Harris, Tanisha (2): Alleged violations of Chapter 42.17A RCW for accepting over-limit contributions and failure to accurately report contributions and expenditures (EY 16; Dec 18)

Case

#43859

Respondent

Tanisha Harris

Complainant

Cheryl Aichele

Description

The Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) has completed its review of the complaints filed on December 7 and December 12, 2018. Your complaints alleged that Tanisha Harris, candidate for State Representative in 17th Legislative District in the 2016 and 2018 elections, and a candidate for Clark County Council in the 2016 election, may have violated: (1) RCW 42.17A.405 by accepting over-limits contributions for her two 2016 election campaigns, and the 2018 election campaign; (2) RCW 42.17A.240 by failing to accurately report aggregate totals for monetary and in-kind donations and by failing to report receipt of in-kind contributions on Monetary Contribution reports (C-3 reports) and Summary Full Campaign Contribution and Expenditure reports (C-4 reports); and (3) RCW 42.17A.240 and WAC 390-16-034 by failing to disclose the required occupation and employer information for individuals contributing more than $100 in the aggregate.

PDC staff reviewed the allegations; the applicable statutes, rules, and reporting requirements; the response provided by Marsha Manning, Treasurer for the three Elect Tanisha Harris campaigns referenced in the complaints; the applicable C-3 and C-4 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.

Based on these findings staff has determined that, in this instance, failure to accurately disclose aggregate totals for individual contributors to the 2016 State Representative and 2016 County Council campaigns and failure to accurately disclose the occupation for one donor after their aggregate total exceeded $100 for the 2018 State Representative campaign, does not amount to an actual violation warranting further investigation.

PDC staff reminded Tanisha Harris about the importance of the timely and accurate disclosure of all contribution and expenditure activities, including individual donor information and aggregate totals of all future PDC reports in accordance with the statutes and rules.

Disposition

Case Closed with Reminder

Date Opened

December 11, 2018

Areas of Law

RCW 42.17A.240, RCW 42.17A.405, WAC 390-16-034