Attorney Hans A. von Spakovsky served for two years as a Commissioner at the Federal Election Commission (FEC). He was nominated by President George W. Bush and granted a recess appointment in January 2006. Democrats in the Senate blocked the vote. This eventually led von Spakovsky to withdraw his nomination for Senate approval to the FEC. His wide range of experience with election law has gained him expertise on controversial issues such as campaign finance reform, voter fraud, enforcement of federal voting rights laws, election administration, and voting equipment standards. Prior to his appointment to the FEC, von Spakovsky acted as Counsel to the Assistant Secetary General for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). He has published numerous articles and testified before state and Congressional legislative committees. He has also made presentations to organizations such as the National Association of Secretaries of State, the National Association of State Election Directors, and the Federalist Society. Before entering public service, Commissioner von Spakovsky worked for 17 years as a government affairs consultant, in a corporate legal department, and in private practice. He is a 1984 graduate of Vanderbilt University School of Law and received a Bachelors of Science degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1981.