#Shana Broussard

[dontmeantobepoliticalbut]

The Federal Election Commission recently let a US company that was quietly bankrolled by Russian oligarchs off with a slap on the wrist despite discovering that it had illegally funneled Russian funds to US political candidates in the 2018 midterm elections, two Democratic FEC commissioners said in a scathing statement issued Friday.

“Half the Commission chose to reject the recommendation of the agency’s nonpartisan Office of General Counsel and turned a blind eye to the documented use of Russian money for contributions to various federal and state committees in the 2018 elections,” wrote the two commissioners, Ellen Weintraub and Shana Broussard.

Anyone who follows campaign finance knows that the FEC has been toothless for years due to GOP commissioners’ opposition to any enforcement of laws designed to oversee money in politics. But Weintraub and Broussard suggest the agency hit a new low by letting the US firm, American Ethane, off with a deal in which it agreed to pay only a small civil fine.

Though based in Houston, Texas, and run by American CEO John Houghtaling, 88% of American Ethane was owned by three Russian nationals—Konstantin Nikolaev, Mikhail Yuriev, and Andrey Kunatbaev. The FEC report said that Nikolaev, an oligarch and Russian billionaire with close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, is the controlling shareholder. Separately, Nikolaev also underwrote efforts by Maria Butina, a Russian gun rights activist, to cultivate ties with the National Rifle Association officials and with associates of Donald Trump around the time of the 2016 election. In 2018, Butina acknowledged acting as an unregistered Kremlin agent and pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy against the United States. She was sentenced to 18 months in prison but was deported six months later.

According to lobbying disclosures, the company was seeking help from US officials in its efforts to sell US ethane to China and, in 2018, had hired a US lobbying firm, Turnberry Solutions, with close ties to former Trump campaign chief Corey Lewandowski. A year later, Lewandowki officially joined Turnberry, after previously disputing his connections to the firm. Turnberry, which traded on ties to Trump, shut down in 2021, months after he left office.

The FEC investigation began after it received a complaint citing press reports on American Ethane’s ties to Nikolaev and its donations to lawmakers. Weintraub and Broussard noted that the FEC found that American Ethane “made contributions using funds derived from loans from foreign entities ultimately owned by Russian nationals.” Federal law bans foreign funds in US elections, as well as direct corporate donations to candidates. American Ethane seems to have done both. The FEC found that the company made more than $66,000 in donations using money it got from offshore firms in the form of loans. According to an FEC general counsel’s report released last year, the owners of the offshore firms included Alexander Voloshin, a Russian politician and former state power company official, and Roman Abramovich, an infamous Russian oligarch and former owner of the British football powerhouse Chelsea. The money the company used to dole out donations ultimately came from the oligarchs, the FEC said.

During its four-year investigation, the FEC found that the funds initially put up by Abromovich and other Russian nationals were then funneled to Republicans in Louisiana: Sens. John Kennedy and Bill Cassidy, a political action committee run by Kennedy, a leadership fund run by House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, a PAC backing Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry, and the campaigns of Reps. Mike Johnson and Garrett Graves. Other contributions went to state lawmakers. The report didn’t explain why the company focused on Louisiana but the state is home to many natural gas firms, and its lawmakers advocate for the industry.

The lawmakers who received funds have not been accused of knowingly taking Russian money, though the final report from the initial investigation noted, “American Ethane attempted to make more political contributions, but those recipient committees never deposited American Ethane’s checks.”

American Ethane argued that the funds the company first received appeared as loan to the American corporation. Therefore, they claimed the donations it made were not foreign. The FEC rejected that argument. But it still recommended the firm only pay $9,500 as a civil penalty.

“The foreign-influence problem has not gone away in the meantime, to put it mildly,” Weintraub and Broussard wrote. “In this case, it is beyond unfortunate that for three of our colleagues, it was a bridge too far to penalize the use of Russian oligarchs’ money to influence U.S. elections.”

[the-99-percenters]

