Marsha Blackburn

Marsha Blackburn for Congress, Inc. (committee treasurer Tea Hoffman) was referred by the FEC Reports Analysis Division for failing to disclose all receipts and disbursements on two 2004 election-cycle reports. An amended 12-Day Pre-General Report disclosed additional disbursements of approximately $50,047 (a 100% increase over originally reported figures), and an amended 30-Day Post-General Report disclosed additional receipts of approximately $61,856. The committee's attorney described the violations as inadvertent. The FEC approved a negotiated settlement on March 21, 2006 (vote 6-0), imposing a $1,500 civil penalty and requiring compliance education measures.

Blackburn's federal campaign committee, Marsha for Senate (formerly Marsha Blackburn for Congress, Inc.), accepted $100,350 in excessive contributions during the 2015-2016 election cycle. The matter was resolved through the FEC's Alternative Dispute Resolution process (ADR 897, opened February 11, 2019, closed July 18, 2019). The committee and its treasurer Ron M. Gant agreed to a negotiated settlement that included a $7,500 civil penalty and a commitment to participate in FEC compliance training. The action was against the campaign committee (a business/political entity), not against Blackburn personally; is_business_entity is true.

Following a mandatory FEC audit of Marsha for Senate (formerly Marsha Blackburn for Congress, Inc.) covering the 2015–2016 election cycle, the Audit Division found the committee had received excessive contributions in violation of 52 U.S.C. §30116(f). The Final Audit Report was approved February 1, 2019. The committee resolved the excess contributions only after the audit commenced (untimely), through refund checks ($10,900), signed reattribution letters ($6,900), and presumptive redesignation letters ($82,550). The FEC Commission voted 4-0 on July 18, 2019 to approve a negotiated settlement requiring a $7,500 civil penalty paid by the committee.