Public Disclosure Commission

711 Capital Way, Room 206 | Olympia, Washington 98504

Note: All times shown for consideration of agenda items (other than time of convening) are approximate and may vary, depending on the amount of discussion required for each.

10:30 AM - I. Convene

Presenter - Chair Degginger

II. Reporting Modification - Renewal With No Change

Grant Degginger, Commissioner, Public Disclosure Commission

Presenter - Chip Beatty

III. Declaratory Order

Declaratory Order

Presentation of and possible hearing pn Petition for Declaratory Order regarding Human Life of Washington and Human Life PAC regarding political advertising and party preference requirements.

Presenter - Andrea McNamara Doyle, Linda Dalton

IV. Enforcement

Bill Littlejohn, Case No. 14-013 involving alleged violations of RCW 42.17A.435 by concealing the identity of the true source of seven contributions totaling $7,500, made in cash; and RCW 42.17A.475 by failing to make the seven contributions by a written instrument, for contributions made to Citizens Against Fire District 2 Levy, a political committee registered in opposition to Proposition 1, a fire district levy lid lift ballot proposition on the November 5, 2013 general election ballot.

Presenter - Linda Dalton, Kurt Young

Adjourn

The Commission may deliberate in closed session on any enforcement matter on this agenda, or any matters listed in RCW 42.30.140.

Meeting Summary

Grant Degginger, Chair
Katrina Asay, Vice Chair
Amit Ranade, Member
Kathy Turner, Member


Petition for Declaratory Order

The Commission declined to enter a declaratory order after considering a petition submitted by Human Life of Washington (HLW) and Human Life PAC, which asked:

  1. Can HLW lawfully omit a candidate’s self-stated party preference from political advertising that HLW sponsors?
  2. Does HLW’s omission of a candidate’s self stated party preference from political advertising it sponsors constitute a “false statement” in violation of RCW 42.17A.335?
  3. Would HLW’s intentional omission of a candidate’s self-stated party preference be considered a violation with “actual malice” such that HLW could be subject to enforcement or criminal prosecution under RCW 42.17A.335 and/or RCW 42.17A.750(2).

Enforcement  

PDC staff presented and the Commission accepted a stipulation of facts, violations and penalty, which resolved enforcement involving Bill Littlejohn.  Charges included Littlejohn’s concealing the true source of $7,500 he contributed to defeat a 2013 EMS levy lid lift in Clallam Co. Fire District 2 and not making the contributions by written instrument.  Littlejohn agreed to pay a $60,000 penalty ($30,000 suspended with terms).


Filer Requests

Commissioner Grant Degginger’s Personal Financial Statement (F-1) reporting modification was renewed with no change.


The Commission meeting materials can be found at www.pdc.wa.gov under Commission Meetings. For additional information concerning these issues contact Lori Anderson, Communications & Training Officer, at (360) 664-2737, toll free 1-877-601-2828 or e-mail at landerson@pdc.wa.gov.

 

The next regular meeting of the Public Disclosure Commission is tentatively scheduled for July 24, 2014.
Meeting Minutes