Snaza, Robert: Alleged Violation of RCW 42.17A.700 for failure to file Personal Financial Affairs Statement (F-1 report) for CY23

Case

#153130

Respondent

Robert Snaza

Complainant

Brittany Miller

Description

PDC staff reviewed the allegation(s); the applicable statutes, rules, and reporting requirements; the response(s) provided by the Respondent; the applicable PDC reports filed by the Respondent; and other relevant information, to determine whether the record supports a finding of one or more violations.

Based on staff’s review, we found the following:

  • Robert Snaza is presently the elected Sheriff of Lewis County.
  • RCW 42.17A.700, states, in part, that after January 1st and before April 15th of each year, every elected official and every executive state officer who served for any portion of the preceding year shall electronically file with the commission a statement of financial affairs for the preceding calendar year or for that portion of the year served. Any official or officer in office for any period in a calendar year, but not in office as of January 1st of the following year, may electronically file either within sixty days of leaving office or during the January 1st through April 15th reporting period of that following year.  Such filing must include information for the portion of the current calendar year for which the official or officer was in office.
  • As an elected official, Robert Snaza’s F-1 for CY 2023 was due by April 15, 2024.
  • PDC staff’s review found the following:
  • On February 16, 2024, an end date of December 31, 2022, for elected office, was entered into Robert Snaza’s PDC record.  We cannot definitively say who entered this date, but we do know that it was entered by someone using the campaign’s credentials.
  • This end date caused reminder notices for filing the F-1, normally sent by the PDC, to not be emailed to Mr. Snaza.  Reminder notices are a courtesy of the PDC and not required by statute.  Due to the circumstances, we consider having not received reminder notices a mitigating factor in this instance.
  • The end date would have also affected Mr. Snaza’s ability to timely file the F-1 for calendar year 2023.  Upon questioning, Mr. Snaza said that he “initially attempted on Sunday April 28th, four separate times receiving an error code.”
  • PDC staff became aware of the error in the record and amended the record on May 2, 2024, removing the term date for elected office.
  • Mr. Snaza successfully filed a CY2023 F-1 on May 4, 2024.  The PDC in this instance considers it a mitigating factor that the F-1 reporting module was inaccessible by Mr. Snaza; however, in that his first attempt to file the required F-1 was after the April 15, 2024, deadline, we do consider the report filed late.
  • Mr. Snaza does not have other similar warnings or violations of PDC requirements.

Based on our findings staff has determined that, in this instance, failure to timely file the annual F-1 report for calendar year 2023 does not amount to a finding of a violation that calls for further investigation.

Per WAC 390-37-060(1)(d), however, Robert Snaza will receive a formal written warning concerning the requirement under RCW 42.17A.700 for failing to file a calendar year 2023 Personal Financial Affairs Statement (F-1) on time.  Staff expects Mr. Snaza, moving forward, to follow all laws, rules and PDC guidance about the timely filing of an F-1.  If violations of PDC laws or rules occur in the future, the Commission will consider this formal written warning in deciding on further Commission action.

Based on this information, the PDC finds that no further action necessary and has dismissed this matter per RCW 42.17A.755(1).

Disposition

Case Closed with Written Warning

Date Opened

May 02, 2024

Areas of Law

RCW 42.17A.700

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