Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Pdc Rulemaking topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Public commenter urges PDC to adopt objective rules for minor campaign reporting violations
Summary
Frequent commenter Connor Edwards told the PDC during public comment that the agency’s subjective factors let staff justify any outcome and urged the commission to consider objective thresholds like those used in Idaho and Oregon.
During public comment at the Nov. 21 meeting, Connor Edwards urged the Public Disclosure Commission to define objective standards for handling minor reporting violations rather than relying on the agency’s current multi‑factor discretionary approach. Edwards compared neighboring states’ approaches — he said Idaho allows a two‑day cure window and Oregon applies a formula that multiplies 0.5% of late disclosed activity by the number of days late and dismisses cases where the figure is under $50 — and argued those formulas produce more consistent outcomes.
Edwards said the PDC’s rule factors (referenced in the hearing as WAC 390‑37‑061) permit staff to justify any desired disposition, arguing that “this agency has drawn that line in such a way as to excuse virtually all violations and that does not serve the public.” He asked the commission to consider objective cutoff points at a future meeting. Commissioners acknowledged the comment but did not enact rule changes during the session.
