2016 Clinton campaign, PAC skirted federal financing rules, court finds

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2016 Clinton campaign, PAC skirted federal financing rules, court finds​


July 10th 2024

Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign stretched federal financing rules, a Washington, D.C. appeals court ruled Tuesday.

The campaign spent nearly $6 million to conduct polls, fact-check claims and set up media interviews with the “Correct the Record” political action committee (PAC), according to the court. Neither group reported the spending as campaign contributions due to a loophole in the Federal Election Campaign Act, the ruling determined.

The law requires campaigns to disclose money they spent when promoting their candidates. Since blog or social media posts are sometimes published for small amounts, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) created an “internet exception” that allows campaigns and PACs to advertise candidates without disclosing any "marginal” costs, according to the court.

“Correct the Record” leaned “heavily” on the internet exemption to support Clinton and designated staff salaries, travel expenses and office rent as costs protected by it, the court said.

The ruling also noted that the FEC acted illegally when it used an “indefensibly broad” interpretation of the exemption to dismiss a complaint by a government watchdog group.
 
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