Initiative backers hit with $20,000 fine by WA campaign finance watchdog

Let’s Go Washington was fined $20,000 on Wednesday for failing to report spending by companies hired to gather signatures for its six statewide initiatives and for slow-walking delivery of documents to investigators.

The state Public Disclosure Commission assessed the civil penalty in a written ruling issued one week after a lengthy hearing and nearly 15 months after initiative opponents first filed their complaint against the political committee founded by hedge fund millionaire Brian Heywood. Three of the group’s initiatives will be before voters on the November ballot.

Commissioners concluded the political committee violated state campaign finance laws by not obtaining and disclosing information on payments to sub-vendors used by signature-gathering firms. They also found Let’s Go Washington did not hand over financial records in a timely fashion as it took a July subpoena before it produced 9,000 pages of materials.

The commission imposed a civil penalty of $10,000 for each violation. It suspended half the sum as long as $10,000 is paid in 30 days and Let’s Go Washington “uses due diligence to determine if subvendors were used by its contracted vendors.” The group must inform the Public Disclosure Commission in writing if no sub-vendors were used.

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2024/10/09/initiative-backers-hit-with-20000-fine-by-wa-campaign-finance-watchdog/