paid Mincey and Fitzpatrick LLC (PA) $15,000 on September 18th and $85,000 on September 25th for legal fees.

His personal financial disclosure report filed in May 2015, covering financial activity in 2014, showed very few assets. These included a 401K plan with the General Electric Company, a Pennsylvania state pension, and liabilities of several hundreds of thousands of dollars with four mortgages. CQ Roll Call listed him as one of the ten poorest members of Congress, ranking him #532 in wealth among all those in of Congress.

Earlier, Fattah's campaign committee paid $95,089 (updated) for legal fees in 2015, but as of September 30th, reported only $2,608 cash-on-hand, and $1,786 in debts. His leadership PAC reported $6,844 cash-on-hand and $17,000 in debts.

On July 29, 2015, Fattah was indicted in a racketeering conspiracy. View earlier posting and indictment.

Fattah sits on the House Appropriations Committee which works on allocating $1 trillion in government spending.

Lawyer Floyd Abrams, a First Amendment expert who represented Sen. Mitch McConnell in the McConnell and Citizens United cases, expressed his views Wednesday in a letter to the Wall Street Journal.

"With your repeated editorial support for the Supreme Court's much maligned Citizens United ruling, you have served as a rare journalistic voice in defense of core First Amendment principles. But your opposition to disclosure requirements as reflected in your editorial "Show Us Your Donors" (Nov 5) is not only at odds with Citizens United but with virtually all Supreme Court rulings in this area and the views of all but one of the present members of that Court. Those cases commenced with the Buckley v. Valeo ruling in 1976 that upheld disclosure requirements on the ground that they "provid[ed] the electorate with information" about the sources of spending on elections. In McConnell v. FEC, decided in 2003, the Court upheld disclosure provisions on the ground that they could help citizens "make informed choices in the political marketplace." And in Citizens United itself, every member of the Court except Justice Clarence Thomas agreed that "the public has an interest in knowing who is speaking about a candidate shortly before an election." The First Amendment, the Court concluded, "protects political speech; and disclosure permits citizens and shareholders to react to the speech of corporate entities in a proper way... by enabl[ling] the electorate to make informed decisions and give proper weight to different speakers and messages."

"None of this is at odds with the First Amendment. It is true that if a showing can be made that the effect of disclosure in a particular case would be, as the Court put it in Citizens United, that a "group's members would face threats, harassment or reprisals if their names were disclosed" that a serious constitutional issue might be raised. But that is the exception, not the norm, and there is no basis to conclude that since disclosure might lead to public criticism, that is reason enough to avoid the obligation to disclose, let alone to hold it unconstitutional. Justice Antonin Scalia put it well in a 2010 opinion: "Requiring people to stand up in public for their political acts fosters civic courage, without which democracy is doomed."

The Campaign for Accountability filed the complaints on Tuesday claiming between 2008 and 2015, Sen. Robert Corker, R-TN, his wife and daughters made seventy trades of stock in the real estate investment firm CBL & Associates Properties. The group stated, "Some of the trades closely preceded company announcements that led to changes in the stock's price and seemingly resulted in the senator making millions of dollars."

The group stated, "Sen. Corker recently amended his filings to reveal a 2009 purchase of between $1 and $5 million of CBL stock, sold just five months later in 2010 at a 42% profit. Similarly, Sen. Corker made purchases worth between $3 and $15 million in 2010 and, just after his last trade, UBS said it was upgrading its outlook. The stock went up 18%. Shortly thereafter, Sen. Corker began selling; a week later, UBS downgraded the stock and the share price soon declined about 10%."

View the group's press release and complaint.

Corker sits on the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee.