Shana M. Broussard Explained

Shana Broussard
Office:Chair of the Federal Election Commission
President:Donald Trump
Joe Biden
Term Start:January 1, 2021
Term End:December 31, 2021
Predecessor:James E. Trainor III
Successor:Allen Dickerson
Office1:Commissioner of the Federal Election Commission
President1:Donald Trump
Joe Biden
Term Start1:December 15, 2020
Predecessor1:Ann Ravel
Birth Place:Santa Barbara, California, U.S.
Party:Democratic
Education:Dillard University (BA)
Southern University (JD)

Shana M. Broussard is an American attorney who served as the chair of the Federal Election Commission (FEC) for 2021. She has been a Democratic member of the FEC since December 15, 2020.[1]

Early life and education

Broussard was born on the Vandenberg Air Force Base in Santa Barbara, California, and raised in Louisiana.[2] She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Dillard University and a Juris Doctor from Southern University Law Center.[3]

Career

Broussard was a clerk for a local court in Shreveport, Louisiana, and later clerked for the state appellate court. [4] Broussard served as a New Orleans Assistant District Attorney, and later as an Attorney Advisor at the Internal Revenue Service and a Deputy Disciplinary Counsel at the Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board. She served as the counsel to FEC Commissioner Steven T. Walther.[3]

Federal Election Commission

On October 28, 2020, President Donald Trump announced his intent to nominate Broussard to serve as a Commissioner of the Federal Election Commission,[3] the first Black commissioner of the FEC,[5] to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Ann Ravel on March 1, 2017. Her nomination was sent to the Senate on October 30, 2020,[6] and she was confirmed by the Senate by a vote of 92–4 on December 9, 2020.[7] She was sworn in on December 15, 2020,[8] [9] with her term as Commissioner of the FEC expiring on April 30, 2023. On December 22, 2020, she was elected chair for the 2021 year.[10] In May 2021, Broussard opposed the FEC's decision not to investigate Donald Trump for allegedly using campaign funds to cover up hush money payments to Stormy Daniels. [11] In June 2023, Broussard voted in favor of a petition requesting that the FEC develop guidelines for the use of artificial intelligence in campaign advertisements. [12]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Shana M. Broussard . 2021-06-03 . FEC.gov.
  2. https://www.rules.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Chairman%20Blunt%20Opening%20Statement%20Nomination%20for%20Members%20of%20FEC%202020.pdf Chairman Blunt’s Opening Statement Nomination Hearing for Members of the Federal Election Commission November 18, 2020
  3. https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/presidential-actions/president-donald-j-trump-announces-intent-nominate-individuals-key-administration-posts-102820/ "President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Individuals to Key Administration Posts" White House, October 28, 2020
  4. https://www.businessinsider.com/shana-broussard-fec-commissioner-historic-first-black-election-campaign-money-2020-12 Shana Broussard just became the first Black member of the Federal Election Commission — and she's now in charge
  5. Web site: Ackley . Kate . October 28, 2020 . Trump to nominate bipartisan pair of commissioners to hobbled FEC . October 28, 2020 . Roll Call . en.
  6. https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/presidential-actions/two-nominations-sent-senate-103020/ "Two Nominations Sent to the Senate", White House, October 30, 2020
  7. https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=116&session=2&vote=00259 "On the Nomination (Confirmation: Shana M. Broussard, of Louisiana, to be a Member of the Federal Election Commission)" United States Senate, December 9, 2020
  8. Web site: Week of December 14-18, 2020 . 2020-12-19 . FEC.gov . en.
  9. Shana Broussard, Sean Cooksey, Allen Dickerson sworn in as Commissioners . December 18, 2020 . Federal Election Commission . Washington, D.C. . December 18, 2020.
  10. Shana M. Broussard elected Chair, Allen Dickerson elected Vice Chair for 2021 . December 22, 2020 . . Washington, D.C. . June 3, 2021.
  11. https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/05/06/fec-trump-stormy-daniels-cohen/ Democrats on FEC blast decision to drop probe into Trump hush-money payment to Stormy Daniels: ‘Defies reality’
  12. https://thehill.com/policy/technology/4103576-how-an-fec-deadlock-is-deterring-a-push-to-regulate-ai-in-campaigns/ How an FEC deadlock is deterring a push to regulate AI in campaigns