3000 ORGANIZATION OF POLITICAL COMMITTEES

3000.1 Each political committee shall file a Statement of Organization form, prescribed by the Director of the Office of Campaign Finance (the Director) (OCF), within ten (10) days of organization.3000.2 Each political committee shall be deemed 'organized' when any proposer, individual, committee (including a principal campaign committee), club, association, organization, or other group of individuals formally agree, orally or in writing, or decide to promote or oppose a political party, the nomination or election of an individual to office, or any initiative, referendum or recall.3000.3 In the absence of a decision to organize, as a political committee opposing an initiative or referendum measure, under § 3000.2, a person, who addresses the determination by the Board of Elections and Ethics of the appropriateness of a proposed measure for filing, under Chapter 10 of this Title, shall not be required to file a Statement of Organization, under § 3000.1, or a Report of Receipts and Expenditures (R&E Report), under § 3008.3000.4 Agreement to form a political committee by an individual shall also occur upon designation by a candidate on the Statement of Candidacy form, filed under § 3002.2.3000.5 Each political committee shall be either an authorized committee or an unauthorized committee.3000.6 An authorized committee shall be any political committee designated by a candidate on the Statement of Candidacy form, filed under § 3002.2, to receive contributions or make expenditures on behalf of the candidate; and it shall include the name of the candidate for elective office in the District of Columbia in its name.3000.7 An unauthorized committee shall be any political committee which has not been designated by a candidate on the Statement of Candidacy form, filed under § 3002.2, to solicit or receive contributions or make expenditures on behalf of a candidate seeking office; and it shall not include the name of any candidate for elective office in the District of Columbia in its name.3000.8 For purposes of the reporting and recordkeeping requirements, political committees shall include the following:1. (a) Affiliated Committee - all authorized committees of the same candidate for the same election, or all committees established, financed, maintained, or controlled by the same corporation, labor or membership organization, cooperative or trade association, or any similar organization;

2. (b) Delegate Committee - established to support a presidential candidate,

which shall include the word 'delegate(s)' in its name and may include the name of the presidential candidate whom it supports;

1. (c) Independent or Political Action (PAC) Committee - any unauthorized committee;
2. (d) Initiative, Referendum, Recall or Proposed Charter Amendment Committee - organized for the purpose of, or engaged in promoting or opposing initiative, referendum or recall measures or proposed Charter amendments, respectively;
3. (e) Party Committee - represents a political party of the official party structure at the city-wide or ward level; and
4. (f) Principal Campaign Committee - designated and authorized by a candidate or slate of candidates for election as officials of a political party, as the principal campaign committee, in accordance with § 3006; provided, that it shall include the name(s) of the candidate(s) who authorized the committee.

3000.9 Political committees shall not include the following:

1. (a) Connected Organization - a corporation, labor or membership organization, cooperative or trade association, or any similar organization which directly or indirectly establishes, administers or financially supports a political committee; and
2. (b) Exploratory Committees - formed solely for the purpose of determining the feasibility of an individual's candidacy.

3000.10 Each political committee shall indicate its intent not to support a candidate in the following manner:

1. (a) Declare its intention on the Notification of Non-Support form; and
2. (b) File the Notification of Non-Support form, within ten (10) days of the change by the political committee of its intention to not support a candidate.

3000.11 Each political committee shall notify the Director in writing within ten (10) days of its decision to support a candidate, where it has previously filed a Notification of Non-Support, under § 3000.10.

3000.12 A political committee shall have the following officers:

1. (a) A chairperson; and

3000.13 When either the office of chairperson or treasurer of a political committee,

under § 3000.12, is vacant, the political committee shall perform the following:

(a) Designate a successor chairperson or treasurer, within five (5) days of the vacancy; and

(b) Amend its Statement of Organization within 10 days of the designation of the successor; provided, that the successor officer agrees to accept the position.

3000.14 A political committee shall not accept a contribution or make an expenditure when the office of treasurer is vacant, and no other person has been designated and agreed to perform the functions of a treasurer.

3000.15 Each expenditure made for, or on behalf of, a political committee shall be authorized only by the following:

(a) Chairperson;

(b) Treasurer; or

(c) Their designated agent, as listed on the Statement of Organization filed under § 3000.1.

3000.16 A chairperson shall be required to file the following:

(a) A Statement of Acceptance of Position of Chairperson form, prescribed by the Director, and a copy of written notification sent to the address of record of the treasurer and candidate, if an authorized committee, within five (5) days of assuming the office; and

(b) A Statement of Withdrawal of Position of Chairperson form, prescribed by the Director, and a copy of written notification sent to the address of record of the treasurer and candidate, if an authorized committee, within five (5) days of vacating the office.

3000.17 A treasurer shall be required to file the following:

(a) A Statement of Acceptance of Position of Treasurer form, prescribed by the Director, and a copy of written notification sent to the address of record of the chairperson and candidate, if an authorized committee, within forty-eight (48) hours of assuming the office;

(b) Periodic R&E Reports, under § 3008, signed by the treasurer or, if unavailable, the designated agent as listed on the Statement of Organization filed under § 3000.1; provided, that the treasurer shall be responsible for all R&E Reports and statements due to the Director during the treasurer's tenure; and

(c) A Statement of Withdrawal of Position of Treasurer form, prescribed

by the Director, and a copy of written notification sent to the address of record of the chairperson and candidate, if an authorized committee, within forty-eight (48) hours of vacating the office.

3000.18 A person shall not simultaneously serve as the chairperson and treasurer of a political committee, except the following:

(a) A candidate; or

(b) A proposer or opponent of an initiative, referendum or recall measure or charter amendment.

3000.19 Each political committee shall amend its Statement of Organization within ten (10) days of any change in information previously reported on its Statement of Organization.

SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 45 D.C. Reg. 3161-64 (May 22, 1998); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 47 D.C. Reg. 2171-74 (March 24, 2000); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 53 D.C. Reg. 3222 (April 21, 2006); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 55 D.C. Reg. 8797 (August 15, 2008); and as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 57 D.C. Reg. 2229 (March 19, 2010).