Reposted from @motherjonesmag Shocker. The Federal Election Commission recently let a US company that was quietly bankrolled by Russian oligarchs off with a slap on the wrist despite discovering that it had illegally funneled Russian funds to US political candidates in the 2018 midterm elections, two Democratic FEC commissioners said in a scathing statement issued this past Friday. “Half the Commission chose to reject the recommendation of the agency’s nonpartisan Office of General Counsel and turned a blind eye to the documented use of Russian money for contributions to various federal and state committees in the 2018 elections,” wrote the two commissioners, Ellen Weintraub and Shana Broussard. Anyone who follows campaign finance knows that the FEC has been toothless for years due to GOP commissioners’ opposition to any enforcement of laws designed to oversee money in politics. But Weintraub and Broussard suggest the agency hit a new low by letting the US firm, American Ethane, off with a deal in which it agreed to pay only a small civil fine. Though based in Houston, Texas, and run by American CEO John Houghtaling, 88 percent of American Ethane was owned by three Russian nationals—Konstantin Nikolaev, Mikhail Yuriev, and Andrey Kunatbaev. The FEC report said that Nikolaev, an oligarch and Russian billionaire with close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, is the controlling shareholder. Separately, Nikolaev also underwrote efforts by Maria Butina, a Russian gun rights activist, to cultivate ties with National Rifle Association officials and with associates of Donald Trump around the time of the 2016 election. In 2018, Butina acknowledged acting as an unregistered Kremlin agent and pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy against the United States. She was sentenced to 18 months in prison but was deported six months later. According to lobbying disclosures, the company was seeking help from US officials in its efforts to sell US ethane to China. In 2018 it hired a US lobbying firm, Turnberry Solutions, with close ties to former Trump campaign chief Corey Lewandowski. And that's just the start of this web. Head to the link in our bio to read. https://www.instagram.com/p/CkcgBPgOP26/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[foreverlogical]

A "perfect storm" of procedural blockades prevented the investigation and sanctioning of alleged Trump campaign election law violations, regulators said this week.

Why it matters: Legitimate cases are being dismissed. And critics say the Federal Election Commission's inability to crack down on many bad actors has undercut the threat of enforcement, and turned campaign financing into the Wild West.

What's new: The FEC is clearing out a backlog of Trump-related cases. One of them, officially tossed last month, shows how the nation's top political money regulator has been hobbled.

The case stemmed from a December 2015 complaint lodged by a pro-Jeb Bush super PAC.

It alleged that a pair of Trump Organization employees, Michael Cohen and Alan Garten, had illegally used corporate resources to support Trump's presidential campaign.

"The record supports these allegations," declared two of the FEC's Democratic commissioners in a statement on Wednesday.

Both of those commissioners, and their four colleagues, nonetheless voted to dismiss the case.

It wasn't for lack of evidence. Separate criminal investigations, including Robert Mueller's election-meddling probe, provided ample evidence that Trump effectively took illegal corporate contributions by enlisting Cohen and Garten in his presidential campaign.

But the FEC had to wait for those separate investigations to end before taking its own enforcement action.

When that finally concluded, the FEC had just three commissioners — one short of the quorum necessary to take any enforcement action.

By the time a quorum was restored and the FEC actually took up the case, the five-year statute of limitations had run out.

What they're saying: "The commission found itself in the middle of a perfect storm of unique and unfortunate circumstances that prevented it from moving forward in this case," the two Democrats commissioners, FEC chair Shana Broussard and commissioner Ellen Weintraub, wrote this week.

"[A]t the time the commission was finally able to consider and vote on this matter, we were ultimately left with no meaningful enforcement options."

[garudabluffs]

fake news REVELATION!

Trumpworld takes a hit after FEC quietly closes probe into hush money payments to Stormy Daniels

The tabloid publishing company that owns the National Enquirer will be fined $187,500 but Trump avoids punishment

Legal experts told Politico that attorneys are treating the Trump network as though it is a wholly "corrupt enterprise," much like a mafia. https://www.politico.com/news/2021/05/27/trump-organization-probe-491279

READ MORE https://www.salon.com/2021/06/02/down-one-dem-vote-fec-quietly-closes-investigation-into-hush-money-payments-to-stormy-daniels/

16 Comments

2 June, 2021

Federal Elections Commission- regulatory agency of the United States whose purpose is to enforce campaign finance law in United States federal elections. 

current commissioners sitting at the FEC:

Shana M. Broussard (D) appointed Trump Allen Dickerson (R) appointed Trump Ellen L. Weintraub (D) appointed G.W. Bush Steven T. Walther (I) appointed G.W. Bush James E. Trainor III (R) appointed TrumpSean J. Cooksey (R) appointed Trump

majority Trump commissioners

[canadianabroadvery]

“ ... Thawing the FEC’s deep freeze — now in its fifth month — seems straightforward enough: find some new commissioners.

Who alone may nominate new commissioners? Trump.

At this moment, Trump has no FEC nominees pending before the U.S. Senate, which in turn is tasked with vetting and approving those nominations.

Even Texas attorney Trey Trainor, a Republican who Trump first nominated to the FEC in 2017, watched his nomination lapse late last year without action by the Senate. Trump hasn’t yet renominated Trainor, nor has the president nominated Shana Broussard, an FEC attorney recommended last summer by Senate Democrats. ...”

[newsfact]

Congress making bipartisan push to stop foreign money in US ballot initiatives

Lawmakers from both parties are working to stop foreign nationals from contributing to ballot initiative campaigns in the United States after a recent Federal Election Commission ruling exposed a major loophole in a decades-old ban.  

