Chapter 392. Providing for publicity of contributions made for the purpose of influencing elections at which Representatives in Congress are elected
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CHAP. 392.— An Act Providing for publicity of contributions made for the purpose of influencing elections at which Representatives in Congress are elected. June 25, 1910.[[H. R. 2250](/us/bill/61/hr/2250).][[Public, No. 274](/us/pl/61/274).] *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled*, Publicity to political contributions. Political committees defined. That the term “political committee” under the provisions of this Act shall include the national committees of all political parties and the national congres-823sional campaign committees of all political parties and all committees, associations, or organizations which, shall in two or more States influence the result or attempt to influence the result of an election at which Representatives in Congress are to be elected.
Sec. 2. That every political committee as defined in this Act shall Officers required. Duties of treasurer. Accounts. have a chairman and a treasurer. It shall be the duty of the treasurer to keep a detailed and exact account of all money or its equivalent received by or promised to such committee or any member thereof, or by or to any person acting under its authority or in its behalf, and the name of every person, firm, association, or committee from whom received, and of all expenditures, disbursements, and promises of payment or disbursement made by the committee or any member thereof, or by any person acting under its authority or in its behalf, and to whom paid, distributed, or disbursed.
No officer or member of such committee, or other person acting under its authority or in its behalf, shall receive any money or its equivalent, or expend or promise to expend any money on behalf of such committee, until after a chairman and treasurer of such committee shall have been chosen. Sec. 3. That every payment or disbursement made by a political Receipts for all expenses. committee exceeding ten dollars in amount be evidenced by a receipted bill stating the particulars of expense, and every such Preservation. record, voucher, receipt, or account shall be preserved for fifteen months after the election to which it relates.
Sec. 4. That whoever, acting under the authority or in behalf of Detailed statement of contributions to be given treasurer. such political committee, whether as a member thereof or otherwise, receives any contribution, payment, loan, gift, advance, deposit, or promise of money or its equivalent shall, on demand, and in any event within five days after the receipt of such contribution, payment, loan, gift, advance, deposit, or promise, render to the treasurer of such political committee a detailed account of the same, together with the name and address from whom received, and said treasurer Recording. shall forthwith enter the same in a ledger or record to be kept by him for that purpose.
Sec. 5. That the treasurer of every such political committee shall, Statement to Clerk of the House of Representatives. within thirty days after the election at which Representatives in Congress were chosen in two or more States, file with the Clerk of the House of Representatives at Washington, District of Columbia, an itemized, detailed statement, sworn to by said treasurer and conforming to the requirements of the following section of this Act. The statement so filed with the Clerk of the House of Representatives Preservation and inspection. shall be preserved by him for fifteen months, and shall be a part of the public records of his office, and shall be open to public inspection.
Sec. 6. That the statements required by the preceding section of Details. this Act shall state: First. The name and address of each person, firm, association, Contributions, etc., of $100 or more. or committee who or which has contributed, promised, loaned, or advanced to such political committee, or any officer, member, or agent thereof, either in one or more items, money or its equivalent of the aggregate amount or value of one hundred dollars or more. Second. The total sum contributed, promised, loaned, or advanced Less than $100. to such political committee, or to any officer, member, or agent thereof, in amounts less than one hundred dollars.
Third. The total sum of all contributions, promises, loans, and Total amount received. advances received by such political committee or any officer, member, or agent thereof. Fourth. The name and address of each person, firm, association, or Statement of payments of $10 and more. committee to whom such political committee, or any officer, member, or agent thereof, has disbursed, distributed, contributed, loaned. 824 advanced, or promised any sum of money or its equivalent of the amount or value of ten dollars or more, and the purpose thereof.
Payments less than $10. Fifth. The total sum disbursed, distributed, contributed, loaned, advanced, or promised by such political committee, or any officer, member, or agent thereof, where the amount or value of such disbursement, distribution, loan, advance, or promise to any one person, firm, association, or committee in one or more items is less than ten dollars. Total amount disbursed, etc. Sixth. The total sum disbursed, distributed, contributed, loaned, advanced, or promised by such political committee or any officer, member, or agent thereof.
Sec. 7. Statement from others not made to political committee. That every person, firm, association, or committee, except political committees as hereinbefore defined, that shall expend or promise any sum of money or other thing of value amounting to fifty dollars or more for the purpose of influencing or controlling, in two or more States, the result of an election at which Representatives to the Congress of the United States are elected, unless he or it shall contribute the same to a political committee as hereinbefore defined, shall file the statements of the same under oath, as required by section six of this Act, in the office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives, at Washington, District of Columbia, which statements shall be held by said Clerk in all respects as required by section five of this Act.
Sec. 8. Personal, traveling, etc., expenses excepted. That any person may in connection with such election incur and pay from his own private funds for the purpose of influencing or controlling, in two or more States, the result of an election at which Representatives to the Congress of the United States are elected all personal expenses for his traveling and for purposes incidental to traveling, for stationery and postage, and for telegraph and telephone service without being subject to the provisions of this Act.
Sec. 9. Legal expenses to maintain or contest elections. That nothing contained in this Act shall limit or affect the right of any person to spend money for proper legal expenses in maintaining or contesting the results of any election. Sec. 10. Punishment for violations. That every person willfully violating any of the foregoing provisions of this Act shall, upon conviction, be fined not more than one thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than one year, or both. Approved, June 25, 1910.