FEC Throws Out Trump’s Complaint Against The Washington Post

The Federal Election Commission (FEC) has officially dismissed a complaint presented by Donald Trump’s presidential campaign that accused The Washington Post of making “illegal corporate in-kind contributions” to Kamala Harris’ campaign.

In a unanimous decision, the FEC commissioners rejected the Trump campaign’s assertion that the Post had utilized social media advertising to promote articles critical of Trump.

The campaign had claimed that the news outlet was engaged in a “dark money corporate campaign” designed to undermine the Trump presidency, alleging it promoted Harris’s candidacy while misusing its own advertising strategies.

Trump’s team referenced reporting from the outlet Semafor, which indicated that The Washington Post had increased its advertising efforts, particularly for articles deemed unfavorable to Trump.

The complaint argued that these actions disqualified the Post from enjoying the “press exemption” afforded to legitimate media entities. Trump’s campaign contended that by amplifying content to sway the election, the Post was acting like a partisan player rather than a neutral press organization.

The FEC countered the campaign’s allegations. After reviewing the complaint, the agency’s General Counsel advised the commissioners that the Post was performing within its legitimate press functions, thus protected by federal election laws.

The FEC’s internal analysis referenced a scoring system that prioritized resources, concluding that the complaint did not warrant further action. “Given that low rating and the apparent applicability of the press exemption, we recommend that the Commission dismiss the complaint,” the General Counsel’s office noted.

The Washington Post had maintained its stance of innocence throughout the investigation. Following the complaint’s filing in late October, a spokesperson characterized it as “improper” and without merit, asserting that the advertising practices cited were standard within the media industry.

In a detailed letter to the FEC dated November 25, 2024, the Post further defended its actions, stating that the Trump campaign’s claims were unfounded and that its promotional practices were protected under the First Amendment.

The White House and The Washington Post did not provide immediate comments following the dismissal. The FEC made the decision public after voting on February 25.

Notably, Trey Trainor, an attorney who previously worked for Trump’s 2016 campaign and was appointed to the FEC by Trump, joined his fellow commissioners in dismissing the complaint.

This case was resolved relatively swiftly by the FEC, as such deliberations can often take years. However, the FEC is currently functioning with a reduced number of commissioners, following Trump’s dismissal of long-standing Commissioner Ellen Weintraub, a move she disputes as illegal and plans to contest.

With the FEC operating at a bare minimum, concerns have been raised regarding its capacity to effectively oversee campaign finance violation investigations.