Stambaugh, Melanie: Alleged violations of RCW 42.17A.205 for failure to timely register campaign, and RCW 42.17A.235 and .240 for failure to accurately and timely report contributions, expenditures, and debts (EY 16, Sep 17)

Case

#24640

Respondent

Melanie Stambaugh

Complainant

Walter Smith

Description

The Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) has completed its review of the complaint filed by Walter Smith on September 1, 2017. The complaint alleged that Melanie Stambaugh, a 2016 candidate for State Representative of Legislative District 25, may have violated RCW 42.17A.205 for failure to timely file a Candidate Registration (C-1 report) within two weeks of the expectation of receiving contributions or making expenditures in an election campaign; RCW 42.17A.235 for failure to timely and accurately file Monetary Contribution reports (C-3 reports) and Summary Full Campaign Contribution and Expenditure reports (C-4 reports), disclosing contributions and expenditures undertaken by the 2016 Friends of Melanie Stambaugh Campaign (Campaign); and RCW 42.17A.240 for failure to timely, completely, and accurately report debts and obligations.

PDC staff reviewed the allegations; the applicable statutes, rules, and reporting requirements; the response provided by the Campaign; the applicable PDC reports filed by the Campaign; and queried the Campaign’s data in the PDC contribution and expenditure database, to determine whether the record supports a finding of one or more violations.

Based on our findings staff has determined that, in this instance, failure to timely register as a candidate and to timely, completely, and accurately disclose contribution and expenditure activity, including debts and obligations, do not amount to violations warranting further investigation.

PDC staff is reminding Melanie Stambaugh about the importance of the timely, accurate, and complete disclosure of all contribution and expenditure activities, including debts and obligations, and the timely, accurate, and complete filings of all future PDC reports in accordance with the statutes and rules.

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 Reminder

Date Opened

September 05, 2017

Areas of Law

RCW 42.17A.205, RCW 42.17A.235, RCW 42.17A.240

Documents

• 24640 Stambaugh Melanie Complaint.pdf
• Complaint Verification Ltr_10.pdf
• Stambaugh Resposne wtih Attachments.pdf
• 24640 Stambaugh Melanie Reminder Letter.pdf