Can A Regular Citizen File a Complaint With The FEC....

....Lets say against SARAH PALIN...... How about some members here on DU get together and file papers with the FEC and her Fantasy Mystery Tour...after all she admitted it was a family vacation on TV.... Wouldn't the FEC have to provide us feedback from the complaint???

I considered doing it locally. I went to the FEC home page, read some of the past complaints, and how they were decided. The FEC seems to be very even-handed and nonpartisan.

I decided not to file, because the amount raised was so small, and there were some complaints investigated and not acted on because of the small dollar amounts involved.

But if someone does not disclose, they can be fined. And it does not mean simply that they raised $1,000.00 or more, they are also on the hook if they spent $1,000.00 dollars or more and did not do the disclosure filings.

Some wealthy campaigns who did not follow all the rules or do things in a timely manner simply paid the fines. I noticed, at the time I looked, that Kucinich had been fined and had paid.

I was very familiar with state requirements, because I was the treasurer of our county committee for a time. But we were a state and local committee. The state requirements are not as stiff. Of course, we had to be careful how we disclosed, and make sure that we reported accurately, especially if unions gave us money. The money had to be for state and local candidates and committees, or we had to notify the union. They would have had to do extra paperwork if we gave money to federal candidates. It is best to do things right, or someone can come after you.

Federal candidates always have to raise more, and the reporting requirements are stricter. If you have your ducks in a row, look into filing a complaint. Maybe you can even join a group that is already doing that.

Kos and Huffington Post used to file complaints. At least I found that at the time I looked. One of them did file against Palin for all those clothes her family was given. I don't recall the outcome right off the top of my head.

Go to their website. Some of my recollections may be off. I have not been the treasurer for awhile, and I am not going to go back in there and wade through things. But please do look and see what you can uncover. You may be able to find a way to get to her. And whatever she has filed must be public. She is such an incompetent fool, it is very likely that she is vulnerable to a complaint.

but I looked into how to do it.

I only had to file with the Illinois State Board of Elections, because we were a state and local committee. Of course, there are laws about how and what you file with the state, and fines if you do not do it.

I am not trying to claim any special expertise. Look at the FEC website.

the more seriously the FEC will look at it. Yes, the FEC will give you an answer to the complaint.