While the FEC decision specifically involved a case regarding money from Canada and Australia, members of Congress are worried about a potentially dangerous precedent.  

“This FEC decision is shortsighted and dangerous,” said Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., when announcing Thursday that he is co-sponsoring legislation with two other Republicans and three Democrats to prohibit foreign contributions. “Opening the door for the Chinese Communist Party to influence our democratic process threatens both our elections and our national security.”

NEW JERSEY HIGH SCHOOL GRAD, 19, WINS SCHOOL BOARD SEAT AFTER SUFFERING ‘AWFUL’ CORONAVIRUS RULES 

Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., speaks during the House Republicans’ press conference on the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan in the Rayburn Room in the U.S. Capitol in August. The congressman blasted the FEC’s recent ruling dealing with foreign nationals contributing to ballot initiative campaigns.  (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

The FEC voted 4-2 that ballot initiatives do not count as elections as defined by the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, which prohibits foreign nationals from contributing to candidates and committees for federal, state and local elections. 

The FEC ruling could impact future ballot initiatives, and soon, since 29 states have approved 61 statewide ballot measures for 2022, according to Ballotpedia. The topics span issues from property taxes to abortion, climate change policy and gun rights. 

NEW JERSEY POLLSTER ADMITS HE ‘BLEW IT’ ON GOVERNOR’S RACE, QUESTIONS WHETHER ELECTION POLLS SHOULD BE USED

House and Senate bills introduced this week would amend the 1971 campaign law to also prohibit foreign national contributions to state or local ballot initiatives or referendums. 

The FEC ruling stemmed from a dismissal of a complaint about a Canadian subsidiary of an Australian company that donated $270,000 toward a campaign to defeat a 2018 Montana ballot initiative. The FEC ruling was first reported this week by Axios.  

“Restoring faith in our democracy means ensuring that the American electorate—not foreign nationals—are empowered to affect change in this country,” said Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn. “It is absurd that foreign interference in our elections would even be in question, let alone affirmed by members of the Federal Election Commission. As our democracy faces threats from the inside and out, Congress must act urgently to close this dangerous loophole.” 

The other sponsors of the House legislation are Rep. Stephanie Murphy, D-Fla., and Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Wash., and Jared Golden, D-Maine.  

Rep. Stephanie Murphy, D-Fla., speaks during the Problem Solvers Caucus press conference in the Capitol in February 2020. Murphy is joining other members of Congress in sponsoring House legislation dealing with contributions from foreign nationals to election campaigns.  (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Axios reported the FEC Democratic Chairwoman Shana Broussard voted with the commission’s three Republicans to dismiss the complaint. 

The initial complaint to the FEC alleged Sandfire Resources America – the Canadian subsidiary of the Australian company Sandfire Resources – violated the law in donating money to defeat a 2018 Montana ballot initiative about restrictions on hard rock mining in the state.  

Sandfire donated $270,000 to the Montana Mining Association’s efforts opposing the ballot initiative. Sandfire also donated $17,857 to Stop 1-186, a state ballot issue committee, according to the FEC. Voters rejected the measure with 55.6% of the vote, as the opposition raised $5.5 million and supporters raised $2.1 million.  

“The [Federal Election Campaign] Act defines ‘election’ to mean ‘a general, special, primary, or runoff election’ as well as ‘a convention or caucus of a political party which has authority to nominate a candidate,’” the FEC decision says.  

The commission ruling continued, saying there is not sufficient evidence groups opposing the ballot initiative “were inextricably linked to any federal, state, or local candidate for election,” and concluded, “Under these circumstances and consistent with the relevant court and agency precedents construing the foreign national prohibition, the commission declines to further pursue this matter.”  

The House bill follows the Stop Foreign Interference in Ballot Measures Act introduced earlier this week by Sen. Kristen Gillibrand, D-N.Y.  

“It is absolutely chilling that foreign nationals can fund ballot initiatives, giving them significant influence on our laws and democracy. This loophole is frankly dangerous and must be closed swiftly,” Gillibrand said.  

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP 

Sen. Marco Rubio, a Republican from Florida, speaks during a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee hearing in May. The senator recently voiced his concerns over foreign nationals engaging “in America’s democratic process.” (Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., plans to introduce a separate but similar bill.  

“Foreign nationals should not be able to engage in America’s democratic process,” Rubio said. “It is illegal for foreign nationals to donate to political candidates, parties, and committees. I will soon introduce legislation to extend that commonsense protection of our political process to ballot initiatives and other referendums. We must do everything we can to protect the votes of American citizens.”  

