Evaluating Campaign Finance Oversight
An Assessment of the Federal Election Commission
Evaluating Campaign Finance Oversight
An Assessment of the Federal Election Commission
Buying pre-order items
Ebooks and Audiobook
You will receive an email with a download link for the ebook or audiobook on the publication date.
Payment
You will not be charged for pre-ordered books until they are available to be shipped. Pre-ordered ebooks will not be charged for until they are available for download.
Amending or cancelling your order
For orders that have not been shipped you can usually make changes to pre-orders up to 72 hours before the publishing date.
Payment for this pre-order will be taken when the item becomes available
- Delivery and returns info
-
Free CA delivery on orders $40 or over
Description
Choice 2025 Outstanding Academic Title
The Federal Election Commission (FEC) is the primary agency enforcing campaign finance laws in the US, and it has long been portrayed as a toothless tiger. Given the importance of campaign finance laws in protecting democracy, the characterization of the FEC as an ineffective regulator is problematic. To understand why the agency has a weak reputation, this book explores changes in campaign finance laws, the underfunding of the agency, untimely commissioner appointments, and how this has affected the enforcement of campaign finance laws between 2002 and 2020. This study finds that as campaign finance laws have weakened in the US, so has the FEC's ability to enforce them. The agency's resources have stagnated, so the penalties and fines issued by the agency have dropped. There are multiple periods when the agency is absent a quorum because of too few commissioners at the Commission, and it is increasingly unable to proceed with agency business. Furthermore, the empty commissioner seats have led to a partisan imbalance that has favored the Republicans and allowed them to dominate decision-making. Now, the outcomes of allegations of wrongdoing are increasingly closing by default rather than bipartisan consensus.
Table of Contents
List of Tables
Preface
List of Abbreviations
Introduction
Chapter 1: The Federal Election Commission and the Oversight of Campaign Finance
Chapter 2: The Tug of War Over Campaign Finance Law
Chapter 3: Weaponized Bureaucrats: The Administrative (In)Capacity of the Federal Election Commission
Chapter 4: The Crises of Credibility and Leadership at the Federal Election Commission
Chapter 5: The Partisan Co-optation of the Federal Election Commission
Conclusion: Chaos or Coherence?
Appendix
References
Index
About the Author
Product details
| Published | Jul 23 2026 |
|---|---|
| Format | Paperback |
| Edition | 1st |
| Pages | 208 |
| ISBN | 9781666949810 |
| Imprint | Lexington Books |
| Illustrations | 25 BW Photos, 8 Tables |
| Dimensions | 229 x 152 mm |
| Publisher | Bloomsbury Publishing |
Reviews
ONLINE RESOURCES
Bloomsbury Collections
This book is available on Bloomsbury Collections where your library has access.

























