Molly Marshall: Alleged Violations of RCW 42.17A.235, .240 & .405 for failure to timely & accurately disclose debts, pledges, contributions & expenditures on reports; & for over limit contributions (EY24 Oct 24)

Case

#161348

Respondent

Molly Marshall

Complainant

John Estey

Description

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

• Molly Marshall filed a Candidate Registration (C-1) with the PDC on February 9, 2024, under the Full Reporting option.  Ms. Marshall filed a Declaration with the Washington State Secretary of State’s Office on May 6, 2024.  Geoff Bracken is the campaign Ministerial Treasurer.
• Ms. Marshall participated in the 2024 Primary Election and proceeded to the General Election where she lost. 
• 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, including candidates running for a county office. 
• Ms. Marshall previously received a Warning, for PDC case #155727, that addressed accepting an in-kind contribution in excess of Primary Election contribution limits for services used in the Primary Election.  The Marshall Campaign paid for the services to reduce the aggregate contribution total to Hamilton Studios LLC and amended required reports. 
• In this instance, staff found the campaign to be in substantial compliance of reporting requirements. 
• 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 Mashall 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

• 161348 Marshall_Molly Complaint Return Letter (combined).pdf
• 161348 Molly Marshall Complaint.pdf
• 161348 Marshall_Molly Response.pdf