OLYMPIA, Wash. (Legal Newsline) — Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced Aug. 15 that he has filed a complaint alleging the Pierce County Democratic Central Committee committed campaign finance violations.
The complaint was filed in Thurston County Superior Court. In the complaint, Ferguson’s office alleges the committee failed to timely report $63,643 in contributions, $90,357.95 in expenditures and $34,791 in debts over a three-year period – between 2015 and 2017.
Under Washington state law, political committees must regularly report information to the state Public Disclosure Commission about sources of contributions when those contributions are more than $25. Ferguson’s office said the Pierce County Democratic Central Committee submitted certain contributions it received on 92 separate reports up to 179 days late and expenditures from 16 reports up to 171 days late. Additionally, the committee purportedly failed to disclose debts and obligations in 2016.
Handling the matter for the state is senior assistant attorney general Linda Dalton. Ferguson, a Democrat, recused himself from any involvement in the case.