Offenses Involving Public Officials and Violations of Federal Election Campaign Laws

§2C1.7. [Deleted]

Historical Note:: Effective November 1, 1991 (see Appendix C, amendment 368). Amended effective November 1, 1992 (see Appendix C, amendment 468); November 1, 1997 (see Appendix C, amendment 547); November 1, 2001 (see Appendix C, amendment 617); November 1, 2003 (see Appendix C, amendment 653); was deleted by consolidation with §2C1.1 effective November 1, 2004 (see Appendix C, amendment 666).

§2C1.8. Making, Receiving, or Failing to Report a Contribution, Donation, or Expenditure in Violation of the Federal Election Campaign Act; Fraudulently Misrepresenting Campaign Authority; Soliciting or Receiving a Donation in Connection with an Election While on Certain Federal Property

(a) Base Offense Level: 8

(b) Specific Offense Characteristics

(1) If the value of the illegal transactions exceeded $5,000, increase by the number of levels from the table in §2B1.1 (Theft, Property Destruction, and Fraud) corresponding to that amount.

(2) (Apply the greater) If the offense involved, directly or indirectly, an illegal transaction made by or received from—

(A) a foreign national, increase by 2 levels; or

(B) a government of a foreign country, increase by 4 levels.

(3) If (A) the offense involved the contribution, donation, solicitation, expenditure, disbursement, or receipt of governmental funds; or (B) the defendant committed the offense for the purpose of obtaining a specific, identifiable non-monetary Federal benefit, increase by 2 levels.

(4) If the defendant engaged in 30 or more illegal transactions, increase by 2 levels.

(5) If the offense involved a contribution, donation, solicitation, or expenditure made or obtained through intimidation, threat of pecuniary or other harm, or coercion, increase by 4 levels.

(c) Cross Reference

(1) If the offense involved a bribe or gratuity, apply §2C1.1 (Offering, Giving, Soliciting, or Receiving a Bribe; Extortion Under Color of Official Right; Fraud Involving the Deprivation of the Intangible Right to Honest Services of Public Officials; Conspiracy to Defraud by Interference with Governmental Functions) or §2C1.2 (Offering, Giving, Soliciting, or Receiving a Gratuity), as appropriate, if the resulting offense level is greater than the offense level determined above.

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Last reviewed October 2024