Willis Carto archive

Including information about his associates

What Others Have Said about Willis Carto

FEC v. Populist Party, et al.

On April 20, 1995, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia issue a consent order and judgment stating that defendants violated the Federal Election Campaign Act (the Act) by making and accepting corporated and excessive contributions in 1984, and ordering defendants to pay a $20,000 civil penalty for these violations.

Specifically, the court, by agreement of the parties involved, determined that:

  • Liberty Lobby, Inc., and Cordite Fidelity, Inc., violated 2 U.S.C. 441b(a), which prohibits the use of corporate money in connection with federal elections, by providing services (in-kind contributions) to the Populist Party in the amount of $268,056 and $82,346, respectively;
  • Mr. Willis A. Carto, the director of both corporations and treasurer of the Populist Party, violated 2 U.S.C. 441b(a) by consenting to the provision of the corporate services mentioned above;
  • Mr. Blayne Hutzel, comptroller of both corporations, violated 2 U.S.C. 441b(a) by accepting corporate services, loans and payments valued at $352,903, on behalf of the Populist Party;
  • The Populist Party violated 2U.S.C. 441b(a) by accepting the above corporate contributions and other corporate contributions, for a total of $368,303 in illegal corporate money;
  • The Populist Party violated 2 U.S.C. 441b(f), which prohibits committees from accepting contributions in excess of established limits by accepting contributions from individuals in excess of their annual limit of $5,000 per party committee;
  • The Populist Party violated 2 U.S.C. 441a(a)(1)(A) and (C) by making excessive contributions to the Maureen Salaman for Vice President Committee and the Bob Richards for President Committee; and
  • The Bob Richards for President committee violated 2 U.S.C. 441a(f) by accepting $9,756 in excessive contributions from the Populist Party.

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, No. 92-0674(HHG), April 20, 1995.


Source: Federal Election Commission RECORD, July 1995, page 9.