Ellen L. Weintraub
Encyclopedia
Ellen L. Weintraub is a member of the United States Federal Election Commission
.
She received a recess appointment
to the Commission on December 6, 2002, and took office on December 9, 2002. She was renominated on January 9, 2003, and confirmed by unanimous consent of the United States Senate
on March 18, 2003. Shortly after her arrival at the FEC, Weintraub was elected Chair of the Commission for 2003. She is the third woman to serve on the Commission. In June 2008, two more women, Cynthia L. Bauerly
and Caroline C. Hunter, joined Weintraub on the Commission. Although Weintraub's term ended April 30, 2007, by statute she continues in office until her successor takes office.
Prior to her appointment, Weintraub was Of Counsel to Perkins Coie
LLP and a member of its Political Law Group. There, she counseled clients on federal and state campaign finance laws, political ethics, nonprofit law, and lobbying regulation. During the election contest arising out of the 1996 election of Senator Mary Landrieu
(D-LA), Weintraub served on the legal team that advised the Senate Rules Committee. Her tenure with Perkins Coie represented Weintraub’s second stint in private practice, as she previously practiced as a litigator with the New York firm of Cahill Gordon & Reindel
.
Before joining Perkins Coie, Weintraub was Counsel to the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct
for the U.S. House of Representatives
(the House Ethics Committee). Like the Commission, the Committee on Standards is a bipartisan body, evenly divided between Democratic and Republican members. There, Weintraub focused on implementing the Ethics Reform Act of 1989 and subsequent changes to the House Code of Official Conduct. She also served as editor in chief of the House Ethics Manual and as a principal contributor to the Senate Ethics Manual. While at the Committee, Weintraub counseled Members on investigations and often had lead responsibility for the Committee’s public education and compliance initiatives.
Federal Election Commission
The Federal Election Commission is an independent regulatory agency that was founded in 1975 by the United States Congress to regulate the campaign finance legislation in the United States. It was created in a provision of the 1975 amendment to the Federal Election Campaign Act...
.
She received a recess appointment
Recess appointment
A recess appointment is the appointment, by the President of the United States, of a senior federal official while the U.S. Senate is in recess. The U.S. Constitution requires that the most senior federal officers must be confirmed by the Senate before assuming office, but while the Senate is in...
to the Commission on December 6, 2002, and took office on December 9, 2002. She was renominated on January 9, 2003, and confirmed by unanimous consent of the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
on March 18, 2003. Shortly after her arrival at the FEC, Weintraub was elected Chair of the Commission for 2003. She is the third woman to serve on the Commission. In June 2008, two more women, Cynthia L. Bauerly
Cynthia L. Bauerly
Cynthia L. Bauerly is a member of the United States Federal Election Commission. She was nominated by President George W. Bush on May 6, 2008. Her appointment received the unanimous consent of the United States Senate on June 24, 2008....
and Caroline C. Hunter, joined Weintraub on the Commission. Although Weintraub's term ended April 30, 2007, by statute she continues in office until her successor takes office.
Prior to her appointment, Weintraub was Of Counsel to Perkins Coie
Perkins Coie
Perkins Coie is an international law firm based in Seattle, Washington. It has been listed on the Fortune Magazine "100 Best Places to Work in America" for the past nine years. It is noted for its intellectual property, Labor and Employment, and Products Liability practice groups, and for its...
LLP and a member of its Political Law Group. There, she counseled clients on federal and state campaign finance laws, political ethics, nonprofit law, and lobbying regulation. During the election contest arising out of the 1996 election of Senator Mary Landrieu
Mary Landrieu
Mary Loretta Landrieu is the senior United States Senator from the State of Louisiana and a member of the Democratic Party.Born in Arlington, Virginia, Landrieu was raised in New Orleans, Louisiana...
(D-LA), Weintraub served on the legal team that advised the Senate Rules Committee. Her tenure with Perkins Coie represented Weintraub’s second stint in private practice, as she previously practiced as a litigator with the New York firm of Cahill Gordon & Reindel
Cahill Gordon & Reindel
Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP is a prominent New York-based international law firm with offices in New York, Washington, D.C. and London...
.
Before joining Perkins Coie, Weintraub was Counsel to the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct
United States House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct
The Committee on Ethics, often known simply as the Ethics Committee, is one of the committees of the United States House of Representatives. Prior to the 112th Congress it was known as the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct....
for the U.S. House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
(the House Ethics Committee). Like the Commission, the Committee on Standards is a bipartisan body, evenly divided between Democratic and Republican members. There, Weintraub focused on implementing the Ethics Reform Act of 1989 and subsequent changes to the House Code of Official Conduct. She also served as editor in chief of the House Ethics Manual and as a principal contributor to the Senate Ethics Manual. While at the Committee, Weintraub counseled Members on investigations and often had lead responsibility for the Committee’s public education and compliance initiatives.