Federal officials looking at this alleged Whatcom campaign ad violation in U.S. mail
Federal officials are investigating a state House candidate over an allegation of illegal campaign activity, state election officials said.
Complaints were filed this week with the state Secretary of State’s Office and the state Public Disclosure Commission, but because the allegation involves the U.S. mail and postal workers, the matter is being handled at the federal level.
An investigation stems from a post on the Facebook page of Alicia Rule of Blaine, a Democrat who is challenging Republican state Rep. Luanne Van Werven for one of two House seats in the 42nd Legislative District, which covers Whatcom County from north Bellingham to the Canadian border.
On Friday, July 17, Rule posted a photo of a campaign ad wrapped around her ballot, which both arrived in the mail on the same day.
Rule told The Bellingham Herald on Wednesday that the complaint is a “cheap shot” and without merit.
She said she didn’t arrange for postal workers to wrap her paid campaign advertisement around the ballots.
“That’s ridiculous,” Rule said. “Not only is it ridiculous, it’s impossible.”
Rule said on Facebook that she timed the mailing of her ad to coincide with the arrival of ballots, which were sent Wednesday to voters statewide.
“My mail carrier folded my ballot and other mail in my campaign literature when he delivered it to me,” Rule said on Facebook. “I was pleased to see my pamphlet show up on the same day as ballots and put a photo of the ballot on Facebook. In the post, I also noted that I am endorsed by unions that include postal workers. To be more specific, I am endorsed by the Retired Public Employees union and the Washington State Labor Council.”
It wasn’t an attempt to “wrongfully influence voters,” Rule said.
“It is true that some ballots in the 42nd District arrived with campaign literature folded around them, which is common practice when mail carriers need to fit large pieces of mail in one mailbox,” she said. “It happens to my magazines all the time, as our mailbox is the smallest size possible. It’s so far from an illegal conspiracy.”
Van Werven called it “a serious matter” on her Facebook page.
“My opponent’s social media post regarding her campaign flyer wrapped around ballots is being investigated,” Van Werven said on Facebook. “The secretary of state is investigating this with the U.S. Postal Service. Multiple PDC complaints are being filed. The U.S. Attorney will be looking at this as well.”
Secretary of State Kim Wyman, a Republican, said in a statement that her office asked the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Postal Service, and the Department of Homeland Security to investigate.
“Until those federal investigations have concluded and we have more information, we do not want to speculate further on this matter,” Wyman said.
Ernie Swanson, Postal Service spokesman in Seattle, told The Bellingham Herald in an email that officials are investigating.
“The U.S. mail remains a secure, efficient and effective means for citizens and campaigns to participate in the electoral process, and the Postal Service is proud of our role as an important component of the nation’s democratic process,” Swanson said.
A state PDC spokeswoman said a complaint alleged a violation of state law that prohibits public agencies from using public resources to support or oppose candidates or ballot propositions.
“It does not regulate the activities of campaigns, since they are not in a position to direct the use of public resources,” the PDC’s Kim Bradford said in an email.
“Since this matter concerns the possible use of federal resources, it is more appropriately handled by federal agencies. We are returning the complaint without opening an enforcement case,” Bradford said.
This story was originally published July 22, 2020 at 2:04 PM.
