7th District Republicans: Alleged violation of RCW 42.17A.560 for making contributions during session freeze (EY 17; Nov 17).

Case

#27714

Respondent

7th District Republicans

Complainant

Karen Hardy

Description

The complaint alleged that the 7th Legislative District Republican Party (Committee), a bona fide legislative district political party committee registered with the PDC, may have violated RCW 42.17A.560 and its implementing rule, WAC 390-17-400, by making prohibited contributions to legislative candidates during the 2017 Legislative session freeze period.

Staff's review found that the Committee made payments to the Committee to Elect Shelly Short and the Committee to Elect Jacquelin Maycumber (Short Campaign and Maycumber Campaign), to purchase two types of campaign yard signs from each of the Campaigns. The two Campaigns purchased the yard signs during the 2017 Legislative Session Freeze and then sold the signs to the Committee at the fair market value, thus no contribution was made to either of the two candidates.

The prohibitions found in RCW 42.17A.560 concerning soliciting and accepting contributions prior to and during a legislative session freeze period does not apply to a contributor or to a political party organization, such as the Committee. Based on that information, the PDC dismissed the allegations against the 7th Legislative District Republican Party in accordance with RCW 42.17A.755(1).

Disposition

Case Closed with No Evidence of Violations

Date Opened

November 22, 2017

Areas of Law

RCW 42.17A.560