Tim Eyman 'concealed $766,447 in contributions,' Thurston County Superior Court judge rules

Initiative promoter, candidate for Governor Tim Eyman "concealed $766,447 in contributions" and is a combined 173,862 days late in submitting reports on campaign contributions and expenditures required under state law, a Thurston County judge rules. less Initiative promoter, candidate for Governor Tim Eyman "concealed $766,447 in contributions" and is a combined 173,862 days late in submitting reports on campaign contributions and expenditures required under ... more Photo: Genna Martin, Seattlepi.com Photo: Genna Martin, Seattlepi.com Image 1 of / 9 Caption Close Tim Eyman 'concealed $766,447 in contributions,' Thurston County Superior Court judge rules 1 / 9 Back to Gallery

Initiative promoter and candidate for governor Tim Eyman "concealed $766,447 in contributions" in support of statewide ballot propositions, money that should have been reported under Washington's landmark Fair Campaign Practices Act, a Thurston County Superior Court judge ruled on Friday morning.

Judge James Dixon granted a partial summary judgment to the Washington Attorney General's office, which has pending a $1.9 million civil suit against Eyman. The AG's suit charges that Eyman took a $308,000 kickback from a signature gathering firm, and took donations meant for one of his initiatives and put the money into another.

Eyman faces potential penalties after remaining issues in the AG's suit are resolved at trial. The trial is slated to begin July 13.

"The Court hereby finds that Defendant Eyman was required to file one C-3 report and one C-4 report for each of 55 separate months (from September 2012 to July 2018) and the combined 110 reports are a combined 173,863 days late as of the date of this order," Judge Dixon ruled.

"The court hereby finds that Defendant Eyman concealed $766,447 in contributions which were bound to have been in support of ballot propositions by order of this Court dated Sept. 13, 2019."

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Judge hits Eyman, rules: $766,000 claimed as 'gifts' are campaign donations

Eyman, the initiative promoter, has been brought to heel, in part, by a pioneering initiative that required disclosure of campaign contributions. Initiative 276 was put on the 1972 ballot without help from paid signature gatherers. It requires disclosure of all political contributions, details of those contributions above a threshold, and how the money is spent.

"Mr. Eyman solicited contributions to compensate himself for promoting anti-tax ballot propositions," Judge Dixon wrote in his opinion. "The Court finds this undisputed fact establishes that Defendant Eyman has an expectation of receiving funds toward electoral goals."

In other words, the money by law needed to be reported.

Eyman and AG Bob Ferguson have been locked in a years-long legal battle, centered in financial records from Eyman initiative campaigns. Eyman has repeatedly been held in contempt of court by Judge Dixon for "willfully and deliberately" failing to produce documents relevant to the case.

Eyman has attacked Ferguson, and filed for bankruptcy in anticipation of a coming civil judgment. He has also announced for Governor, initially running as an independent, and more recently as a Republican.

The Attorney General's office asked for summary judgment on grounds that Eyman was collecting money that he failed to report. The money was collected for political purposes but spent, in the AG's words, "for personal benefit. "

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Eyman has in the past characterized the contributions as "gifts." But he was advised as long ago as 2002 by the Public Disclosure Commission that donations, including those for personal living expenses, "designed to enable you to continue your efforts of supporting initiatives" were in fact political contributions that should be disclosed.

"Eyman is being held in contempt of court -- and today's ruling reveals his contempt for our campaign finance laws," AG Ferguson said in a statement. "Eyman will say anything to avoid accountability for his conduct, and his lies won't work in a courtroom."

Richard Sanders, attorney for Eyman, wrote on Friday afternoon: "We respectfully disagree with the judge's ruling believing it was contrary to the facts, the law and the Constitution. This ruling is not a final ruling subject to appeal, but may be revised by the judge anytime prior to final judgment. We hope he will."

The Attorney General became involved nearly five years ago, when the Public Disclosure Commission delivered a 76-page investigative report on potential kickbacks and money improperly taken from one initiative and given over to another.

The initial complaint against Eyman, leading to the PDC investigation, and to the Attorney General's civil suit, was filed by the Northwest Progressive Institute, a progressive group that has bird dogged Eyman for more than a decade.

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Its leader, Andrew Villeneuve, reacted to the partial summary judgment by saying: "Serious violations deserve serious penalties. Let the punishment fit the crime. Tim Eyman continues to act as though the law just doesn't apply to them. It is necessary that he be forced to pay a steep penalty."