As expected, the leader of the state Democratic Party is peeved at the results of the Public Disclosure Commission’s investigation into the actions of the Americans for Prosperity.
In a report today the staff of the state Public Disclosure Commission concluded the activities of Americans for Prosperity during the 2010 election didn’t violate any state rules.
The state Democratic Party alleged in a complaint filed last year that AFP failed to register as a political action committee and failed to properly report all the money it raised and spent on campaign mailers in legislative races.Those mailers attacked Democratic candidates.
Here’s a statement issued by Democratic Party Chairman Dwight Pelz:
“It is a travesty that the PDC staff took over a year to assess whether the unethical, behind-closed doors actions of the Koch Brother’s backed AFP-WA violated state law. AFP-WA was given a free-pass to influence the 2010 election cycle without a word from the state agency that is supposed to serve as our campaign finance watch-dog.
“Karl Rove, the Koch Brothers, and countless other right-wing organizations are planning to pour hundreds of millions in shady money into the 2012 election cycle. The PDC staff has just issued a road map as to how they can funnel their dirty politics into Washington State.”
The report issued today is good news for Washington State Republican Party Chairman Kirby Wilbur who ran AFP during part of the 2010 election cycle.
The findings can be summed up in a single line of the report:
“Because Americans for Prosperity and its Washington State chapter complied with the law as it existed in 2010, PDC staff recommends that the allegations in the complaints filed by Carrie Dolwick and Dwight Pelz be dismissed.”
The five-member commission will consider the report and its recommendation at its Dec. 8 meeting.
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