FEC Commissioners Confirmed
The Federal Election Commission is just about back in business following a months-long stalemate over the nomination of Hans von Spakovsky for one of the open seats on the Commission. Von Spakovsky later withdrew his name from the nomination process. With the confirmation of three Republicans and two Democrats by the Senate, the FEC will now have quorum to issue binding decisions.This is who is joining the Commission:The Republicans are Donald McGahn, former in-house counsel at the National Republican Congressional Committee; Caroline Hunter, a member of the Election Assistance Commission; and Matthew Petersen, counsel for the Senate Rules and Administration Committee.The Democrats are Steven Walther, a lawyer who helped Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) during the recount following his narrow 1998 re-election; and Cynthia Bauerly, an aide to Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chairman Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.). The FEC administers the presidential public financing programs so one of decisions they'll want to start with is the controversy over whether Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain violated election law by opting in, then opting out of the public financing system during the primary season.