AGO FILES CAMPAIGN FINANCE COMPLAINT AGAINST SECRETARY OF STATE KIM WYMAN

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Oct 4 2016
Ferguson recused from case
REF: http://www.atg.wa.gov/news/news-releases/ago-files-campaign-finance-complaint-against-secretary-state-kim-wyman

OLYMPIA — The Attorney General’s Office today announced the filing of a complaint in Thurston County Superior Court alleging campaign finance violations by Secretary of State Kim Wyman and her campaign, Citizens for Kim Wyman. The complaint alleges the Wyman campaign failed to timely file contribution and expenditure disclosure reports, as required under the state’s campaign finance laws. It also alleges that the campaign failed to timely deposit contributions.
On June 2, 2016, the Attorney General’s Office received a Citizen Action Complaint from Jaxon Ravens, Chair of the Washington State Democratic Central Committee, against Wyman and her campaign, alleging violations of the state’s public disclosure laws. The AGO referred the matter to the state Public Disclosure Commission on June 14, for possible investigation and a recommendation.
Following an investigation, PDC staff reported their findings to the commission that Wyman filed 11 reports for the campaign’s April 2016 activity 10 days late, disclosing $30,567 in additional contributions in May 2016. The campaign also filed an amended campaign summary report to include the late contribution disclosures, as well as $943 it had failed to account for in a previous report.
Before the AGO’s receipt of the Citizen Action Complaint, Wyman self-reported these 2016 errors to the PDC on May 22.
During the investigation, PDC staff also reviewed prior filings by the campaign between 2013 and 2016 and found other similar reports that had been filed 2 to 273 days late, and contribution deposits that were made between 2 and 49 days late.
On July 12, the commission returned the matter to the AGO with a recommendation that the Attorney General take appropriate action concerning Wyman’s reporting failures.
The AGO’s complaint seeks penalties and injunctive relief.
Wyman and her campaign will have twenty days from the date they are served to respond to the state’s complaint.
A copy of the complaint can be found here.
Attorney General Bob Ferguson is recused and has been screened from involvement in the matter.


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