United Food & Commercial Workers Local 21 PAC: Alleged Violation of RCW 42.17A.220, .235, .240 for failure to timely and accurately file contribution and expenditure reports and failure to timely deposit contributions. (OCT 2018)

A complaint was filed with the PDC against the United Food & Commercial Workers 21 PAC (UFCW Local 21 PAC), a continuing political committee registered with the PDC, alleging that the UFCW Local 21 PAC may have violated: (1) RCW 42.17A.235 and .240 by failing to file Monetary Contribution reports (C-3 reports) and Summary Full Campaign Contributions and Expenditures reports (C-4 reports); and (2) RCW 42.17A.220 by failing to timely deposit monetary contributions into the committee bank account within five business days of receipt, as required for a political committee registered with the PDC.

After PDC staff conducted a preliminary review and assessment of the facts, PDC staff opened a formal investigation and held an Initial Hearing (Case Status Review Hearing) for UFCW Local 21 PAC on January 17, 2019, pursuant to RCW 42.17A.755, and WACs 390-37-060 and 390-37-071.

On February 26, 2019, PDC staff dismissed the allegation listed in the complaint concerning the failure to timely depositing monetary contributions into the Committee bank account in accordance with RCW 42.17A.755(1).   

At the February 28, 2019 Enforcement hearing, Commission unanimously accepted the amended Stipulation to Facts, Violations and Penalty, finding UFCW 21 PAC in violation of RCW 42.17A.235 and .240, and assessing a total civil penalty of $40,000 of which $20,000 is suspended on the condition that the Respondent is in compliance with all current reporting requirements, has no further violations of RCW 42.17A or WAC 390 for four years from the date of this Order, and pays the $20,000 non-suspended portion of the penalty within 30 days from the date of this Order.

the February 28, 2019, Enforcement Hearing