In the grim and interminable march toward Election Day 2016, some practical jokers have sought to provide a moment of levity by filing fake presidential candidates with the Federal Election Committee (FEC). In fact, as of this past October, some 1,200 people and animals were officially in the running — an unprecedented tally — including but certainly not limited to Deez Nuts, Butt Stuff, Tyrion Lannister, and even one Joe Biden of Trap Queen Avenue.
No more. In a press release Thursday, the FEC announced it will no longer tolerate such tomfoolery:
The Commission has authorized staff to send verification letters to filers listing fictional characters, obscene language, sexual references, celebrities (where there is no indication that the named celebrity submitted the filing), animals, or similarly implausible entries as the name or contact information of the candidate or committee. [FEC]
The letters will warn filers like Emilee McCubbins, owner of Limberbutt the Democat of Kentucky ("Meow is the time"), that they risk legal consequences if they do not withdraw their fake candidates, and that candidates whose authenticity is not verified within a certain time will be removed from the FEC's searchable public database. That's a tough blow to Limberbutt, who may well be the only candidate to endorse gay cat marriage so far.
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