§103.3. Deposit of receipts and disbursements (52 U.S.C. 30102(h)(1)). — Inbound Citations

All funds of a political committee shall be segregated from, and may not be commingled with, any personal funds of officers, members or associates of that committee, or with the personal funds of any other individual. See also 11 CFR 103.3 and part 114 and 52 U.S.C. 30118.

(ii) The fundraising representative shall deposit all joint fundraising proceeds in the separate depository account within ten days of receipt as required by 11 CFR 103.3. The fundraising representative may delay distribution of the fundraising proceeds to the participants until all contributions are received and all expenses are paid.

(i) Such account shall be treated as a separate Federal political committee that must comply with the requirements of the Act including the registration and reporting requirements of 11 CFR parts 102 and 104. Only funds subject to the prohibitions and limitations of the Act shall be deposited in such separate Federal account. See 11 CFR 103.3. All disbursements, contributions, expenditures, and transfers by the committee in connection with any Federal election shall be made from its Federal account, except as otherwise permitted for State, district and local party committees by 11 CFR part 300 and paragraph (a)(5) of this section. No transfers may be made to such Federal account from any other account(s) maintained by such organization for the purpose of financing activity in connection with non-Federal elections, except as provided by 11 CFR 300.33, 300.34, 106.6(c), 106.6(f), and 106.7(f). Administrative expenses for political committees other than party committees shall be allocated pursuant to 11 CFR 106.6(c) between such Federal account and any other account maintained by such committee for the purpose for financing activity in connection with non-Federal elections. Administrative expenses for State, district, and local party committees are subject to 11 CFR 106.7 and 11 CFR part 300; or

(i) Only contributions that are permissible pursuant to the limitations and prohibitions of the Act may be deposited into any Federal account, regardless of whether such contributions are for use in connection with Federal or non-Federal elections. See 11 CFR 103.3 regarding impermissible funds.

(ii) The fundraising representative shall deposit all joint fundraising proceeds in the separate depository account within ten days of receipt as required by 11 CFR 103.3. The fundraising representative may delay distribution of the fundraising proceeds to the participants until all contributions are received and all expenses are paid.

(1) Contributions that present genuine questions as to whether they were made by corporations, labor organizations, foreign nationals, or Federal contractors may be, within ten days of the treasurer's receipt, either deposited into a campaign depository under 11 CFR 103.3(a) or returned to the contributor. If any such contribution is deposited, the treasurer shall make his or her best efforts to determine the legality of the contribution. The treasurer shall make at least one written or oral request for evidence of the legality of the contribution. Such evidence includes, but is not limited to, a written statement from the contributor explaining why the contribution is legal, or a written statement by the treasurer memorializing an oral communication explaining why the contribution is legal. If the contribution cannot be determined to be legal, the treasurer shall, within thirty days of the treasurer's receipt of the contribution, refund the contribution to the contributor.

(i) A contribution designated in writing for a particular election, but made after that election, shall be made only to the extent that the contribution does not exceed net debts outstanding from such election. To the extent that such contribution exceeds net debts outstanding, the candidate or the candidate's authorized political committee shall return or deposit the contribution within ten days from the date of the treasurer's receipt of the contribution as provided by 11 CFR 103.3(a), and if deposited, then within sixty days from the date of the treasurer's receipt the treasurer shall take the following action, as appropriate:

(A) Refund the contribution using a committee check or similar draft, including electronic transfer; or

(B) Obtain a written redesignation by the contributor for another election in accordance with 11 CFR 110.1(b)(5); or

(C) Obtain a written reattribution to another contributor in accordance with 11 CFR 110.1(k)(3).

If the candidate is not a candidate in the general election, all contributions made for the general election shall be either returned or refunded to the contributors or redesignated in accordance with 11 CFR 110.1(b)(5), or reattributed in accordance with 11 CFR 110.1(k)(3), as appropriate.

(i) A contribution designated in writing for a particular election, but made after that election, shall be made only to the extent that the contribution does not exceed net debts outstanding from such election. To the extent that such contribution exceeds net debts outstanding, the candidate or the candidate's authorized political committee shall return or deposit the contribution within ten days from the date of the treasurer's receipt of the contribution as provided by 11 CFR 103.3(a), and if deposited, then within sixty days from the date of the treasurer's receipt the treasurer shall take the following action, as appropriate:

(A) Refund the contribution using a committee check or draft; or

(B) Obtain a written redesignation by the contributor for another election in accordance with 11 CFR 110.2(b)(5).

If the candidate is not a candidate in the general election, all contributions made for the general election shall be either returned or refunded to the contributors or redesignated in accordance with 11 CFR 110.2(b)(5).

(2) If the treasurer in exercising his or her responsibilities under 11 CFR 103.3(b) determined that at the time a contribution was received and deposited, it did not appear to be made by a corporation, labor organization, foreign national or Federal contractor, or made in the name of another, but later discovers that it is illegal based on new evidence not available to the political committee at the time of receipt and deposit, the treasurer shall refund the contribution to the contributor within thirty days of the date on which the illegality is discovered. If the political committee does not have sufficient funds to refund the contribution at the time the illegality is discovered, the political committee shall make the refund from the next funds it receives.

(iv) Treat all funds which appear to be illegal in accordance with the provisions of § 103.3(b).

(3) Within 30 days of service of the Final Audit Report, the committee shall submit a check to the United States Treasury for the total amount of any excessive or prohibited contributions not refunded, reattributed or redesignated in a timely manner in accordance with 11 CFR 103.3(b) (1), (2) or (3); or take any other action required by the Commission with respect to sample-based findings.

(3) Within 30 days of service of the Final Audit Report, the committee shall submit a check to the United States Treasury for the total amount of any excessive or prohibited contributions not refunded, reattributed or redesignated in a timely manner in accordance with 11 CFR 103.3(b) (1), (2) or (3); or take any other action required by the Commission with respect to sample-based findings.

(4) If a contribution is refunded to the contributor, the treasurer of the political committee making the refund shall report the refund on Schedule B of the report covering the reporting period in which the refund is made, in accordance with 11 CFR 103.3(b)(5) and 104.3(b). If a contribution is refunded to a political committee, the treasurer of the political committee receiving the refund shall report the refund on Schedule A of the report covering the reporting period in which the refund is received, in accordance with 11 CFR 104.3(a).