Concerts featuring foreign performers are fair game for political fundraisers, the Federal Elections Commission ruled today.
About a year after Sir Elton John caused a stir when he performed at a $2.5 million fundraiser for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign at Radio City Music Hall, the FEC ruled that the act was a “volunteer service” exempted from the “contribution” regulations in the Federal Campaign Act.
At the time of the fundraiser, the FEC did not have a quorum and could not rule on complaints filed by the anti-abortion 527 group American Right to Life Action and Judicial Watch alleging that the Clinton campaign was illegally accepting an in-kind contribution from a foreign national.
“The Commission found no reason to believe that a violation occurred and [has] closed the file,” the FEC ruled.
–Samuel Rubenfeld