BY DENNIS RICHTER
SEATTLE - The Socialist Workers 1998 State Campaign is
calling on all defenders of democratic rights to join in an
effort to challenge the recent ruling of the Washington state
Public Disclosure Commission (PDC). While formally granting
the Socialist Workers campaign an exemption from state laws
requiring campaign committees to disclose the names of their
contributors and vendors, the ruling establishes the right of
the PDC to review the "books of account" of the campaign.
A section of the ruling reads, "The applicant shall make available its public disclosure reports for public inspection during the eight days before the election, but not its books of account; except that, if the PDC determines a review of the applicant's books of account is necessary, the records shall be made available to an independent third party mutually agreed to be the applicant and the PDC." (Italics added.)
Past rulings have included language clearly granting the Socialist Workers campaign committees an exemption from making books of account available for public inspection prior to the elections.
The Socialist Workers 1998 State Campaign, the campaign committee for Scott Breen, a member of the International Association of Machinists (IAM) who is running for State Senate in the 37th District, has decided to appeal the decision by requesting a formal reconsideration of the PDC ruling.
The other Socialist Workers candidates in Washington state - Nan Bailey for U.S. Senate and Jeff Powers for U.S. Congress in the 7th District - come under federal election guidelines and are not affected by the PDC ruling.
Socialist Workers campaign committees have fought for and won exemptions from turning over the names of contributors and vendors since disclosure legislation was enacted, both at the state and federal level. Making such information public would provide employers, police agencies, and right-wing forces with a ready-made list of those associated with the socialist election campaign, opening campaign supporters to possible harassment and victimization. The campaign committees have been forced to submit financial reports, but with the agreement that codes be used as a substitute for contributors names.
The latest ruling leaves open the option for the PDC to grant a third party the right to review the campaign's original books, which are required by law to contain the names of those individuals contributing to the campaign.
"Turning over the names to anyone outside the campaign committee constitutes an act of disclosure, thus opening the door to undoing the entire exemption," said Senate candidate Nan Bailey, who is also a member of the IAM.
The PDC's decision was issued August 27 following a public hearing two days earlier on the Socialist Workers 1998 State Campaign exemption request held in Olympia, the state capital. Prior to the hearing, the Socialist Workers campaign committee submitted material supporting its right to exemption to the commission members. This material included legal precedents, the constitutional right to privacy and freedom of speech, the history of government and private harassment directed against the Socialist Workers Party and its election campaigns, and documentation of seven of the most recent incidents of harassment directed against Socialist Workers campaign supporters.
"This is yet another attempt by the rulers and their governing bodies in the state of Washington to chip away at our right to not disclose the names of our financial supporters and vendors," said State Senate candidate Breen.
"To allow them to enforce this ruling in Washington state would set a precedent that could be used by election commissions around the country. Ultimately it is a threat to the exemption we have been granted on a national level by the Federal Elections Commission."
The PDC ruling follows the Socialist Workers 1997 Campaign's battle against a similar probe by the Seattle Ethics and Election Commission (SEEC). That body asserted that the Socialist Workers had not proven extensive enough harassment to warrant a disclosure exemption in the city elections. The SEEC set a deadline for the campaign committee to submit for public record the names and addresses of its contributors and vendors. In addition, fines totaling $6,040 were to be levied against the campaign.
Supporters of the Socialist Workers campaign formed the Seattle Free Speech Committee, which built support and raised funds for the socialists' fight against the city. In July 1998, the Socialist Workers 1997 Campaign came to an agreement with the city. In the settlement, the city upheld its ruling of no exemption, but agreed to take no further action against the campaign committee, with the understanding that the Socialist Workers had no intention of turning over names. In addition, the fines were lowered to $330.
"We were able to push back the SEEC's demand for a list of names only through the support of dozens of unionists, democratic rights supporters, and organizations. They wrote protest letters to the SEEC, attended hearings, and spread the word about this attack," said Breen, who was the Socialist Workers candidate for mayor of Seattle in 1997. "We will fight this ruling in the same way. Today we are pulling together not only those who fought against the SEEC ruling, but new supporters we have met through our 1998 campaign."
A public forum on the PDC's attack on democratic rights and to help organize a response will take place at the Seattle Pathfinder bookstore, where the Socialist Workers campaign offices are located, at 7:30 p.m. October 2 (see page 12 for details).