Federal Election Commission · Washington, DC United States

Even if all the presidential candidates are feckless, the election won't be FEC-less. The FEC, or Federal Election Commission, was created by Congress in 1975 (following reports of serious financial abuses in the 1972 presidential campaign) to administer and enforce the Federal Election Campaign Act. An independent regulatory agency, the FEC is the watchdog for campaign contributions, disclosure, and financing of US federal elections. The FEC's six commissioners are presidentially appointed; no political party's members may hold a majority of the seats. To read the full description, subscribe now.