Maria Elvira Salazar

Maria Elvira Salazar for Congress was cited under the FEC Administrative Fine Program (AF #3619) for failing to file 48-hour notices for contributions totaling $113,612.40 during the 2018 general election post-general reporting period (October 18 – November 26, 2018). A preliminary civil penalty was assessed on March 21, 2019. The committee challenged it, resulting in a final determination on June 29, 2020, reducing the penalty to $11,799, which was subsequently paid in full.

A complaint was filed October 6, 2020 by Juan-Carlos Planas alleging excessive contributions and reporting violations by Salazar for Congress (committee C00671859) and Paul Kilgore as treasurer relating to the 2020 general election cycle. On July 14, 2021, the FEC's five-member board voted 5-0 to dismiss the complaint on prosecutorial discretion grounds, consistent with the General Counsel's July 6, 2021 recommendation that it was a low-priority matter. No penalties were imposed.

The FEC found that the committees misreported cash on hand by about $2.1 million across 2021 quarterly reports, with duplicate/incorrect contribution reporting, false disbursement reporting, missing attribution information, and roughly $93,000 in checks intended for other committees deposited into the wrong account. Under a conciliation agreement made public November 6, 2024, the three Salazar campaign committees (the business/legal entities, not Salazar personally) were fined $22,800 — reduced from a higher amount because of self-reporting under the FEC's sua sponte policy. Treasurer Nancy Marks signed the agreement; no penalty was imposed on her personally because she claimed financial hardship.

The FEC opened MUR #8176 against Salazar for Congress, Freedom Force PAC, and Salazar Victory Committee — plus treasurer Les Williamson — for violations including failing to deposit receipts into campaign depository accounts and failing to report or incorrectly reporting receipts, disbursements, and cash on hand. The errors caused approximately $2.1 million in misreported cash on hand across 2021 quarterly reports. The violations were partly attributed to the conduct of former treasurer Nancy Marks (January 2021 – July 2022). A General Counsel's Report was issued May 17, 2023. The Commission accepted a pre-probable cause conciliation agreement by 5-1 vote, finalizing November 30, 2023, with a combined $22,800 civil penalty against the three committees.

The FEC investigated Nancy Marks personally (as Salazar's treasurer from January 2021 to July 2022) for violations of 52 U.S.C. §§ 30102(h)(1) and 30104(b) — failing to deposit receipts into campaign depository accounts and failing to report or incorrectly reporting financial data for Salazar for Congress, Freedom Force PAC, and Salazar Victory Committee. The complaint was filed April 27, 2023 (self-reported by Salazar for Congress). The FEC found Marks's conduct 'reckless.' A conciliation agreement was executed September 3, 2024; the Commission voted 6-0 to accept it on October 7, 2024 and closed the file. A proposed civil penalty of $36,000 against Marks was suspended due to financial hardship (not directly assessed against Salazar). Marks was also the disgraced treasurer of ex-Rep. George Santos.