(The Center Square) - The Public Disclosure Commission complaints are flying in Washington state, with two new grievances filed this week.
One, filed by radio host Ari Hoffman in his personal capacity, is directed at the Seattle Times and related foundations, alleging the publication crossed the line from journalism into reportable campaign activity related to coverage of the “No on 2117” campaign concerning the Climate Commitment Act in 2024.
“The people who were working to keep it [CCA] in place were groups like the Seattle Foundation, and those groups are the same ones who fund the Climate Lab at the Seattle Times. So, the people who are sponsoring this thing in the Seattle Times are also the ones behind the opposition to repealing the Climate Commitment Act,” said Hoffman in a Wednesday interview with The Center Square.
“This was all undisclosed campaign contributions, and I think that's a much stronger case than the one that was filed against Brandi Kruse and Let's Go Washington,” Hoffman said.
He was referring to the May 12 complaint filed by Washingtonians for Ethical Government and the organization’s communications liaison Pam Stuart against LGW, alleging podcaster Brandi Kruse’s support for LGW initiatives amounts to advertising for the organization, like a campaign donation.
Kruse said she has never taken money from LGW or any other political organization or candidate and is confident that First Amendment protections allow her to support any cause she believes in.
The other complaint fled on Thursday by Arthur West is directed back at WFEG and staff members, accusing the self-proclaimed watchdog group of failing to register as a political committee with the PDC despite years of activity directed specifically at defeating conservative ballot measures and supporters.
“An organization that positions itself as the enforcer of ethical government cannot in good faith, be seen to claim exemption from the very rules it invokes against others,” read the complaint.
As reported by The Center Square, West is the same man behind a current appeal before the Washington Supreme Court, challenging the Public Investment Impact Disclosure statement to appear next to the November initiative seeking to repeal the income tax (I-645).
Hoffman complaint
Hoffman’s 16-page complaint says the Seattle Times philanthropically bankrolled “Climate Lab” produced content with the exact messaging of the “No on 2117” campaign, and the paper’s editorial board urged voters to reject the measure, which was ultimately turned down by voters in 2024.
Hoffman suggests the coverage amounted to reportable campaign activity under RCW 29B.25.090 and other campaign-finance laws.
Named in the complaint are The Seattle Times Company, the Seattle Foundation, Clean & Prosperous Washington, Clean & Prosperous Institute, Green Jobs PAC, and the No on 2117 committee, alleging the groups failed to disclose the commercial-equivalent value of articles and editorials.
According to the Seattle Times, “Climate Lab is a Seattle Times initiative that explores the effects of climate change in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. The project illuminates the impacts of heat waves, drought, wildfire and flooding, and examines government and industry actions, to help the public better understand how greenhouse gas emissions are changing our lives.”
Seattle Foundation served as Climate Lab’s fiscal sponsor.
The Center Square reached out to the Seattle Times, Seattle Foundation, and Clean and Prosperous Washington, seeking comment on the complaint. but received no response from any of the organizations.
West complaint
West’s six-page complaint suggests WFEG is “running an undisclosed campaign operation.”
“An organization that positions itself as the enforcer of ethical government cannot in good faith, be seen to claim exemption from the very rules it invokes against others,” read the complaint.
West’s PDC complaint also names WFEG President Andrew Villeneuve.
“Mr. Villenueve's organization Washingtonians for Ethical Government is not a neutral watchdog; it is a rabid partisan attack dog that weaponizes the PDC and orchestrates media campaigns exclusively against conservative initiatives and their sponsors,” wrote West in a Thursday email to The Center Square.
“There is no good reason why they should not be subject to the same reporting and campaign disclosure requirements that they themselves, for partisan political purposes, so overzealously attempt to enforce,” wrote West.
Villeneuve and Stuart from Washingtonians For Ethical Government responded to West's complaint is a statement to The Center Square.
"Arthur West's complaint against WFEG is wholly without merit, just as his lawsuit seeking to strip the IP26-645 public investment impact disclosure from Washingtonians' ballots is without merit," the statement said.
"By Arthur's logic, he himself has been functioning as an unregistered political committee by bringing a legal challenge to the public investment impact disclosure (PIID) for Initiative 645, an action evidently intended to help 645's proponents pass their measure, and he should either be registered as a political committee or should be estimating and reporting the value of the actions he's bringing in court as an in-kind contribution to Brian Heywood's Let's Go Washington committee."
"Frivolous complaints like this are a waste of resources and deserve immediate dismissal," the statement concluded.
The PDC has 90 days from the time of a complaint being filed to determine if they will open a formal investigation, suggest remedies for compliance or drop the complaint.
West is asking the PDC to expedite his complaint.
“Given the proximity of the November 2026 general election, complainant further requests that this matter be given expedited treatment,” wrote West.
As reported by The Center Square, WFEG’s complaint against LGW last week moved into the ‘formal investigation’ phase, but the commission said that was not necessarily an indication that the complaint will result in anything actionable, which could include fines.
Respondents often agree to settle cases by acknowledging mistakes and paying scheduled monetary penalties, but in extreme cases of intentional fraud, the matter can face criminal referral and prosecution.
Hoffman noted that since he filed his complaint against the Seattle Times, he received very little attention from media outlets interested in covering the story.
