Federal campaign finance agency won't have enough members to enforce the law

Source: Politico

04/30/2025 12:15 PM EDT


The Federal Election Commision, the agency responsible for enforcing campaign finance laws, is again without enough members to take official action after a Republican commissioner announced his departure on Wednesday. The agency is paralyzed without a quorum and cannot vote on things like the outcomes of investigations, citing committees for campaign finance violations, and issuing advisory opinions or guidance for campaigns.

Allen Dickerson, who was confirmed to the FEC in 2020, is the second commissioner to willingly depart the agency this year, following Republican Sean Cooksey’s resignation in January. President Donald Trump also sought to fire Commissioner Ellen Weintraub, a Democrat, in February. She publicly contended that the firing was illegal but has not participated in recent commission votes and is no longer listed on the agency’s website. The FEC has six commissioner spots, and four is required for a quorum, but Dickerson’s departure leaves the agency with just three commissioners.

Dickerson and the three remaining commissioners — Trey Trainor, Dara Lindenbaum and Shana Broussard — voted on several matters in Wednesday’s agency meeting before Dickerson announced his resignation.

“It’s difficult to remember the commission we inherited in 2020. Years of entrenchment and recrimination had badly hobbled this organization,” Dickerson told colleagues on Wednesday, adding he was proud of his work on the commission in at-times emotional remarks.

Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/30/fec-quorum-00318077