Washington State House Democrats

House Bill proposes to apply Fair Campaign Practice Law to more offices

February 4, 2005

OLYMPIA– Unlimited campaign contributions to candidates for court positions, county offices or Port Commissioner jobs would no longer be allowed in Washington state, if legislation proposed by state Rep. Shay Schual-Berke, D-Normandy Park, is signed into law.

Seventy-two percent of Washington voters approved the Fair Campaign Practices Act in 1992 to limit campaign contributions for legislative races and statewide offices. The law limits an individual, union or business, or a political action committee to a total contribution of $675 per election to a candidate for state legislative office, and $1,350 per election to a candidate for state-wide office.

But there are no limits on campaign contributions for other offices, including the state Supreme Court.

"It is time we leveled the playing field and carried out the spirit of the Fair Campaign Practices Act for other major offices," said Schual-Berke. "Our laws should clearly declare that these public offices are not for sale in Washington."

In 2004, six contributors combined to give $287,000 to Jim Johnson’s successful campaign for Supreme Court Justice, which amounted to 69 percent of his total contributions.

One organization, the Building Industry Association of Washington, gave $115,000 to Johnson’s campaign, which is more than 85 times the amount that a single organization can legally contribute to a candidate for governor or other statewide office.

"A judiciary independent of special interests is a cornerstone of our democracy," said Schual-Berke. "Allowing unlimited contributions to candidates for judgeships shatters that cornerstone."

Under Schual-Berke’s legislation, House Bill 1226, candidates for the state Supreme Court and state Court of Appeals would be subject to the same contribution limits that apply to candidates for statewide office. Candidates for county office, Superior Court or special purpose districts in large counties–including candidates for Port Commissioner positions–would be subject to the $675 per election limit that now applies to legislative candidates.

In a public hearing today, Schual-Berke’s legislation received support from the Washington State Bar Association, the Municipal League of King County, and other organizations who support applying the principles of the Fair Campaign Practices Act more broadly.