WA opens formal investigation into Let's Go Washington PAC
OLYMPIA, Wash. - Washington's Public Disclosure Commission has launched a formal investigation into conservative PAC Let's Go Washington, over allegations of undeclared political advertising.
The Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) is now formally investigating a complaint filed by Seattle-based watchdog, Washingtonians for Ethical Government (WFEG), who claim Let's Go Washington failed to disclose advertising provided by political commentator Brandi Kruse.
FOX 13 Seattle reached out to the PDC, who confirms the formal investigation has begun.
WA investigating Let's Go Washington
The PDC held an initial hearing on Wednesday, investigating claims that Let's Go Washington skirted the state's Fair Campaign Practices Act by failing to declare in-kind political advertising provided by Kruse.
Brandi Kruse, a former FOX 13 Seattle news personality, now hosts the unDivided podcast, where WFEG claims "there have been at least 159 instances of political advertising […] on behalf of Let's Go Washington in support of its two ballot initiatives."
Kruse and her podcast are associated with advertisers Future 42, a political group owned by Brian Heywood, who also sponsors Let's Go Washington.
WFEG values this political advertising between $345,000 and $1.25 million.
The response from Let's Go Washington
A lawyer representing Let's Go Washington responded to the complaint in a notice to the PDC, denying any kind of payment or reimbursement made to Brandi Kruse.
"[The complaint] seems mostly an attempt to establish that Brandi Kruse is not a journalist but rather a person who engages in political advocacy as a business," reads the response from lawyer Dan Brady. "The complaint also makes an attempt to attach a value or value range to that business and then alleges in turn that Ms. Kruse was paid to support [Let's Go Washington] and/or Ms. Kruse donated political advocacy services and resources to [Let's Go Washington] in furtherance of its ballot measures. As the answers provided above indicate, no such relationship exists."
The other side:
"I’m happy to hear the PDC is taking this complaint seriously by moving forward with a formal investigation, and I look forward to their findings," said WFEG spokesperson Pam Stuart. "Paid influencers like Brandi Kruse are stoking distrust in government and driving voter apathy, something we cannot afford at a time when democracy in America is under assault."
The PDC's investigation involves gathering documentation, interviewing witnesses, and potentially subpoenaing records.
The commission will determine if Let's Go Washington's activities constitute fair campaign finance practice.
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The Source: Information in this story comes from Washingtonians for Ethical Government, as well as public records from the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission.