FEC enters election season without quorum

WASHINGTON, Jan. 9 (UPI) -- As the U.S. 2008 primaries begin, the Federal Election Commission has effectively shut down, without enough members for a quorum.

Only two members remain on the commission. U.S. President George Bush's picks for the open seats have not been approved by the U.S. Senate.

The 2008 presidential election with wide-open contests in both major parties seems likely to break spending records. But the FEC, with four vacancies, is unable to take any action, including suing or issuing binding opinions or regulations, The Christian Science Monitor reported.

That is also likely to delay the implementation of the Honest Leadership and Open Government Law, which requires more information from lobbyists who arrange bundled campaign contributions. Bush signed the bill last September but it takes effect 90 days after the FEC approves regulations to implement it.

"Everyone is running around Iowa and New Hampshire and no one noticed that the FEC closed for business last week," Anthony Corrado, a campaign-finance expert at Colby College in Maine, told the Monitor.