Are Dems at the FEC Trying to Stop the ‘Stop Hillary’ PAC?

A Republican attorney who serves as treasurer for the anti-Hillary Clinton political action committee Stop Hillary PAC said Thursday that he “would not back down one iota” in the face of a demand from the Federal Elections Commission that his PAC change its name to avoid confusing voters.

Attorney Dan Backer, the founder of DB Capitol Partners in Alexandria, Va., is also a founder of the PAC in question, and he is no stranger to battles with the FEC, which he has fought in court on numerous issues. This current tussle, he said, began when he received a letter from the FEC earlier this year requesting details about the PAC.

“Your committee's name includes the name of a candidate; however, your committee does not appear to be an authorized committee of that candidate,” the letter said. “If your committee is authorized by a candidate, please amend your Statement of Organization…Otherwise, you must amend your Statement of Organization to change the name of your political committee so that it does not include the candidate's name and/or provide further clarification regarding the nature of your committee.”

However, the regulations adopted by the FEC to implement federal election laws are actually very specific about unauthorized committees’ use of candidates’ names, and on a plain reading, at least, appear to support Backer’s position.

Read more at The Fiscal Times.