The state Legislative Ethics Board has dismissed a batch of allegations against state Rep. Mike Hope regarding the running of his nonprofit creation, 100 Ideas of Washington.
The board reached its decision following discussions at meetings in May, July and September. A copy of the decision is attached.
As reported in The Herald on Friday, the board found no evidence of claims made in April that Hope violated state ethics law as executive director of the nonprofit which is collecting suggestions online for improving state government.
The alleged ethics violations included charges that Hope’s nonprofit was formed to lobby the Legislature; that the nonprofit had solicited and received donations from lobbyists; and that Hope had accepted illegal gifts.
In its decision the board did caution Hope that his group’s future activities could trigger “ethical concerns.”
And members made a carefully worded statement that Hope, a Seattle police officer, may have used state resources to launch the organization even though he told them he didn’t. The board concluded the issue was not germane to its investigation.
From the summary of the decision:
Although we dismiss the allegations against Respondent for lack of reasonable cause, we do not intend by this opinion to suggest that the activities of 100Ideas remain free from ethical concerns. At this point the non-profit appears to be an idea-gathering entity with no plans to transform into a legislative-lobbying organization or to include lobbyists in its corporate structure. As executive director of 100Ideas, Respondent would have conflict of interest issues if these facts were to change.
We have received copies of emails which suggest the Respondent made some use of legislative staff and legislative computers to recruit and organize the 100Ideas advisory board. In his voluntary and unsworn response to the complaint, Respondent stated no state resources had been used to organize the corporation. Whether state resources were or were not used is not germane to our determination to dismiss for lack of reasonable cause because at this time the facts before us are that 100Ideas has limited its activities to collecting ideas from citizens.
Additional materials provided to the Board indicate that Respondent, as executive director of 100Ideas, announced that the advisory board would be selecting the best ideas submitted by students for the possible award of academic scholarships. If these scholarships are awarded, the use of public resources to assist the corporation becomes problematic. The Ethics Act prohibits the use of legislative position to secure special privileges for others and prohibits the use of public resources for the private benefit or gain of others.
We have also received copies of correspondence which suggest that Respondent requested the advisory board members not respond to a public records request from the Complainant and advised them they were not legally obligated to respond. Even if Respondent made this request to conceal his use of public resources in support of 100Ideas, this use of public resources is not an ethics violation – subject to our caveat about turning 100Ideas into a lobbying or scholarship entity.
This is the second time in recent weeks that a state enforcement body set aside allegations against Hope. In August, the state Public Disclosure Commission dismissed two complaints against the lawmaker.
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