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[orbemnews]

Democrats on Federal Election Commission denounce group's decision not to punish Trump over hush money payment to Stormy Daniels “Because of Trump’s apparent role in orchestrating the transaction, we supported (the commission’s Office of the General Counsel) recommendations to find reason to believe that he and the Committee accepted, and the Committee did not report, illegal contributions,” Commission Chair Shana Broussard and Commissioner Ellen Weintraub wrote in a statement. Michael Cohen, Trump’s former fixer, pleaded guilty in federal court in 2018 for arranging a nondisclosure agreement for which he paid Daniels $130,000, a campaign contribution violation during the 2016 election cycle, since the payment was made in service of the campaign and exceeded the federal limit. Prosecutors previously said that in executing the payments, Cohen “acted in coordination with and at the direction of” Trump, who has denied having affairs with two women. Cohen also pleaded guilty to five counts of tax fraud and one count of making false statements to a bank. Later that year, Cohen was sentenced to three years in prison for crimes that included arranging payments during the 2016 election to silence women who claimed affairs with Trump after Cohen attributed his offenses to “my duty to cover up his dirty deeds.” “Several of our colleagues instead voted to dismiss the allegations,” Broussard and Weintraub added in their statement. “The Commission therefore did not have enough votes to pursue well-grounded charges that the former President of the United States knowingly and willfully accepted contributions nearly 5,000% over the legal limit to suppress a negative story mere days before Election Day.” The six-member commission’s vote — which was taken last month, but the results of which were first made public Thursday — was 2-2. Broussard and Weintraub voted yes, Independent Steven Walther did not vote, and Republican Allen Dickerson recused himself. Republicans James “Trey” Trainor and Sean Cooksey voted no, arguing that the federal government had already punished Cohen and the agency has other issues to pursue. “In sum, the public record is complete with respect to the conduct at issue in these complaints, and Mr. Cohen has been punished by the government of the United States for the conduct at issue in these matters,” Trainor and Cooksey said in a statement. “Thus, we concluded that pursuing these matters further was not the best use of agency resources,” they continued. “The Commission regularly dismisses matters where other government agencies have already adequately enforced and vindicated the Commission’s interests.” Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, says she and Trump had an affair in 2006, after he married Melania Trump and she gave birth to their son, Barron. Trump has denied the affair. CNN’s Erica Orden and Kara Scannell contributed to this report. Source link Orbem News #Commission #Daniels #Decision #Democrats #DemocratsonFederalElectionCommissiondenouncegroup'sdecisionnottopunishTrumpoverhushmoneypaymenttoStormyDaniels-CNNPolitics #denounce #Election #Federal #groups #hush #Money #Payment #Politics #punish #Stormy #Trump

[dipulb3]

Democrats on Federal Election Commission denounce group's decision not to punish Trump over hush money payment to Stormy Daniels

New Post has been published on https://appradab.com/democrats-on-federal-election-commission-denounce-groups-decision-not-to-punish-trump-over-hush-money-payment-to-stormy-daniels/

Democrats on Federal Election Commission denounce group's decision not to punish Trump over hush money payment to Stormy Daniels

“Because of Trump’s apparent role in orchestrating the transaction, we supported (the commission’s Office of the General Counsel) recommendations to find reason to believe that he and the Committee accepted, and the Committee did not report, illegal contributions,” Commission Chair Shana Broussard and Commissioner Ellen Weintraub wrote in a statement.

Michael Cohen, Trump’s former fixer, pleaded guilty in federal court in 2018 for arranging a nondisclosure agreement for which he paid Daniels $130,000, a campaign contribution violation during the 2016 election cycle, since the payment was made in service of the campaign and exceeded the federal limit.

Prosecutors previously said that in executing the payments, Cohen “acted in coordination with and at the direction of” Trump, who has denied having affairs with two women. Cohen also pleaded guilty to five counts of tax fraud and one count of making false statements to a bank.

Later that year, Cohen was sentenced to three years in prison for crimes that included arranging payments during the 2016 election to silence women who claimed affairs with Trump after Cohen attributed his offenses to “my duty to cover up his dirty deeds.”

“Several of our colleagues instead voted to dismiss the allegations,” Broussard and Weintraub added in their statement. “The Commission therefore did not have enough votes to pursue well-grounded charges that the former President of the United States knowingly and willfully accepted contributions nearly 5,000% over the legal limit to suppress a negative story mere days before Election Day.”

The six-member commission’s vote — which was taken last month, but the results of which were first made public Thursday — was 2-2. Broussard and Weintraub voted yes, Independent Steven Walther did not vote, and Republican Allen Dickerson recused himself.

Republicans James “Trey” Trainor and Sean Cooksey voted no, arguing that the federal government had already punished Cohen and the agency has other issues to pursue.

“In sum, the public record is complete with respect to the conduct at issue in these complaints, and Mr. Cohen has been punished by the government of the United States for the conduct at issue in these matters,” Trainor and Cooksey said in a statement.

“Thus, we concluded that pursuing these matters further was not the best use of agency resources,” they continued. “The Commission regularly dismisses matters where other government agencies have already adequately enforced and vindicated the Commission’s interests.”

Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, says she and Trump had an affair in 2006, after he married Melania Trump and she gave birth to their son, Barron. Trump has denied the affair.

Appradab’s Erica Orden and Kara Scannell contributed to this report.

[coinnewsfx]

FEC staff are asking Trump and the Senate for more diverse commissioners. 2020

FEC staff are asking Trump and the Senate for more diverse commissioners. 2020

According to a letter from Insider, a group of employees of the Bundestag Electoral Commission demand that the White House and the Senate appoint people of color to the agency for the first time.

The non-partisan federal election commission has only had white members in its 45-year history.

Senate Democrats have asked the White House to nominate black FEC attorney Shana Broussard for the FEC.…

[nsula]

President’s List Spring 2017

NATCHITOCHES – Five hundred and seventy-three students were named to the Spring 2017 President’s List at Northwestern State University. Students on the list earned a grade point average of 4.0. Those named to the President’s List listed by hometown are as follows.

Abbeville – Jabain August, Kayla Marceaux;

 Abita Springs – Harold Simmons;

 Alexandria – Lewis Davis, Dalan Dorsey, Teresa Foshee, William Griffin, Martha Hopewell, Jaliyah Jasper, Micaelee Jeansonne, Spencer Jones, Luke Laborde, Rachel Lavergne, Allyson McCowan, Ashley Mitchell, Katherine Mitchell, Wade Morris, Benjamin Murphy, Emilye Netherland, Ryan Ware, Eric Weinzettle, Elaina Williams;

 Alto, Texas – Cody Birdwell;

 Anacoco – Kristen Eusay, Benjamin Jackson, Haley Jett, Kayli O’Toole, Cassandra Osborne, Lindsay Plummer;

 Athens – Alejandra Monjardin;

 Baldwin – Gerianna Lyons;

 Ball – Sarah Morgan, Payton Pilgrim, Megan Wakefield;

 Barksdale AFB – Heather McGurn, Tova Volcheck;

 Basile – Betsi Smith;

 Bastrop – Emily Carson, Katie Stanley;

 Baton Rouge – Ramya Koritala, Stephanie Leger, Madalyn Mullins, Dakota Newman, Markeisha Patterson, Colleen Reese, Maria Rome;

 Bayside, Nova Scotia, Canada – April Trowbridge;

 Baytown, Texas – Abby Gardea;

 Beaumont, Texas – Dustin Burns;

 Belgorod, Russia – Elizaveta Gerasimova

 Belle Chasse – Alexandria Hughes, Megan Jenkins;

 Belmont – Cade Cramer;

 Benton – Nicholas Clay, Elizabeth Jones, Jessica O’Neal, Maegan Ross, Jenna Smith;

 Bossier City ­– Shelby Ansley, Sara Blankenship, Alexander Butler, Austin Coffey, Amanda Davis, Taylor Freeman, Joshua Greer, Ashlynn Henderson, Oai Lee Huynh, Nourain Jamhour, Tiffany Johnson, Emily Juarez, Chelsea Laverdiere, Mary Katheryn Lummus, Hang Lian, Myra Martinez, Alexa McKnight, Madison Morris, Yadira Ocanas, Shelby Peebles, Taylor Powell,  Jerdine Robinson, Madison Rowland, Kevin Smithey, James Taylor, Kellie Toms, Gennadiy Vavrenyuk, Jordan Wilcox;

 Boyce – Curtis Fennell, Carlie Gauthier, Hannah Miller, Lachan Misner;

 Breaux Bridge – Shayla James;

 Broussard – Amber Potier, Amelia Soileau;

 Buda, Texas – Kathryn Wristen;

 Bunkie – Emily Arnaud;

 Burleson, Texas – Addison Pellegrino, Donato Susca;

 Bush – Ashleigh Ranatza;

 Campti – Bridget DaGama, Floyd Turner;

 Cartagena, Colombia – Jorge Ojeda Munoz, Paula Martinez Marrugo;

 Catagena Bolivar, Colombia – Aura Hernandez Canedo;

 Centreville, Miss. – Taylor Priest;

 Cheneyville – Katelyn Baronne;

 Chopin – Daisy Delrie, Mary Guimaraes;

 Church Point – Kristian Burrow, Jennifer Thibodeaux;

 Citrus Springs, Florida – Megan McDonald;

 Colfax – Angela McCann, Katie Woodard;

 Converse – Heather Bryson, Ashley Forgues Brock, Wade Hicks, Elaina Richardson, Triston Waldon;

 Cottonport – Christopher Juneau;

 Coushatta – Sydney Anderson, Caroline Doughty, Jon Hester, Baley McAlexander, Shalondria Rainey, Jacob Shaver, Macie Wood;

