Complaint Opinion 96-09
Date
02/17/1997
Number
96-09
Topic
Newsletter Response - election year restrictions
Respondent
Senator Calvin Goings
Question/Complaint
The election year mailing restrictions limit the number of newsletters to two. The respondent invited newsletter recipients to request updates on broad, general topics, and then responded to each in a mailing with identical letters that addressed a number of issues. Did this responsive mailing constitute a newsletter?
Summary
Yes, and since the respondent had now sent three newsletters during the restrictive period he was found to have violated the Act and was ordered to pay reimbursement and a penalty. The responsive letters were identical in content, addressed a number of general issues, and were not tailored to specific requests for information from constituents. RCW 42.52.180, 42.17.132, Advisory Opinions 95-19 and 96-04.