OLYMPIA – Democratic state Rep. Hans Dunshee is looking to put the squeeze on a Republican rival’s campaign muscle.
The Snohomish legislator wants state-imposed caps on donations from individuals and companies to be applied to limited liability corporations that are controlled by the same people.
Dunshee’s proposed law stems from a running battle with Hank Robinett, a developer and Snohomish County Republican legend. Robinett, members of his family and companies they control regularly give to Dunshee’s foes, and the lawmaker contends it’s done in a way that skirts campaign finance laws.
Allowing one person with multiple companies to write checks from each one gives that person the ability to legally breach the cap, he said.
“Everybody ought to play in the rules,” Dunshee said. “Local developers rack up huge amounts of contributions above the limit that the public must play in.”
Robinett, he said, “has done it to me for years. He hasn’t won. It may be playing by the rules, but it is patently unfair.”
Robinett chuckled when told of Dunshee’s proposal.
“It’s been the law,” he said. “I don’t know why it needs to be changed, especially when you’re trying to throw a bum out.”
Voters enacted campaign contribution limits in 1992 with passage of Initiative 134. Today, lawmakers such as Dunshee can receive no more than $1,400 from a single person or company.
Under Dunshee’s HB 2551, two or more limited liability corporations would be considered one company under contribution rules if two or more members of the entities are the same person.
The law could put the pinch on other developers, because most set up a limited liability corporation for each of their projects. The politically active ones often contribute from each of their corporate entities.
Hank Robinett and one of his sons, Martin Robinett, aren’t worried about the law affecting them.
“It’s not like we run together at political time and say we need to write checks. We all do our own thing,” Martin Robinett said.
He said he runs a management company, another brother runs a development firm, and the family teams up in an investment company.
“Hans is trying to address what he perceives as a problem,” Martin Robinett said. “It’s his special-interest bill.”
The Robinett name is common on financial disclosure reports.
Family members and their businesses collectively poured nearly $17,000 into the campaigns of four candidates vying for Snohomish County Council in 2005, according to a Herald analysis of finance disclosure reports.
Republican incumbents John Koster and Jeff Sax, Democrat Dave Gossett and Democrat challenger Steve Hobbs all received money from a person or firm bearing the Robinett name.
Dunshee has questioned Robinett donations before.
In the 2004 campaign, he filed a complaint with the state Public Disclosure Commission against his Republican opponent, Mike Hope. In it he alleged that Hope had received $11,575 “from interests controlled by one entity, the Robinett group.”
The commission has not decided the case.
A hearing on HB 2551 is scheduled for 10 a.m. Tuesday in the House State Government Operations and Accountability Committee.
“It’s a low priority for me. If I can get it done, it would right an injustice,” Dunshee said.
Hank Robinett’s thoughts? “Hopefully, it won’t go anywhere.”
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