March To The Majority - Alleged Violation of RCW 42.17A.205, .235, .430 for failure to register as a political committee and report contributions or expenditures associated with political activity. (SEP 2017)

Case

#25498

Respondent

Mitch Short

Complainant

Walter Smith

Description

A complaint was filed against March to the Majority (MTM), alleging MTM may have violated RCW 42.17A.205 by failing to timely register as a political committee,and  RCW 42.17A.235 and .240 by failing to timely file Monetary Contributions reports (C-3 reports), and Summary Full Campaign Contribution and Expenditure reports (C-4 reports) disclosing contribution and expenditure activities.

Mr. Short stated that MTM was a one-time joint fundraising committee established for the 2016 election and involved eight incumbent State Representatives who were all candidates seeking re-election from Legislative Districts 4, 7, 9 and 13.  The eight legislative candidates included State Representatives Thomas Dent, Mary Dye, Joel Kretz, Mathew Manweller, Robert McCaslin, Joseph Schmick, Matt Shea and Shelly Short all eight candidates participated in the joint fundraiser event.

Mr. Short stated an accountant opened a bank account as required by the PDC, made “an estimated guess” concerning the total costs of the conducting the joint fundraiser, and requested each of the eight candidates benefitting from the event to share the costs.  He estimated the event costs would total $4,000 so each candidate wrote a check for $500, which was deposited $4,000 into the MTM bank account. 

Mr. Short stated the joint fundraising event raised a total of $11,400, that the event qualified as a “low-cost fundraiser” since the cost to attend was $25 per person, and ended up costing $5,000.  The net proceeds totaled $10,400 which was divided equally between the 8 candidates.  MTM wrote a $1,300 check to each of the eight legislative candidates.  Seven of the eight candidates that participated in the event disclosed receiving a $1,3000 contribution that was attributed to MTM, rather than disclosing "Proceeds from a low cost fundraiser."  The Committee to Elect Mary Dye properly disclosed the $1,3000 received from the event as “Proceeds from a low-cost fundraiser” received on August 1, 2016.

Based on these findings, no evidence was provided or found indicating that March to the Majority met the definition of a political committee and does not warrant further investigation, and the PDC dismissed the allegations..  

Disposition

Case Closed with Reminder

Date Opened

September 29, 2017

Areas of Law

RCW 42.17A.205, RCW 42.17A.235, RCW 42.17A.430

Documents

• March to the Majority PAC Complaint Return Ltr (Smith) PDC Case 25498.pdf
• 25498 March To The Majority Response.pdf
• 25498 March To the Majority Complaint With Addendums.pdf
• 25498 March To The Majority Complaint Supplement.pdf