Highlighting an increasing wave of threats against federal candidates for public office, the Federal Election Commission has opened the door to allowing campaigns to fund security with donor contributions.
In a brief statement, the FEC said Tuesday that it will be seeking comments over the next two months on a proposal to allow for “reasonable costs” of candidate security.
The campaign finance watchdog agency said it has allowed special case funding for security but would now like to approve a formal rule allowing spending for “non-structural security devices; structural security devices; professional security personnel and services; and cybersecurity software, devices and services.”
FEC Chairman Sean Cooksey told Secrets that the rise in threats against candidates is driving the move.
Earlier this year, the Capitol Police reported it received 8,008 claims of threats in 2023, a huge jump from the 906 in 2016. Election years have seen big growth in threats of violence, the police data showed.
“I believe what is driving much of the commission’s interest in this proposed rule is the enormous spike in cases of threats and violence against candidates and members of Congress over recent years,” Cooksey said.
“I think a persistent problem like this needs a permanent rule to allow federal candidates and officeholders to pay for their own security,” he added.
Some members, such as Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), have been subjected to repeated “swatting” calls, while others have noted an uptick in email threats.
The problem with the current rules, and why changes are needed, is that they do not allow the “personal use” of campaign funds. As a result, candidates who wanted to use campaign money for their security needed to get the FEC’s OK.
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If the new rule passes muster, permission won’t be needed.
The FEC memo explained: “Consistent with prior commission advisory opinions, the proposed rule would provide that the use of campaign funds to pay for the reasonable costs of security measures for a federal candidate or officeholder is not personal use as long as the payments are made for security measures that address ongoing dangers or threats that would not exist irrespective of the individual’s status or duties as a federal candidate or officeholder and would require that the disbursements be for the usual and normal charge for such goods and services.”