Trump Has Kneecapped the FEC and Won’t Fix It

Both Republicans and Democrats have put forward names but the White House says there are “no personnel announcements at this time.”

The Federal Election Commission emblem.
Stephanie Scarbrough/AP

President Donald Trump has failed to nominate any of three qualified commissioner candidates recommended by congressional leaders to the hobbled Federal Election Commission, NOTUS has learned.

Trump’s inaction comes as the FEC has entered the third month of a de facto shutdown, lacking enough commissioners to enforce campaign finance laws, formalize investigations, provide official legal guidance, defend itself in lawsuits or even conduct public meetings.

Republicans have recommended Ashley Stow, a staff attorney for current FEC Commissioner Trey Trainor, and Andrew Woodson, a partner at law firm Wiley Rein and former FEC attorney, as commissioner nominees, three sources familiar with the deliberations told NOTUS.