Section 5 · Independent Regulatory Agencies
29 Federal Election Commission
- 3 attempted
- 12 not started
What has happened
The Mandate said
“As a legislative matter and given this abuse, the President should seriously consider recommending that Congress amend FECA to remove the agency's independent litigating authority and rely on the Department of Justice to handle all litigation involving the FEC.”
What happened
Attempted
Executive Order 14215 brought independent regulatory agencies under White House control by executive action rather than statute: it named the FEC among the agencies whose rules go to OIRA review and declared the President's and Attorney General's legal opinions controlling on all executive-branch employees. FECA's litigating authority (52 U.S.C. 30107(a)(6)) is unchanged and no bill or presidential recommendation to amend it was found.
The Mandate said
“The President assuming office in 2025 must ensure, if the three Republican commissioners do not wish to remain on the FEC past their terms, that nominees for these positions share the views of those commissioners.”
What happened
Attempted
All three Republican commissioners left during the window — Sean Cooksey in January 2025, Allen Dickerson in April 2025 and Trey Trainor in October 2025 — and the President sent the Senate two nominations for their seats: Ashley Stow (term expiring 2029, for Trainor's seat) and Andrew Woodson (term expiring 2031, for Dickerson's). Both were referred to the Senate Rules and Administration Committee and neither had been confirmed by 2026-09-01; Cooksey's seat has no nominee. No allowlisted record establishes whether either nominee shares the departing commissioners' views, so the event records the nominations, not the second half of the ask.
- Nominations Sent to the Senate, 2026-02-11 — Ashley Stow and Andrew Woodson to be Members of the Federal Election Commission
- The Federal Election Commission is down to 2 members. So its work is at a standstill
- Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, Nominations: PN806-10-119 (Ashley Stow) and PN806-11-119 (Andrew Woodson), received 2026-02-11, last action "Received in the Senate and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration"
The Mandate said
“The President should prioritize nominations to the FEC once commissioners reach the end of their terms.”
What happened
Attempted
Two nominations were sent to the Senate — Ashley Stow for Trey Trainor's seat and Andrew Woodson for Allen Dickerson's — and referred to the Rules and Administration Committee, where both were still pending on 2026-09-01. They are the first FEC nominations of the 119th Congress and they came four months after the Commission lost its quorum: Cooksey left in January 2025, Weintraub in February 2025, Dickerson in April 2025 and Trainor in October 2025, and the two remaining commissioners cannot muster the four votes the Commission needs to act. Two of the four vacancies still have no nominee.
- Nominations Sent to the Senate, 2026-02-11 — Ashley Stow and Andrew Woodson to be Members of the Federal Election Commission
- The Federal Election Commission is down to 2 members. So its work is at a standstill
- Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, Nominations: PN806-10-119 (Ashley Stow) and PN806-11-119 (Andrew Woodson), received 2026-02-11, last action "Received in the Senate and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration"
Still to come
Executive action 9
- Printed page 863 Direct DOJ to prosecute only clear violations of FECA Notable Not started
- Printed page 863 Bar DOJ prosecutions under interpretations of FECA the FEC rejects Notable Not started
- Printed page 864 Direct the Attorney General to defend the FEC when commissioners deadlock Notable Not started
- Printed page 865 Oppose restructuring the FEC from six commissioners to an odd number Notable Not started
- Printed page 863 Negotiate with the Senate Democratic leader to temper the opposition party's FEC pick Minor Not started
- Printed page 863 Instruct DOJ to consult all official FEC actions before charging decisions Minor Not started
- Printed page 864 Extend the no-prosecution rule to 3-3 deadlocked FEC votes Minor Not started
- Printed page 865 Have FEC commissioners issue guidance on court-voided FECA provisions and rules Minor Not started
- Printed page 865 Have DOJ issue the guidance on voided FECA provisions if the FEC fails to act Minor Not started
All recommendations in this chapter
Every recommendation this chapter is the home of, in printed-page order.
- Printed page 863 Nominate FEC commissioners who share the sitting Republican commissioners' views Attempted
- Printed page 863 Negotiate with the Senate Democratic leader to temper the opposition party's FEC pick Not started
- Printed page 863 Direct DOJ to prosecute only clear violations of FECA Not started
- Printed page 863 Bar DOJ prosecutions under interpretations of FECA the FEC rejects Not started
- Printed page 863 Instruct DOJ to consult all official FEC actions before charging decisions Not started
- Printed page 864 Extend the no-prosecution rule to 3-3 deadlocked FEC votes Not started
- Printed page 864 Direct the Attorney General to defend the FEC when commissioners deadlock Not started
- Printed page 865 Amend FECA to strip the FEC of independent litigating authority Needs Congress Attempted
- Printed page 865 Have FEC commissioners issue guidance on court-voided FECA provisions and rules Not started
- Printed page 865 Have DOJ issue the guidance on voided FECA provisions if the FEC fails to act Not started
- Printed page 865 Prioritize FEC nominations as commissioners' terms expire Attempted
- Printed page 865 Enact legislation ending or limiting FEC commissioner holdover service Needs Congress Not started
- Printed page 865 Oppose restructuring the FEC from six commissioners to an odd number Not started
- Printed page 866 Raise federal campaign contribution limits Needs Congress Not started
- Printed page 866 Index FEC reporting requirements to inflation Needs Congress Not started
No recommendations in this tier.