 Covington – Kelsey Cassidy, Andrea Mier, Kenneth Sears, Crystal Tucker;

 Creole – Brooklyn Frerks;

 Cut Off – Zachary Breaux;

 Cypress, Texas – Alexis Warren, Mercedes Wiles;

 DeRidder – Brandy Bryant, Sara Bishop, Lauren Callis, Karli Chambers, Jennifer Jarell-Bell; John Pearce, Kristina Pfantz, Claudia Rouleau, Jacqueline Rushford;

 Delhi – Shelly Godard;

 Denham Springs – Tiffany Duval, Lyndsey Girlinghouse, Stacy McClendon, Amy Thomas;

 Des Allemands – Brooke Verda;

 Desoto, Texas – Janet Jackson;

 Destrehan – Hannah Boquet, Patrick Juneau, Shannon Walsh, Stephanie Webre;

 Deville – Aaron Belgard, Dana Davis, Candice Dryden, Kenedy Lampert, Alyssa Roberts;

 Dodson – Josie Greer;

 Duncanville, Texas – Fernando Zuniga;

 Duson – Desmond Prejean;

 East Windsor, N.J. – Andreia Martins;

 El-Rehab, Cairo, Egypt – Arwa Hezzah;

 Endicott, N.Y. – Tonya Rackett;

 Eros – Alecia Smith;

 Eunice – Victoria Hebert, Victoria McGee;

 Ferriday – Elizabeth Guerrero, Deyon White;

 Florence, Miss. – Stephanie Bailey;

 Florien – Cullen Hopkins, Caroline Matthews, Megan Wilmore;

 Forest – David Stephens;

 Forest Hill – Leslie Chavez, Charli Stanley;

 Forney, Texas – Jayden Wheeler;

 Fort Polk – Jamie Curtis, Robyn Foxworth, Shaunda Gordon, Kelsey Hart, Kenisha Smith, Sandra Valdez;

 Franklin – Mariah Pellerin;

 French Settlement – Tommie Espy;

 Frierson – Brittany Furrow;

 Garland, Texas – Alec Horton;

 Geismar – Emilee Hawkins;

 Georgetown – Brittany Farris;

 Glen Burnie, Md. – Kathern Speicher;

 Goldana – MacKenzie Johnson, Harley Godwin;

 Gonzales – Katelyn Marchand, Molly Moran;

 Grand Cane – Emily Miller;

 Gray -- Tevyn Johnson;

 Grayson -- Alicia Foy;

 Greer, S.C. ­– Carola Colon;

 Gretna – Brandi Bealer;

 Hallsville, Texas – Emma Hawthorne;

 Hammond ­– Blaike Peters;

 Harleton, Texas – Madalyn Evers;

 Hartselle, Ala. – Teresa Smith;

 Harvey – Taylor Bourgeois, Jessica Love, Jessica Rousset;

 Hassik – Vasquez Narvaez;

 Haughton – Jordge Cardenas Nunez, Michelle Feaster, Connor Geer, Aly Hesson, Alexis Hoeltje, Lucas Moncla, Jamie Phillips, Logan Turner, Bridgette Wilson, Hunter Woods;

 Heath, Texas – Megan Lohmiller;

 Hermon, Maine – Allessa Oakes;

 Hineston – Tylee Busby; Madison Morrison;

 Houma – Shelby Glynn, Blair Kramer, Sarah Lajaunie, Chelsea Thibodeaux;

 Houston, Texas – Kendall Westfall,

 Huntington, Texas – Travis Carrell;

 Huntsville, Ala. – Elizabeth Gilliam;

 Independence – Kaylan Showers;

 Iota – Katie Latiola;

 Iowa – Nicholas Fisher;

 Jena – Dustin Decker, Haley Decker, Tyler Thomas;

 Jennings – Janee Charles, Wesley Simien;

 Jonesboro, Ark. – Alanna Benoit;

 Jonesville – Coleen Cagle, Shana Jefferson, Kameron Stevenson;

 Kentwood – Jenna Morris;

 Kings Mountain, N.C. – Ashley Counts;

 Kaplan – Gabriel LeMoine;

 Keithville – Alexis Britt, Rachel Opbroek;

 Kendrick, Okla. – Chelsey Goldsmith;

 Kenner – Christina Arrechavala, Brooke Petkovich;

 Kiev, Ukraine – Kateryna Avram;

 Kinder – Stewart Wheeler;

 Kingwood, Texas – Eric Piccione;

 Lafayette – Taylor Aucoin, Anjelique Duplechin, Emile Lege, Jacklyn Marr;

 Lake Arthur – Layne Watkins;

 Lake Charles – Laura Cornish, Krista Dixon, Karley Hebert, Alyce Jimney, Rebekah Keller, Jordan Reich;

 Larose – Eric Bourg, Nicholas Hebert;

