Trump effectively shuts down campaign finance watchdog

The Federal Election Commissions (FEC) became inoperable on Wednesday, and President Donald Trump seemingly has no plans to revive it.

Republican Commissioner Allen Dickerson stepped down from the FEC on April 30. His departure leaves the commission without the quorum needed to convene and conduct basic business, including the enforcement of campaign finance laws.

Trump controversially fired Democratic Commissioner Ellen Weintraud in February. Both seats will remain vacant until Trump appoints successors who are then confirmed by the U.S. Senate. The White House has given no indication that nominations are forthcoming.

The FEC typically has six commissioners but only requires four to operate. There are now only three after Dickerson’s exit.

The FEC’s main function is to ensure that money is spent legally and fairly in U.S. elections. Federal campaigns, PACs, and parties must file quarterly reports with the FEC that show how much money they’ve raised, who their donors are, and what they’ve spent.

Without a quorum, the commission is unable to rule on investigation outcomes, impose penalties on violators, or provide guidance on how to comply with campaign finance laws.

Alix Fraser, vice president of advocacy for the campaign reform organization Issue One, told NOTUS that the lack of quorum will inevitably lead to corruption.

“The FEC is supposed to be the nation’s top campaign finance referee,” Fraser said. “The loss of a quorum at the FEC is more than a bureaucratic hiccup — it’s the refs walking off the field at a moment when robust scrutiny of money in politics is needed more than ever.”

The last time the FEC lacked a quorum was during Trump’s first term.

In August 2019, the FEC was inoperable for nine months following the resignation of Matthew Petersen. Less than two months later, the FEC shut down again for five months when Caroline Hunter resigned.

The two near-consecutive shutdowns created a backlog of work for future commissioners.

In May 2024, Trump was found guilty of violating campaign finance laws when he arranged a hush money payment to a porn star during his 2016 campaign. Judge Juan Merchan granted Trump an unconditional discharge after he won the 2024 presidential election.

Trump was accused last year of violating campaign finance law again when he used campaign donations to pay his legal fees.

A White House spokesperson did not respond to questions for this story.