EVERETT — Attorney General Bob Ferguson is slated to headline a major fundraiser in Everett next week for a Democratic Party organization accused of violating state election laws.
Ferguson is scheduled to keynote the Blue Wave Gala at the Everett Yacht Club on Sept. 29 benefiting the Snohomish County Democratic Party, the target of allegations that it has failed for months to disclose how much money it has raised and spent.
The volunteer treasurer for the county party acknowledged Friday that several required reports are overdue and vowed to work diligently to get them turned in to the state Public Disclosure Commission.
“I certainly am guilty of not filing on time. I readily admit that,” said Richard Moralez, of Bothell. “Our finances are in order. There aren’t any improprieties. I think by next week all the filing will be up to date.”
The party last filed reports June 21. At that time Moralez put in three documents — one listing $688 in contributions collected in April and the other two detailing receipts and expenditures for the months of April and May.
On Sept. 13, the Public Disclosure Commission received a complaint about the missing reports from Kelly Wright, of Marysville, an elected Democratic precinct committee officer in Snohomish County. Commission staff notified party officials of the complaint Friday and invited them to submit a response to the allegations by Oct. 5.
One document attached to the complaint shows the party reported no cash on hand and $5,155.85 in debt in May. Another is a snapshot from a social media post showing party Chairwoman Hillary Moralez handing a $3,000 donation to Jared Mead, of Mill Creek, the Democratic candidate for a state House seat in the 44th Legislative District.
“The public has no way of knowing where this money came from or how it was raised or if this donation may violate aggregate contribution limits for an individual or non-party entity,” Wright wrote in the complaint. He also argued that the failure to file for so many months represented a “continuous and willful disregard for transparency” and campaign disclosure laws.
Richard Moralez explained he was out of state for much of July for personal and business-related reasons. When he returned his computer crashed and data was lost.
When the computer was operating again, he attempted repeatedly without success to access the program used by the commission for campaign finance reporting. He said he had one conversation with a commission employee for assistance. He said he didn’t get an expected follow-up call but failed to pursue it himself. Moralez submitted a formal ticket for assistance Friday.
Hillary Moralez, who is the treasurer’s daughter, said once the software issue is resolved “there’ll be a glut of reports that will account for every penny. Our books are always open.”
This is the second inquiry in two years involving the county party’s record-keeping. On Sept. 21, 2017, conservative activist Glen Morgan filed a complaint alleging the party repeatedly failed to file accurate reports on time.
Morgan also sent his complaint to Ferguson’s office. Staff there told the PDC in June they would not be pursuing the matter.
Now, the commission has begun “an active assessment” of facts, said PDC spokeswoman Kim Bradford. A letter was sent to party leaders in July inviting them to respond to the Morgan complaint, but nothing has been received, she said.
Wright said he and others in the Democratic are concerned with the apparent compliance problems of the past two years.
“If the PDC laws are to have any meaning, there must be some kind of accountability for violations,” he said Friday. “The attorney general’s participation in this fundraising event has the effect of excusing and encouraging scofflaws.”
In an interview Friday morning, Ferguson said he was unaware of the newest complaint. Asked if he might now withdraw from the gala, he replied by explaining how procedures in his office wall him off from cases involving groups with which he has relationships, such as Democratic organizations.
“I am not a decision-maker of whatever is going to happen,” he said. “They tell me when there is a resolution.”
Richard Moralez said there’s no reason for Ferguson to consider pulling out of the event because of the complaint.
“I don’t think there is any correlation between the two,” he said. “There’s a cloud above us. The cloud will dissipate and I’ll let the PDC do what it has to do.”
Jerry Cornfield: 360-352-8623; jcornfield@herald net.com. Twitter: @dospueblos.
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