WASHINGTON — THE Federal Election Commission is failing to enforce the nation’s campaign finance laws. I’m in a position to know. I’m the vice chairwoman of the commission.

At my confirmation hearing last year, I promised to vigorously uphold those laws. I’ve been on the commission only six months, yet I’ve quickly learned how paralyzed the F.E.C. has become and how the courts have turned a blind eye to this paralysis.

The problem stems from three members who vote against pursuing investigations into potentially significant fund-raising and spending violations. In effect, cases are being swept under the rug by the very agency charged with investigating them.

The commission was created after the Watergate scandal to ensure that money given and spent in federal elections is disclosed so voters know who is trying to influence the outcome. This transparency is vital to our democracy, and even more so after the Supreme Court yesterday struck down aggregate limits on political contributions.