 Lawtell – Karoline Guidry;

 Lecompte – Hannah Glaze;

 Leesville – Destin Bennett, Kelly Bishop, Alexis Bynog, Charlotte Cassin, Caitlin Deon, Brianna Easterling, Ovina Forque, Jessica Gabor, Emily Jackson, Zachary Keeton, Jessica Mango, Miranda Mize, Brooke Perkins, Victoria Perkins, Danielle Smyth, Haley Tucker, Jacob Underwood, Lakyn Ward, Matthew Ward, Jessica Taylor;

 Lena – Tracy Benjamin, Nathaniel Dubois;

 Logansport – Trenton Timmons;

 Longview, Texas – Samantha Morris;

 Luling – Alexis Rice;

 Lutcher – Rebekah Taylor;

 Madisonville – Ashley Johansen. Christopher Snow, Jensen Volz;

 Mandeville – Nina DeSmith, Michelle Price;

 Mangham – Rebekah Aultman;

 Mangilao, Guam – Maria Magdalena Bansil;

 Mansfield – Hannah Hughes;

 Mansura – Renada Jenkins;

 Many – Hannah Allen, Chelsea Beasley, Jacob Ellis, Nicholas Ezernack, Angelica Galban, Sarah Heard, Abby Hinds, Heidi Knight, Emily Leone, Chastity McCrory, Jonathan Pilcher, Sabrina Ross, Samantha Simmons, John Sullivan;

 Marble Falls, Texas – Sarah Lewis;

 Marksville – Emily Ryan;

 Marthaville ­– Kelsey Claspill, Hanna Pardee, Lirette Thomas;

 McKinney, Texas – Beatrice Attura, Anne Repp;

 Melrose – Molly Dickerson;

 Meraux – Dana Methvin;

 Metairie – Kaitlyn Arena, Ariel Landry, Shawn Lawler, Cameron Mayfield, Lisa Roberson;

 Midland, Texas – Channing Burleson;

 Midlothian, Va. – Tatijana Rangel-Ribiero;

 Minden – Amanda Curry, Aubry Dennis, Ryan Harmon;

 Mississauga, Ontario, Canada – Kayla Bomben;

 Monroe – Kianisha Dillard, Anna Rogers, Savanna Whitten, Gail Wilson;

 Montgomery, Texas – Jake Rice, Kyle Swanson;

 Mooringsport – Jacklyn Dublin;

 Morgan City – Jeremy Orgeron;

 Morse – Kylan Poullard;

 Mt. Albert, Canada – Erin Sitarz;

 Muleshoe, Texas – Caitlyn Barber;

 Murrieta, Calif. – LaQuitta Wilkins;

 Natchitoches – Tyler Anderson, Francisco Ballestas-Sayas, Kayla Bordelon, Harvey Briggs, Deasia Burrell, Daniel Coffey, Fabian Correa Guette, Jessica Cross, Mazie Dubois, Kirsten Fontenot, Carlos Gomez Garcia, Angel Greer, Hannah Haigh, Ashytn Hare, Zachary Heard, Ashlyn Hogan, Jennifer Johnson, Shayla Johnson, Jeremy Jones, Emilie King, Florence Kilgore, James Lake, Lindsay Lee, Robert Lee, Heather Lockwood, Alba Maloff, Thomas Matuschka, Marissa Oster, Abigail Poe, Jonah Poe, Kaytie Proctor, Brandy Ranel, Amelia Ryland, Emily Salter, Josie Stamey, Faith Stanfield, Nicholas Swank, Madeline Taylor, Eva Venzant, Barbara Vercher-Smith, Richard Walks, Madysen Watts, Ryan Wright;

 New Iberia – Kristine Trahan;

 New Llano – Reaz Khan, Matreena Sablan;

 Newark, Del. – Sabri Thompson;

 Noble – James Connella, James Curtis, Harlee Possoit, Breana Remedes;

 Oak Grove – Heather Allen;

 Oakdale – Katelyn Johnson, Kirstin Richard, Mary Wharton;

 Oconomowoc, Wisc. – Natalie Jaeger;

 Opelousas – Tracey Antee, Toria Smith, Erika Stanford;

 Pelican – Justin Cooper, Mary Myers;

 Pioneer – Moesha Smith;

 Pineville – Raegan Brocato, Snow Buckley, Mason Caubarreaux, Kaylee Chronister, Raymond Fletcher, Lacey Hebron, Morgan Humphries, Michael Martin, Ashlee Mitchell, Stacey Ramsey, Katie Rayburn, Jodie Roberts, Candice Smith, Allison Williams;

 Pitkin – Aimee Calmes, Mattie Stewart;

 Plain Dealing – Jacob Horton;

 Plaquemine ­– Ma Kayla Washington;

 Pleasant Hill – Samatha Davis, Laura Spann;

