FEC: Why Aren't You Enforcing the Law?

I sent this email to the Federal Elections Commission yesterday. I will let you know if I receive a response.

Dear FEC: 

It was quite refreshing to see reports of FEC Chair Weintraub's tweeted statement inspired by the president's response to George Stephanopolous regarding the president's willingness to receive information from foreign sources. She wrote in part, 

"Let me make something 100% clear to the American public and anyone running for public office: It is illegal for any person to solicit, accept, or receive anything of value from a foreign national in connection with a U.S. election."

The chairperson also made it clear that violators risked facing federal investigation (and presumably federal prosecution) for so doing, and that all such contacts should be reported to the FBI. 

While this is welcome, it stretches credibility to expect her words to be borne out. There were clear and well-publicized incidents of such violations, about which the commission has apparently taken no action. I refer to the meeting at Trump Tower in June, 2016 at which Donald Trump Jr., Jared Kushner and Paul Manafort, among others, met with known Russian nationals for the expressed purpose as shown in Trump Jr.'s emails, of receiving derogatory information about candidate Trump's principal opponent, which was something of value from a foreign source. During the campaign, candidate Trump, at public campaign appearances, openly called upon Russia to release damaging information about his opponent. This was clearly an effort to solicit something of value from a foreign source. During the campaign, candidate Trump, at public campaign appearances, openly called upon Russia to release damaging information about his opponent. This was clearly an effort to solicit something of value from a foreign source.

As a citizen, I would like to know whether the chairwoman's words have any real meaning and whether charges are soon to be forthcoming about these obvious violations of the laws she referred to.

Steve Natoli

San Diego, California