Senate Campaign Committee of Late Senator Frank Lautenberg Terminates After 13 Years

<figure><img alt="Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) about a month before his death in 2010." src="https://thedailybeast-thedailybeast-prod.web.arc-cdn.net/resizer/v2/65C5SPVT35BNBLCMIJ23U4MN64.jpg?auth=d8f79cae9e53aec0f3da4f6123d8d734ec420ca7d8c3a1f3949c559a5a29d512&amp;smart=true&amp;width=2996&amp;height=1686" /><figcaption>Mark Wilson / Getty Images</figcaption></figure><p>The campaign committee for the late Senator Frank Lautenberg, who passed away 13 years ago, has officially filed for termination as of October 6, 2026. The committee, known as Lautenberg for Senate, submitted paperwork to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) indicating a distribution of approximately $87,000 in remaining funds.</p><p>The FEC has not yet confirmed the acceptance of this termination. Typically, leftover funds from federal political campaigns are allocated for closure expenses, including staff payments, logistical costs, and legal services. Any remaining funds can subsequently be donated to charities or transferred to the U.S. Treasury's general fund.</p><p>In this case, around $58,000 of the leftover funds was directed to the Lautenberg Foundation, a private, tax-exempt nonprofit organization that provides grants to various nonprofits, including the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Planned Parenthood, and the Anti-Defamation League, as reported by the IRS.</p><p>The Lautenberg for Senate committee noted in its memo to the FEC that the foundation qualifies as a charitable organization and that no family members receive compensation from it. The remaining estimated $29,000 was used for legal and consulting fees.</p><p>The Daily Beast attempted to contact Peter D. Nichols, the committee's final treasurer, and the FEC for further comments.</p><p>At the time of his death, Lautenberg was the oldest serving member of the U.S. Senate and the last World War II veteran in the chamber. He passed away in 2013 at the age of 89 after battling stomach cancer and subsequently contracting viral pneumonia.</p><p>Despite his passing, the campaign committee continued operations until recently, with the final activities reportedly beginning in April 2026. This included addressing Lautenberg's personal loan of $1.09 million to his campaign, which had not been repaid.</p><p>Other political campaigns have faced scrutiny regarding leftover donations. For instance, the campaign committee of former House Speaker Tom Foley remains active and continues to earn investment income from companies like Microsoft and Meta, despite his death over a decade ago. An investigation by NOTUS revealed that Rep. Sylvester Turner's committee used funds for funeral-related expenses, while Rep. Alcee Hastings' committee paid over $29,000 to his stepdaughter and widow after his death. However, the investigation did not find any ruling from the FEC deeming these actions unlawful.</p>