 Pollock – Zackary Phillips;

 Pontchatoula – Brandon Dalon, Marisa Durand, Raley Pellittieri;

 Prairieville – Jakalyn Hills, Caitlin Miller;

 Provencal – Taylor Craft, Kara Gandy, Bailey Scarbrough;

 Quitman – Katheryn Gaulden;

 Raeford, N.C. – Brittney Carpenter;

 Rayne – Meraiah Young;

 Ringgold – Joseph Hays, Lauren Nelson;

 River Ridge – Emily Digangi;

 Robeline – Bergen Oge, Courtney Rachal, Fawn Slaughter, Jeffrey Watley, Caleb Wester;

 Rocklin, Calif. – Madeline Mason

 Rosepine – Summer Cooley

 Rostov-on-Don, Russia – Vladislava Litvinova;

 Ruston – Karenthia Crosby Onwudebe;

 Sachse, Texas ­– Ryan Verloin DeGruy;

 Saint Francisville – Jordan Bringedahl;

 Saint Rose – Alexis Mancuso;

 Sanford, N.C. ­– Joseph Tippit;

 Saumur Maine et Loire, France – Yohann Yjjou

 Schriever – Holly Cantrelle;

 Scott ­ – Katelyn Kidder

 Seattle, Wash. – Lauren Agan;

 Shelbyville, Texas – Sarah Ryder;

 Shongaloo – Kayla Mouser;

 Shreveport – Lindsey Adkins, Karianna Baker, Brittany Barnes, Angelica Bartlett, Ezar Bess, Hannah Bolton, Crystal Brown, Erin Brown, Brianna Burke, Nicollette Carswell, Phillip Clark, Crystal Claunch, Celeste Clifton, Hannah Crnkovic, Emily Dean, Kaitlyn Doyal, Jackson Driggers, Sarah Dunn, Reagan Escude, Lashayla Ester, Ronald Evans, Irishia Finister, Tyler Gardner, Nickolas Juneau, Adrianne Kelly, Emalee Kennon, Cole Laird, Bih-Lih Lau, Erin LeClair, Jaylon Lewis, Casey Long, Joycelyn McConnell, Rici McDonald, James McGrail, Rosemary McMaster, Madison Milligan, Hannah Nicholls, Hayden Pilcher, Taylor Poleman, Emily Rankin, Anna Richardson, Zachary Sanders, Jarred Sepulvado, Kathryn Shrader, Tyler Smith, Destini Sweet, Rachel Taylor, Michael Thrower, JeVannica Williams, Suzanne Williams Tiffani Williams, Jonathan Zavalydriga;

 Simsboro – Autumn Smith;

 Slaughter – Ciara Gibbs;

 Slidell – Claire Harvey, Jourdan Waddell;

 Spain – Judit Castillo Gargallo;

 Spring, Texas – Victoria Harris;

 St. Mars lo Briere – Marion Cormier;

 St. Martinville – Alli Douet;

 Stockbridge, Ga. – Alisa Newsome;

 Stonewall – Brooke Meade;

 Sulphur – Tina Honea, Elizabeth Perez;

 Summerfield – Mackenzie Scriber;

 Sunset – Emma Warren;

 Tatum, Texas – Randall Sullivan;

 Temple, Texas – Weston Scholten;

 Texarkana, Texas – Karlie Purdy;

 The Woodlands, Texas – Robyn Beatty;

 Thibodaux – Nia Walker;

 Tomball, Texas – Anthony Lucas;

 Trout – Harley Lisenby;

 Vinton – Emily Walter;

 Waco, Texas – Haylie Hickman;

 Waskom, Texas – Mary Alexander;

 Waukomis, Okla. – Colby Koontz;

 West Monroe – Abigail Beck, Brandy Chapman, Maggie Harris, Kayla Telano;

 Winnfield – John Collins, Mia County, Andrew Harrel, Rebecca Hodnett, Anissa Jones, Kelsey Jordan, Brittany Parker;

 Winnipeg, Canada – Tyra Duma;

 Woodworth – Elizabeth Bonnette, Taylor Henry, Ashley Kennedy-Rowell;

 Wylie, Texas – Kylie Nodorft, Grace Punch, Kali Roberts;

 Zwolle – Cheyanne Ebarb, Holden Rivers;

[leanpick]

Democrats’ Improbable New F.E.C. Strategy: More Deadlock Than Ever

Democrats’ Improbable New F.E.C. Strategy: More Deadlock Than Ever

The tactic will work only as long as all three commissioners in the Democratic bloc agree not to close an investigation and not to defend the F.E.C. in court on a particular case. Of the three, only Ms. Weintraub would agree to an interview. The other Democratic-aligned commissioners are Shana M. Broussard, who is the current chair and was appointed last year, and Steven T. Walther, who was…