Victory: CLC Complaint Prompts District Court to Hold the FEC Accountable

Date
Issues
Campaign Finance

Washington, DC — Today, a district court has ruled that the Federal Election Commission (FEC), the only agency tasked with enforcing federal campaign finance law, must be held accountable to its mission of fostering transparency. This decision comes after the FEC’s dismissal of a February 2024 complaint filed by Campaign Legal Center alleging campaign finance reporting violations by Last Best Place (LBP) PAC. 

Erin Chlopak, senior director for campaign finance at Campaign Legal Center, released the following statement: 

“In a win for transparency, the FEC has now been told that it must do its job and cannot refuse to enforce the law without a meaningful explanation. After the FEC dismissed Campaign Legal Center’s complaint against Last Best Place PAC for alleged campaign finance reporting violations, CLC sued, challenging the FEC’s flawed and inadequate explanation. In an opinion released today, the court agreed, rejecting the FEC’s dismissal decision as 'arbitrary and capricious' and 'too conclusory to survive' judicial review. 

“When the FEC refuses to enforce the laws that ensure transparency around election ads, voters’ ability to understand the campaign messaging they are bombarded with is compromised. And when the FEC attempts to shirk its enforcement duties without explanation, it is imperative that courts take action to hold the agency accountable. Campaign Legal Center welcomes the court’s decision, which demands that the FEC explain itself when it issues decisions declining to enforce our campaign finance laws.” 

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Campaign Legal Center is a nonpartisan legal organization dedicated to solving the wide range of challenges facing American democracy. Founded in 2002, CLC fights for every American’s freedom to vote and participate meaningfully in the democratic process. 

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