By Catharine Richert, CQ Staff

After months of squabbling over new members for the Federal Election Commission, the Senate confirmed five new officials Tuesday with little fanfare, putting the long-defunct commission back in working order.

The chamber approved by voice vote Republican Matthew S. Petersen, the most recent addition to the group; Republicans Caroline C. Hunter and Donald F. McGahn; and Democrats Cynthia L. Bauerly and Steven T. Walther.

Democrat Ellen Weintraub remains as a holdover on the commission.

That gives the FEC a much-needed quorum to deal with a backlog of work built up during the months it was short five members.

Priorities for the group include new disclosure rules for lobbyists who bundle campaign contributions, requests for matching funds, and certifying public funds for the general election, said FEC spokesman Bob Biersack.

The new commissioners will be able to start as quickly as they are sworn into office.

Controversial Nominee Withdrew

Filling the empty spots has been an uphill battle in the Senate. For months, the chamber was in stalemate over nominee Hans von Spakovsky; Democrats were troubled by his enforcement of civil rights laws while at the Justice Department.

Ultimately, von Spakovsky withdrew his name, saying his bank account had dwindled while waiting for Senate approval.

The White House replaced von Spakovsky with Petersen, chief Republican counsel for the Senate Rules and Administration Committee, which is in charge of approving all FEC nominees.

Majority Leader Harry Reid , D-Nev., contends that the FEC could have been up and running before the Memorial Day break had Republicans not objected to clearing the four committee-approved nominees while waiting for the administration to finish Petersen’s paperwork.

If not for Republican obstructionism, Reid said, “there would have been five FEC commissioners done today.”

Most recently, Reid said he was waiting to bring the package of candidates to the floor until Russ Feingold , D-Wis., had spoken with each nominee.