Mass Transit Now - Alleged violation of Chapter 42.17A RCW for failure to accurately and timely file committee registration information and reports of contributions, debts, and expenditures (April 2017).

Case

#17106

Respondent

Mass Transit Now

Complainant

Glen Morgan

Description

The Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) has completed its review of the complaint Glen Morgan filed on April 27, 2017. The complaint alleged that Mass Transit Now (Respondent), a political committee registered in support of King County’s 2016 Proposition 1 for a regional transportation improvement district, may have violated RCW 42.17A.205 and .235 for failure to register and report contributions and expenditures as a political committee within two weeks of purchasing a domain name, disclosing all committee officers; RCW 42.17A.235 and .240 for failure to timely, accurately, and completely file Monetary Contribution reports (C-3 reports) and Summary Full Campaign Contribution and Expenditure reports (C-4 reports), disclosing contributions and expenditures undertaken by the campaign; RCW 42.17A.240 and WAC 390-16-034 for failure to accurately and completely disclose a contributor’s employer and occupation; RCW 42.17A.240 for failure to accurately and completely disclose debts and obligations; RCW 42.17A.240, WAC 390-16-037, and WAC 390-16-205 for failure to completely and accurately disclose expenditure details; RCW 42.17A.425 for allowing persons not designated as committee officers on the Committee Registration to authorize expenditures of committee funds; and RCW 42.17A.445 and WAC 390-16-238 for reimbursing travel expenses without proper documentation.

PDC staff reviewed the allegations; the applicable statutes, rules, and reporting requirements; the responses provided by the Respondent; the applicable PDC reports filed by the Respondent; archived images of websites; and queried the Respondent’s data in the PDC contribution and expenditure database, to determine whether the record supports a finding of one or more violations.

Based on our findings staff has determined that, in this instance, failure to timely register and report as a political committee, and to accurately and completely disclose expenditure and in-kind contribution details, do not amount to violations that warrant further investigation.

Pursuant to WAC 390-37-060(1)(d), however, Mass Transit Now will receive a formal written warning concerning their failure to register and report as a political committee within two weeks of the expectation of contributions, and to accurately and completely disclose expenditure and in-kind contribution details. The formal written warning will include staff’s expectation that Mass Transit Now and its members will timely, completely, and accurately adhere to their reporting requirements should they form a committee in the future. The Commission will consider the formal written warning in deciding on further Commission action if there are future violations of PDC laws or rules.

Based on this information, the PDC finds that no further action is warranted and has dismissed this matter in accordance with RCW 42.17A.755(1).

Disposition

Case Closed with Written Warning

Date Opened

April 24, 2017

Areas of Law

RCW 42.17A.205, RCW 42.17A.235, RCW 42.17A.240, RCW 42.17A.425, RCW 42.17A.445

Documents

• 17106 Mass Transit Now Warning Letter.pdf
• MassTransitNowComplaint-WithAttachments.pdf
• 17106 MassTransitNow Response - Redacted 5.28.19.pdf