(a) Any person who believes that a violation of any statute or regulation over which the Commission has jurisdiction has occurred or is about to occur may file a complaint in writing to the General Counsel of the Federal Election Commission at the street address identified in the definition of “Commission” in §1.2. If possible, three (3) copies should be submitted.

(b) A complaint shall comply with the following:

(1) It shall provide the full name and address of the complainant; and

(2) The contents of the complaint shall be sworn to and signed in the presence of a notary public and shall be notarized.

(c) All statements made in a complaint are subject to the statutes governing perjury and to 18 U.S.C. 1001. The complaint should differentiate between statements based upon personal knowledge and statements based upon information and belief.

(d) The complaint should conform to the following provisions:

(1) It should clearly identify as a respondent each person or entity who is alleged to have committed a violation;

(2) Statements which are not based upon personal knowledge should be accompanied by an identification of the source of information which gives rise to the complainants belief in the truth of such statements;

(3) It should contain a clear and concise recitation of the facts which describe a violation of a statute or regulation over which the Commission has jurisdiction; and

(4) It should be accompanied by any documentation supporting the facts alleged if such documentation is known of, or available to, the complainant.

[45 FR 15120, Mar. 7, 1980, as amended at 50 FR 50778, Dec. 12, 1985; 82 FR 60853, Dec. 26, 2017]