The Walla Walla Firefighters PAC is not a major political donor, but they do give money to chosen politicians. Every now and then they would send a $500 check to Governor Inslee or someone similar. However, their anemic political activity was more than compensated by their failure to comply with the Campaign Finance Public Disclosure Laws. Fortunately for political transparency, more honest and accurate compliance and even legal reporting is now more likely in the future after this author filed a helpful complaint with the Public Disclosure Commission filed August 12th last year (linked here).
That complaint led to a lawsuit (linked here) against the Walla Walla FirePAC (True full complete name is “Walla Walla Fire PAC International Association of Firefighters Local 404.” The primary violations of this political committee were as follows:
- Repeated failure to timely report about $4,400 of contributions, and therefore depriving the public from knowing exactly who was funding this political committee
- Failure to report expenditures in a timely manner including campaign contributions to Governor Inslee and two other politicians totaling at least $1100
- Failure to correctly identify all officers of the political committee, and therefore denying the public the ability to know who controlled and made decisions on where these political funds were distributed and how they were spent.
It is not worth litigating when the facts are so clear. Which is why this case was settled earlier this week for a total fine of $6,000, of which $5,000 is suspended for four years. The suspension is based on the ability of this political committee to follow the law during that time. The remaining $1000 is payable to the State of Washington to be squandered with the rest of the state’s general fund. The Firefighters PAC also paid the legal fees and costs of $5,237.50. The total settlement was for $11,237.50 (linked here).
Compared to other recent settlements, this is not a large one. It is average. Kudos should be given to the leadership of the Walla Walla Firefighters PAC, however, for making far wiser financial and legal choices than the various Democratic Party political committees who have attempted to dissolve rather than comply with the law. It isn’t fun to get caught breaking Washington State’s campaign finance laws, but it is better to settle the case like this than to dig a deeper hole with the illegal dissolution and fraudulent conveyance scheme concocted by the Washington State Democratic Party.
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OUR CONSTITUTION BEGINS WITH THE PHRASE “WE THE PEOPLE.” IT WAS THE FOUNDER’S INTENT THAT GOVERNMENT BE CREATED BY THE PEOPLE, TO SERVE THE PEOPLE. IT WASN’T THEIR INTENTION FOR THE PEOPLE TO SERVE THE GOVERNMENT. IT WAS ALWAYS INTENDED THAT GOVERNMENT WHICH FAILED TO SERVE THE PEOPLE SHOULD BE “ALTERED OR ABOLISHED.” UNTIL WE RETURN TO THE FOUNDER’S INTENT, WE REMAIN WE THE GOVERNED…
Additional Background articles and documents:
Tukwila Firefighters PAC settles campaign finance lawsuit for $23k, promises to do better
Washington AG forced to sue labor group keeps $36k settlement very quiet
Democratic Party attacks campaign transparency in Washington
Superior Court Judge Stoz fined $13k for failed “stealth’ election campaign
Attorney General’s updated list of Campaign Finance Settlements
Washington State Democrats find hope in AG’s $38,520 fine against the Pierce County Democrats
