Legislative Ethics Board Complaint Opinions
Type
Complaint Opinion
Date
9/13/2011
Number
11-02
Topic
Conflict of interest-special privileges-gifts
Respondent
Mike Hope
Question/Complaint

​Complaint alleged legislator had used public resources to establish a lobbying organization to assist his non-profit, had solicited and accepted donations from lobbyists to support the non-profit and acceptance of same constituted illegal gifts.  Statutes in question are RCW 42.52.020, .140 and .150.

Summary

​Board dismissed for lack of reasonable cause.  Facts showed there was no lobbying organization and lobbyists had not been solicited nor had they contributed to the non-profit.  Board issued several warnings in it's Summary relative to lobbying, involvement of lobbyists and solicitation of lobbyists.  Board also cited it's authority, RCW 42.52.390, to require production of papers and documents in response to initial claim that donors to a non-profit need not be divulged.

Document