The Federal Election Commission is concerned that “Deez Nuts” may not be the real name of a candidate for federal office. The FEC on Wednesday sent a letter to the election prankster asking him or her to clarify whether the information in its filings with the commission accurately conveys the names of those involved with its declared presidential campaign committee and the candidate it supposedly supported. “It has come to the attention of the Federal Election Commission that you may have failed to include the true, correct, or complete committee name, candidate name, custodian of records information, treasurer information, and bank information,” the commission wrote. It even raised the specter of criminal penalties. “Knowingly and willfully making any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or representation to a federal government agency, including the Federal Election Commission, is punishable” under federal law, the FEC advised. Deez Nuts is not in fact a real person, but one of hundreds of farcical “candidates” for president that filed official paperwork with the FEC during the 2016 election cycle. The commission has pledged to crack down on Deez Nuts and other fake federal candidates such as Bippy the Clown and Sir Cookie Zealot.
—Lachlan Markay