Voters Want More Choices - Alleged Violation of RCW 42.17A.205, .320
Case
#13078
Respondent
Tim Eyman
Complainant
Shawn Roland
Description
A complaint was filed against the 2017 Voters Want More Choices (Committee), a continuing committee that supports statewide ballot propositions, alleging violations of: (1) RCW 42.17A.205 by failing to timely file a Committee Registration (C-1 report) registering the Committee for the 2017 election; (2) RCW 42.17A.235 and .240 by failing to timely file Monetary Contributions reports (C-3 reports) and Campaign Summary Contribution and Expenditure Reports (C-4 reports) disclosing contribution and expenditure activities undertaken by the Committee; and (3) RCW 42.17A.320 by failing to include the complete sponsor identification on political advertising sponsored by the Committee, including email Committee kickoff notifications.
The Committee’s initial C-3 and C-4 reports were required to have been filed on January 10, 2017, since the 2016 final cash on hand balance in funds were carried forward into the 2017 Committee’s totals on December 31, 2016. However, PDC staff does not believe that merely carrying forward committee funds from a prior year, absent any additional expenditures, debts or obligations being incurred, constitutes late filings that are actual violations.
The Committee was required to have filed its C-1pc report on January 25, 2017, based on the $100 expenditure made to Runtime, on January 11, 2017, and the C-1pc report was filed 14 days late. Finally, the email political advertisement kicking off the Campaign for I-1550 was identified as being from Tim Eyman and Voters Want More Choices, although it failed to include the words “Paid for” or “Sponsored by” in the communication as part of the required sponsor identification.
PDC staff is reminding Voters Want More Choices PAC about the importance of timely registering as a political committee and filing the C-3 and C-4 required reports in the future disclosing contribution and expenditure activities undertaken by the Committee, including the carry forward balance from the previous year and listing the complete sponsor identification on all future political advertisements as required by PDC laws and rules.
Based on this information, the PDC has dismissed the complaint in accordance with RCW 42.17A.755(1).
Disposition
Case Closed with Reminder
Date Opened
February 02, 2017
Areas of Law
RCW 42.17A.205
Documents
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