Yates, Maggie: Alleged Violations of RCW 42.17A.235 & .240 for failure to timely & accurately disclose contributor employer/occupation information on C-3 reports (EY22, Oct22)

Case

#113087

Respondent

Maggie Yates

Complainant

Glen Morgan

Description

The Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) has completed its review of the complaint filed on October 6, 2022. The complaint alleged that Maggie Yates, a 2022 candidate for Spokane County Commissioner, District 5 may have violated RCW 42.17A.235 & .240 for failure to timely and accurately file Monetary Contribution reports (C-3 reports) that included the required employer and occupation information for a donor giving more the $100 in the aggregate.

PDC staff reviewed the allegations; the applicable statutes, rules, and reporting requirements; the response provided by the Respondent; the applicable PDC reports filed by the Respondent; queried the Respondent’s data in the PDC contribution and expenditure database; and other relevant information, to determine whether the record supports a finding of one or more violations.

It appears that the C-3 and C-4 reports submitted by the 2022 Yates Campaign were originally filed disclosing accurate information about both the employment and the committee’s understanding of a reportable in-kind contribution from Ministerial Treasurer Brian McClatchey. PDC staff found no evidence that the update to Mr. McClatchey’s employment on campaign reports was done to purposely withhold this information from the general public.

Based on our findings staff has determined that, in this instance, submitting an amended C-4 report that erroneously updated a donor’s employer and occupation information to “unemployed” when the donor was employed at the time of the original submittal does not amount to a finding of a violation that warrants further investigation.

PDC staff is reminding Maggie Yates about the importance of the accurate and timely disclosure of all contribution and expenditure activities, specifically the additional required information for donors giving more than $100 in the aggregate, and the accurate and timely filings of all future PDC reports in accordance with the statutes and rules.

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).

Disposition

Case Closed with Reminder

Date Opened

October 12, 2022

Areas of Law

RCW 42.17A.235, RCW 42.17A.240

Documents

• 113087 Yates Maggie Complaint.pdf
• 113087 Yates Maggie Response.pdf
• 113087 Yates Maggie Reminder - Respondent.pdf