Carly Fiorina-aligned PAC changes name

A super-PAC aligned with GOP presidential candidate Carly Fiorina has changed its name to avoid violating Federal Elections Commission rules.

Instead of Carly for America, the group is now CARLY for America: Conservative, Authentic Responsive Leadership for You and for America. 

{mosads}A month before the name change, the FEC wrote to the super-PAC to inform it that it violated federal election law by including the name of an official candidate. Only an authorized campaign committee, which must follow FEC contribution requirements, can include the name of a candidate. 

Katie Hughes, the communications director at CARLY for America, confirmed that the group swapped the former Hewlett-Packard CEO’s first name for the acronym to comply with the FEC request. 

The rule exists in part so that voters are not confused as to which groups directly represent candidates and which are simply supporters. CARLY for America’s name change, filed Monday with the FEC, was first reported by The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday. 

Despite the new name, a comparison with an archived version of the super-PAC’s website shows it is unchanged as of Wednesday afternoon. The PAC’s logo still adorns the top, and the group’s old name, “Carly for America” is listed at the bottom of the site designating it as the independent expenditure committee that paid for the website.

CARLY for America isn’t the first super-PAC to butt heads with the FEC over its name. The Ready for Warren group faced the same dilemma back in 2014, which it reconciled by changing its name to the Ready for Warren Presidential Draft Campaign to clarify its purpose of convincing Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) to run for president.

Stand With Rand PAC also changed its name to SWR PAC in April.

And Ready for Hillary PAC dropped the reference to Hillary Clinton to become Ready PAC in April, though it planned to shut down after Clinton announced her bid for the Democratic presidential nomination.