Citizens for Liberty and Labor: Alleged violations of RCW 42.17A.235, .240 & .405 for failure to timely & accurately disclose contributions & expenditures on reports; & for over-limit contributions (EY24 Oct 24)

Case

#161352

Respondent

Citizens for Liberty and Labor

Complainant

John Estey

Description

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

Citizens for Liberty and Labor filed a Political Committee Registration (C-1pc) with the PDC on March 25, 2019, amended October 23, 2024, for the Full Reporting option as a Continuing Committee.  Geoff Bracken is the Ministerial Treasurer. 

The Respondent participated in the 2024 election.  

Per RCW 42.17A.235 and .240, under the Full Reporting option, a committee is required to disclose contribution and expenditure information by submitting Receipts and Expenditure Summary (C-4) reports and Cash Receipts, Monetary Contributions (C-3) reports to the PDC.  The Committee’s due dates for the C-3 and C-4 reports are determined by its activity and participation in the election cycle.  

RCW 42.17A.405 describes the limits on monetary and in-kind contributions to candidate committees.  

In your complaint you allege:  

The Molly Marshall Campaign and Citizens for Liberty and Labor are in violation of RCW 42.17A.005(15)(a)(iii) and 42.17A.005(30) because Hamilton Studios, an authorized agent of the Molly Marshall Campaign (having produced political advertising for the campaign) also produced ads for Citizens for Liberty and Labor, a committee running independent expenditures in support of Molly Marshall and against her opponent, Al French.    

We have determined there is no evidence that Hamilton Studios, a vendor utilized by both the Molly Marshall campaign and Citizens for Liberty and Labor, acted as an authorized agent, as defined in WAC 390-15-190, for either entity. 

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), and WAC 390-37-060(1)(a).

Disposition

Case Closed with No Evidence of Violations

Date Opened

October 29, 2024

Areas of Law

RCW 42.17A.235, RCW 42.17A.240, RCW 42.17A.405

Documents

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