The Federal Election Commission (FEC), tasked with upholding campaign finance regulations, finds itself once again in a quorum crisis following the voluntary departure of a Republican commissioner.
With insufficient members to form a quorum, the FEC is unable to make official decisions on crucial matters such as investigation outcomes, citations for campaign finance breaches, and the issuance of advisory opinions to political campaigns.
The recent exit of Commissioner Allen Dickerson, the second commissioner to resign this year after Republican Sean Cooksey’s departure in January, leaves the FEC with only three remaining commissioners out of the required four for a quorum.
During a recent agency meeting, Dickerson and the remaining commissioners – Trey Trainor, Dara Lindenbaum, and Shana Broussard – deliberated on various issues before Dickerson announced his resignation.
Dickerson reflected on the progress made since 2020, emphasizing the challenges faced due to entrenched conflicts within the commission. Despite the hurdles, he expressed pride in his contributions to the FEC.
This is not the first time the FEC has encountered a quorum shortage, having faced similar situations in 2008 and during previous administrations. The absence of commissioners during the early years of the Trump administration led to a backlog of cases, which was eventually resolved upon regaining a quorum.
Commissioners of the FEC are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate, with a limit of three commissioners per party. While no new appointments have been announced by President Trump, Trainor represents the Republican party, while Lindenbaum and Broussard are affiliated with the Democrats.
External observers had warned of the consequences of losing a quorum, highlighting the detrimental impact on enforcing campaign finance laws.
Michael Beckel, Senior Research Director at Issue One, a non-profit organization focused on political finance, remarked, “Without a quorum, the FEC is a watchdog without a bark or bite. Losing its quorum weakens the FEC’s oversight at a critical juncture where scrutiny of political funding is paramount.”
