Commission meeting highlights: August 2026
The Public Disclosure Commission began its regular meeting Aug. 27 by welcoming its newest commissioner – Lisa Kremer.
Kremer was a reporter with The News Tribune of Tacoma for more than a decade before graduating from the University of Washington School of Law in 2008. She currently practices at Vandenberg Johnson Gandara PS in Tacoma, focusing on estate planning, probate, trusts and intellectual property.
Her term will last through December 2028.
Commission approves change to complaint publication case resolution process
The Commission approved a rule change regarding the complaint publication case resolution process after conducting a public hearing.
Under the complaint publication process, outlined in WAC 390-32-030, the agency may resolve minor cases by publishing the complaint and any response. The Commission agreed to amend the rules to allow the agency to publish the cases resolved in this way to its website, rather than to email them directly to news media as the rules previously required.
PDC staff reported that the agency resolves a few cases per month using the complaint publication process.
Staff reported to the Commission that it is not the agency’s current practice to alert media about most other case resolutions, and expressed a concern that regular emails of the agency’s most minor cases might give media a lopsided view of the PDC’s enforcement actions. They also noted that media are generally familiar with the PDC’s online case information, and that the PDC conducts trainings and information sessions with media and the public to further spread awareness on that topic.
The change will become effective after the November general election. See the amended rules here.
Three repeat violators fined for missing campaign registrations, financial affairs statements
The PDC found violations and issued fines totaling $13,000 against three candidates or officials who failed to file campaign registrations (C-1), personal financial affairs statements (F-1), or both.
LaWonda Smith-Marshall, a member of the Washington State Commission on Judicial Conduct, was found in violation for failing to file an F-1 for calendar year 2025, which was due no later than April 15, 2026. Smith-Marshall has one previous violation – for failing to file the F-1 for calendar year 2024, due in April 2025.
The Commission agreed to a fine of $2,000 with $1,000 suspended, provided Smith-Marshall file the missing reports and pay outstanding fines within 30 days, as well as have no further violations for the next four years.
Ben Callies, a school director for the Mossyrock School Board, was found in violation for failing to file an F-1 report for calendar year 2025. Callies has two prior violations, for failing to file F-1 reports for calendar years 2022 and 2023. The 2023 report was later filed, but the earlier report was not filed.
The Commission agreed to a fine of $5,000 with $2,500 suspended, provided Callies file the missing reports and pay outstanding fines within 30 days, as well as have no further violations for the next four years.
Christal Olivia Irwin, a candidate for District Court Judge for Stevens County, was found in violation for failing to file both an F-1 and C-1 report within two weeks of becoming a candidate, or no later than May 22, 2026. As of the August 27 meeting, Irwin had only filed incomplete reports, despite attempts from staff to help her come into compliance.
Irwin has two prior violations, for failing to file an F-1 for election year 2023, and both C-1 and F-1 reports for election year 2024.
Irwin was fined $3,000 per missing report, with half suspended on the condition that she file the missing reports and pay outstanding fines within 30 days, as well as have no further violations for the next four years.
PDC denies citizen request for rulemaking on sponsor identification
The Commission considered and denied a petition for rulemaking submitted by Joe Kunzler asking that sponsor identification be included on individual social media posts. However, the Commission directed staff to review the rules for any necessary updates.
State law requires that political advertising in Washington include identification of the sponsor, or purchaser, of that advertisement.
Staff advised that individual social media posts fall under conditions in which PDC rules allow for alternate methods of identifying sponsors, such as providing a link on small online advertisements or text message to a webpage with full sponsor ID. This method must require only “one click” to get to sponsor ID. The social media page itself should have sponsor ID, such as through a pinned post or in the page’s description or bio section.
PDC General Counsel Sean Flynn noted that the Commission could consider whether existing rules should be updated, or additional guidance issued, as an alternative to beginning the rulemaking process as requested by the petition.
Commissioner Matt Segal said that given the rapid changes and growth in online advertising, it would be appropriate for the agency to review its rules.
Commission briefed on potential 2027 legislative action
For the 2026 legislative session, the PDC proposed changes to due dates and requirements for pre-election expenditure (C-4) reports, which was intended to both simplify reporting schedules for filers and improve transparency for the public.
The bill went through some amendments and passed out of the Senate, but ultimately did not pass into law. The PDC is considering requesting a bill on this subject again for the 2027 legislative session.
Bills are typically introduced in December, in advance of the legislative session’s start date in early January.
Enforcement update
As of July 31, 2026, the PDC had a total of 209 open cases, including 67 cases in the assessment of facts stage, and 108 under formal investigation. One case was pending deferred enforcement and two were scheduled for a hearing or briefing to the Commission. The remaining 31 cases were closed in August.
During the month of July, 56 cases were resolved, including three violations found by the Commission, one statement of understanding, 19 written warnings, 13 reminders, 12 technical corrections, three cases resolved through the complaint publication process, and two closed with no evidence of a violation.
Staff resolved an additional 22 cases through the group enforcement process in which PDC staff initiate cases for failures to file certain reports. That left 121 GE complaints open, mostly involving annual personal financial affairs statements (F-1) and lobbyist employer annual reports (L-3).