Constantine, Dow - Alleged Violations of Chapter 42.17A RCW for failure to timely and accurately report contributions, expenditures, financial interests, and committee officers (May 2017). | Washington State Public Disclosure Commission (PDC)

Case

#17442

Respondent

James D. Constantine

Complainant

Glen Morgan

Description

The Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) has completed its review of the complaint received May 1, 2017, initially as a Citizens Action Notice filed under RCW 42.17A.765(4), and later converted to a PDC complaint following implementation of Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2938, which took effect June 7, 2018. The complaint alleged that James Dow Constantine, the incumbent King County Executive, and a candidate for re-election to that office in 2017, may have committed multiple violations of Chapter 42.17A RCW as detailed below.

PDC staff reviewed the allegations; the applicable statutes, rules, and reporting requirements; the response provided by Campaign Treasurer, Philip Lloyd on behalf of the candidate, the Campaign and the Surplus Funds Account; queried the Respondent’s data in the PDC contribution and expenditure database; and reviewed the Candidate and Surplus Funds Account Registrations (C-1 reports), Monetary Contributions reports (C-3 reports), Summary Full Campaign Contribution and Expenditure reports (C-4 reports), and Statements of Financial Affairs reports (F-1 reports), filed by the Respondent, to determine whether the record supports a finding of one or more violations.

Pursuant to WAC 390-37-060(1)(d), the Respondent received a formal written warning concerning failure to timely disclose debts, properly report sub-vendor information, including underlying vendors when reimbursements for out-of-pocket expenditures were made, and failure to include complete expenditure descriptions when required. The formal written warning included staff’s expectation that the Respondent timely disclose debts, properly report sub-vendor information, including underlying vendors when reimbursements for out-of-pocket expenditures were made, and that the Respondent include complete expenditure descriptions when required on all future required reports of contributions and expenditures for campaign and surplus accounts. The Commission will consider the formal written warning in deciding on further Commission action if there are future violations of PDC laws or rules.

Staff noted that some allegations were beyond the five-year statute of limitations in accordance with RCW 42.17A.770.

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 Written Warning

Date Opened

May 01, 2017

Areas of Law

RCW 42.17A.205, RCW 42.17A.235, RCW 42.17A.240, RCW 42.17A.425, RCW 42.17A.430, RCW 42.17A.445, RCW 42.17A.555, RCW 42.17A.700, RCW 42.17A.710

Constantine, Dow - Alleged Violations of Chapter 42.17A RCW for failure to timely and accurately report contributions, expenditures, financial interests, and committee officers (May 2017).