The (Election) Sheriff Has Left Town

In his famous 2004 speech to the Democratic National Convention, Barack Obama decried the "politics of anything goes." But, as he seeks the presidency, that's exactly what he and other White House hopefuls may have to deal with, since the Federal Election Commission, charged with monitoring the presidential race, has effectively shut down.

Thanks to a standoff between President Bush and the Democratic Congress, the FEC is unable to form a quorum, and thus unable to conduct any official business. Four of the six spots on the commission are vacant – two short of the number required to do anything substantial.

In a press release announcing a Jan. 24 meeting, the commission says its rules "have been modified to permit meetings when the Commission has fewer than four Members, in order to discuss any matter normally considered in open session while taking action only on certain administrative matters including, for example, public information and outreach."

That leaves nearly all of the commission's other duties off the table, including enforcement of the country's election laws – meaning actions by any campaigns in violation of FEC regulations would go unpunished until the stalemate ends. According to the Washington Post, the body has been reduced to merely giving advice, which isn't necessarily legally binding.