WA Forward (The Leadership Council)

The complaints alleged The Leadership Council and WA Forward (The Leadership Council), two continuing political committees registered with the PDC, violated RCW 42.17A.405 by making over-limit contributions from affiliated entities to five 2020 legislative candidates, which exceeded the $2,000 contribution limit. 

On November 12, 2020, the PDC received a completed Statements of Understanding (SOU) for both The Leadership Council and WA Forward (the Leadership Council), acknowledging violations of RCW 42.17A.405 by making over-limit contributions to five candidates for the Washington State Legislature in 2020 from two affiliated entities. The Leadership Council and WA Forward (the Leadership Council) each paid a $750 civil penalty in accordance with WAC 390-37-143 (Brief Enforcement Penalty Schedule), which resolves the issues of making over-limit contributions from affiliated entities to five 2020 Legislative candidates. 

PDC staff found no evidence of material violations requiring additional enforcement action in this matter, especially since the affiliated contributions made by WA Forward (The Leadership Council) to the five 2020 candidates were mitigated by the fact the candidates timely refunded the over-limit contributions and none of the candidates appeared to have spent any of the over-limit contributions. 

Based on this information, the PDC has dismissed these two cases against the Leadership Council (PDC Case 74277) and WA Forward - The Leadership Council (PDC Case 74270), in accordance with RCW 42.17A.755(1).