The Militant - September 28, 2004 -- FSP wins exemption from disclosure

Vol. 68/No. 35 September 28, 2004

FSP wins exemption from disclosure

BY CECELIA MORIARITY
SEATTLE—After public testimony on August 4, the Seattle Ethics and Election Commission voted not to appeal a federal judge’s July 14 ruling granting the Freedom Socialist Party (FSP) a permanent injunction against disclosing information on contributors to the campaign of Linda Averill, the FSP candidate for Seattle City Council in 2003. U.S. District Judge Robert Lasnik had issued a temporary injunction in August 2003 against a commission decision requiring FSP disclosure of names, addresses, and employers of contributors.

Connie Allen, Socialist Workers Party candidate for U.S. Senate, spoke at the hearing along with others supporting the exemption of the FSP from financial disclosure laws. Allen pointed out that reports listing detailed information about donors to campaigns of socialist and other working-class organizations provide a convenient “enemies list” for federal and local police agencies, employers, private spies, and right-wing groups and individuals.

“Since 1974 the Socialist Workers Party campaign and others have won exemptions because this disclosure is a threat to First Amendment rights to free association,” Allen told the commissioners. “This is part of the SWP’s decades-long support for the right of workers, farmers, and their organizations to engage in political activity, including elections, free from government and right-wing harassment. The July 14 ruling by Judge Lasnik is an important confirmation of the First Amendment right to free association and should stand.”

Allen pointed out that the SWP candidates for U.S. president and vice president will be on the ballot in Washington State and that the Federal Elections Commission has granted the socialist candidates an exemption from disclosing names of financial contributors based on evidence of harassment throughout the United States, “including numerous examples from right here in Seattle and Washington State.”

An August 11 public statement from Advocates for Averill noted the vote by the six Seattle Ethics and Election Commission (SEEC) commissioners was unanimous to not appeal the federal court’s ruling. But several commissioners asserted “they did not consider the issue settled,” the group noted. Averill pointed out that she and other candidates must still apply for future exemptions. The statement also reported that Seattle’s two daily newspapers failed to mention the commissioners’ decision on the case in their reports on the SEEC meeting. During Averill’s campaign these papers published editorials opposing her request for non-disclosure and criticizing Judge Lasnik for issuing a temporary injunction.

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