Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


Paralysis Setting in at US Election Watchdog Just When It Is Needed Most

Masood Farivar

   Amid growing concern about the U.S. election system's vulnerability to
   manipulation, the nation's premiere election watchdog just suffered a
   major setback.

   Last week, Matthew Petersen, the Republican vice chairman of the
   six-member Federal Election Commission, resigned from his post, leaving
   the body without the four members needed to carry out its key
   functions.

   Often mistaken for running elections in the United States, the FEC
   plays another, albeit no less important, role in the country's
   political system: keeping tabs on billions of dollars candidates raise
   and spend each election cycle.

   To be sure, candidates and parties will continue to file campaign
   finance reports with the FEC, according to FEC Chair Ellen Weintraub,
   while commission lawyers vet their veracity before posting them online.

   Commission hamstrung

   But when it comes to making key decisions -- from investigating
   violations of campaign finance laws to taking enforcement actions
   against scofflaws -- the commission has become hamstrung.

.