The Service Employees International Unions (SEIU) in Washington state is facing an Attorney Genera's complaint over allegations they failed to report a number of campaign finance contributions.

According to a release from Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson's Office:

"The Attorney General’s Office today announced that it has filed a complaint in Thurston County Superior Court alleging campaign finance violations by Service Employees International Healthcare 775NW (SEIU 775) and SEIU 775 Quality Care Committee (SEIU 775 PAC).  Specifically, the AG alleges that SEIU 775 and SEIU 775 PAC failed to timely and properly file reports of in-kind and monetary contributions as required under the state’s campaign finance laws."

An earlier accusation first filed with the PDC (Public Disclosure Commission) failed to turn up allegations, but that investigation discovered other improprieties. From the AG's office:

"Following a review of the PDC’s information, the AGO conducted further investigation and found evidence that SEIU 775 and SEIU 775 PAC failed to file reports of both in-kind and monetary contributions. The complaint alleges that SEIU 775 failed to file reports of monetary contributions totaling $1.39 million as well as in-kind contributions — including staff time, office space, postal and web services, and telephones — made to the SEIU 775 PAC from 2010 to 2015. While SEIU 775 PAC reported receiving the monetary contributions, the PAC failed to properly file reports of any in-kind contributions received from SEIU 775."  (bold lettering added for emphasis).

In a statement released by the Washington state-based Freedom Foundation, General Counsel James Abernathy said this:

“The Freedom Foundation applauds the Attorney General’s decision to file a lawsuit against SEIU for these egregious campaign finance violations.
 
These violations have been going on for more than a decade until the Freedom Foundation blew the whistle.
 
The failure to report $1.4 million it funneled from its general fund to a PAC shows SEIU was trying to hide its election activities from the public and even from their own members who are forced to fund them.”
SEIU is considered one  of the most controversial union groups in the nation, and were largely responsible for attempts to unionize fast-food workers in Eastern Washington, but planned rallies in the Tri-Cities and Yakima largely fizzled.  A better turnout was seen in Spokane, but most of their impact was felt with some rallies in Seattle.
 According to the Attorney General's office the complaint is seeking "penalties" an injunctive relief.
 

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