PDC violations are a campaign issue

I recently read in The Herald that Monroe Mayor Bob Holman doesn’t think his violations of the public disclosure law should he a campaign issue. Of course it’s a campaign issue; it involves his behavior as a public official.

I was there when the Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) discussed the matter. In a plea-bargain worked out prior to the hearing (with lawyers paid for by the Monroe taxpayers), Holman agreed that he had committed two violations of state law. He was fined $2500, the PDCs maximum. The commission even considered requiring that Holman apologize to the citizens of Monroe. However, the PDC’s legal counsel advised against imposing further penalties since the plea bargain was already in place.

Mayor Holman needs to face the facts. He violated the public’s trust as well as state law. Like it or not, it is a campaign issue.

Snohomish