News - Local News

POSTED: Wednesday, Dec. 03, 2008

Feds clear Bellingham mayor, 2 other on elections complaint

Complaint about campaign contributions to Pike, Crawford, Geyer dismissed

The Federal Election Commission has tossed out a complaint against Bellingham Mayor Dan Pike, Whatcom County Councilman Sam Crawford and former Bellingham City Council candidate Bill Geyer.

In a letter dated Nov. 25, Crawford was told that the FEC voted unanimously, 6-0, to dismiss a complaint by Western Washington University professor Todd Donovan accusing the three of accepting campaign contributions from foreign nationals, which is illegal.

Pike got a similar letter.

"I wasn't surprised," Pike said of being cleared. "(The FEC) had indicated to me a long time ago that they had kind of thought that would happen."

Geyer, reached out of town, said he had no comment because he wasn't aware of the allegations being dropped.

"Obviously, I am relieved that there will be no penalties," Crawford wrote in an e-mail to supporters, "and I certainly never intended to campaign for office in anything but the most transparent and legal manner."

Donovan's complaint centered around money to Pike and Geyer from Andre Molnar, a Canadian citizen who contributed to them via two development corporations he owns in town. Pike also received a contribution from an aunt who is Canadian.

Both Geyer and Pike said they had returned the money before Donovan's complaint had been filed.

The complaint against Crawford was about a contribution to his 2003 County Council campaign from Peter and Magdalene Watts. Peter Watts is a Vancouver, B.C., developer who is president of Evergreen View Ventures, Inc. and owns property in the Lake Whatcom watershed.

Crawford also returned the contribution.

This resolves the last of several complaints filed against candidates, especially Pike, from the 2007 campaign season. Pike and City Councilman Terry Bornemann were both fined by the state Public Disclosure Commission previously due to a complaint from Elisabeth Britt, who supported both of their opponents. Other allegations against Pike have been dropped, but he was told that he violated a federal law by the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, though they took no disciplinary action against him and closed the case. Tim Paxton, who filed that complaint, is trying to get it reopened.

Donovan said the letter dismissing his complaint was somewhat confusing, as it points out that accepting a contribution from a foreign national is against the law, but then states the complaint is being dismissed. The letter doesn't explicitly state why.

A representative from the FEC couldn't be reached for comment Wednesday, Dec. 3.

Donovan said he hopes a message has been sent to candidates that they should understand the laws that govern elections, and candidates should be responsible for knowing them.

"I think some of these guys are doing a fine job in office, but they've got to learn a little bit more about when they're soliciting money in the campaign phase," he said.