UNITE HERE TIP State and Local Fund Sponsored by UNITE HERE International Union: Alleged violation of RCW 42.17A.235 and .240 for failure to timely report contributions and expenditures (EY24 NOV24)

Case

#164571

Respondent

UNITE HERE TIP State and Local Fund

Complainant

Conner Edwards

Description

The complaint alleged violations of RCW 42.17A.235 and .240 for failure to timely report contributions and expenditures and alleged UNITE HERE TIP State and Local Fund Sponsored by UNITE HERE International Union (UNITE HERE) participated in the 2024 election by making expenditures supporting candidates and/or committees.

In response to the complaint, Susan B. Gershon, legal counsel for UNITE HERE, stated UNITE HERE is a committee based in New York state and made only one expenditure in Washington state in 2024, a $6,000 contribution to the Washington State Democratic Party.

UNITE HERE staff have stated they will be terminating the Washington PAC and report as an out-of-state committee moving forward and explained that it had no activity in Washington state “between December 1, 2021 and September 30, 2024,” and Gershon stated that “the difference between the two aris[es] out of contributions and expenditures outside of Washington State that were not reported because the Committee was not subject to Washington State reporting obligation during the period . . . .”

Pursuant to WAC 390-37-060(1)(d), this letter constitutes a formal written warning concerning the failure to disclose all contribution and expenditures. PDC staff expects UNITE HERE to report all contributions and expenditures in the future if filing as a Washington state PAC. The Commission will consider this formal written warning in deciding on further Commission action if there are future violations of PDC laws or rules. Based on this information, the PDC has dismissed this matter in accordance with RCW 42.17A.755(1).

Disposition

Case Closed with Written Warning

Date Opened

January 03, 2025

Areas of Law

RCW 42.17A.235, RCW 42.17A.240