The FEC: Lots of Work Ahead for a Full Commission

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The FEC: Lots of Work Ahead for a Full Commission
By Alex Knott and Emily Cadei, CQ Staff


After nearly six months of paralysis, the Federal Election Commission could be back in business this month, thanks to a compromise ending a drawn out standoff in the Senate over nominations to the agency that oversees campaign finance law.

If the Senate acts soon, as expected, to approve five nominations to the FEC, it would mark the first time since its creation in 1975 that so many commissioners have been appointed at once. It also would give the agency its first full slate of six commissioners for the first time since March 2007. But with a backlog of pending regulatory issues that have piled up since January, the new commission will be playing a game of catch-up for the rest of this election season .

The withdrawal of controversial Republican nominee Hans von Spakovsky last month, followed by the White House’s nomination of Matthew S. Petersen as a consensus replacement, has paved the way for a settlement of a dispute between Senate Democratic and Republican leaders that left the agency with only two seated commissioners during the crucial 2008 primary season. Since it takes at least four commissioners to conduct official business, the two-member panel has been unable to resolve any pending complaints or do much of anything else, except issue statements of guidance.

The Senate Rules and Administration Committee is preparing to vote on Petersen, but his nomination hearing is expected to go smoothly since he already serves the committee as the Republican chief counsel. Once approved, his nomination would be sent to the floor for a vote, along with the four other pending FEC nominations, three new and one returning.

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