Pierce County Republican Party Committee - Non Exempt: Alleged Violation of RCW 42.17A.260 for failure to correctly report political advertising expenditures. (APR 2018) | Washington State Public Disclosure Commission (PDC)

Case

#34944

Respondent

Henry Patrick

Complainant

Mary Brown

Description

The Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) has completed its review of the complaint filed on April 20, 2018. Your complaint alleged that the Pierce County Republican Party Committee, a bona fide county party committee, may have violated RCW 42.17A.260 for failure to accurately disclose funds spent for political advertising in opposition to a school bond measure placed on the April 24, 2018 special election ballot in Pierce County.

PDC staff reviewed the allegations; the applicable statutes, rules, and reporting requirements; the response(s) provided by Marty McClendon, Chairman and Patrick Plumb, Treasurer; the applicable PDC reports filed by Respondent; 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.

It appears that the expenditures made by Pierce County Republican Party Committee (PCRP) for the production and distribution of postcards in opposition to the Peninsula School District 41 Bond Prop. 1, were done without communication or collaboration with Responsible Taxation of Citizens (RTC), a ballot committee opposing Prop. 1 and were required to be disclosed only by PCRP on a C-6 and C-4.

Based on these findings staff has determined that, in this instance, no evidence supports a finding of a violation warranting further investigation.

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 No Evidence of Violations

Date Opened

May 02, 2018

Areas of Law

RCW 42.17A.260

Pierce County Republican Party Committee - Non Exempt: Alleged Violation of RCW 42.17A.260 for failure to correctly report political advertising expenditures. (APR 2018)