PDC imposes $20,000 fine for late reporting of more than $1M by ballot measure PAC  

The Washington Public Disclosure Commission today approved a $20,000 penalty to settle a case against a political action committee that admitted late reporting of more than $1 million in expenditures in the 2024 election cycle.  

Green Jobs PAC reached a settlement with PDC staff in which the committee admitted to violating state disclosure law and agreed to pay a penalty. 

The PAC opposed statewide Initiative 2117. The expenditures in question accounted for more than 36 percent of its total spending. 

The Public Disclosure Commission voted unanimously to approve the settlement during its June 26 regular meeting. The Commission suspended $10,000 of the penalty, provided the committee pays the fine within 30 days of the order and remains in compliance with PDC reporting requirements for the next four years.  

The stipulation outlines three violations of public disclosure law.  

First, that more than $1 million should have been included in a report due seven days before the 2024 election, but were not reported until November 13, 2024, 15 days late. The PDC investigation concluded that this deprived the public of timely and accurate information in the days before ballots were counted.  

Green Jobs PAC also admitted to failing to properly disclose subvendor information on its 21-day and 7-day pre-general election expenditure reports. The reports were amended after the election to include that information, 62 and 48 days late, respectively. 

Finally, the PAC admitted to failing to timely disclose the specific ballot measure opposed by each expenditure, as required by law, on expenditures in July, August, September, October and November 2024. The PAC’s registration statement included the information about its opposition to I-2117 but it was missing from initial expenditure reports. These reports were also amended after the 2024 general election.  

PDC staff found no evidence that the violations were intentional. 

Commission Chair J. Leach noted during the meeting that this penalty is consistent with other recent cases involving similar allegations and sums of money.  

On April 24, the PDC settled a similar case with a ballot measure committee. In that case, AARP No on 2124 Sponsored by AARP Washington agreed to pay a $5,000 fine with $2,500 suspended for late reporting of more than $400,000 in contributions.    

On May 22, the PDC settled a case against SEIU Healthcare 1199 NW PAC, for late reporting of more than $430,000 in expenditures. The PAC agreed to a $6,000 fine, half of it suspended.