Earlier in the week Roll Call (subscription required) reported that the Federal Elections Commissioned (FEC) was likely to fine some 527 groups involved in the 2004 campaign. Yesterday, the FEC fined three 527 groups, Swift Boat Veterans, the League of Conservation Voters and MoveOn.org’s Voter Fund, after determining that the organizations violated requirements to register as political committees. The groups registered with the IRS as 527s which bars them from express advocacy, but the FEC determined that their large donor funds set involvement in campaign activity as their major function. As covered in the New York Times; "The agency found that some of the groups’ activities crossed the line by soliciting donations and then spending the money with the express purpose of electing or defeating particular federal candidates." The Washington Post and USA Today also reported on this story. Perhaps to prevent further confusion, the FEC could make clear rules on the regulation of 527s. Blogs of differing campaign finance angles respond; Center for Competitive Politics a group critical of campaign finance regulation and the reform group Campaign Legal Center.