For essentially the first since now-lame duck Donald Trump became president, the Federal Election Committee will have its full slate of commissioners, Roll Call reports.  But there’s a major catch to the appointments.

The Senate approved three appointments to the Commission, joining the three already seated.  The FEC had just three commissioners until May 2020, when Trump appointed Republicans James Trainor.

Due to its bylaws, the FEC needs a quorum of four to carry out business.  The first time the FEC has had more than three commissions was May 2020.  The Commission has met, virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic, just once since then.

The FEC, by design is supposed to be a non-partisan regulatory commission, made up of three designees by Republicans and three by Democrats.

Trump has nominated four members of the commission:  Trainor and the newly-seated Sean Cooksey and Allen Dickinson.  Also, Trump nominated Democrat Shana Broussard.

The two other members of the Commission are Democrat Ellen Weintraub and Independent Steven Walther, who was nominated by Democrats.  Both were appointed during the George W. Bush Administration and are serving past the time of their terms.

And there’s the catch.  If Weintraub and/or Walther resign their seats because their terms have expired, Republicans would hold the majority of seats on the FEC.

The Commission, with a Republican majority, could now meet–something it couldn’t do without four commissions seated during the Trump Administration–and choose only to investigate issues involving Democrats, while a Republican-led Senate chooses not to approve a Democrat (or Democrats) for open seats.

The role of the FEC is to ensure candidates adhere to federal campaign finance law as well as adjudicate any potential violations.