County executive race grows expensive and partisan — here’s what the campaigns charge
This year’s race for Whatcom County executive is growing partisan and expensive, with one week before ballots are due in Washington state’s vote-by-mail election.
▪ Ads targeting Whatcom County Councilman Satpal Sidhu are being financed by a political-action committee called the Coalition for Better Northwest whose major donor is a petroleum company and includes large contributions from several Whatcom County businesses, according to records filed with the state.
▪ Political sites on social media feature deep criticism of both Sidhu and businessman Tony Larson, who are candidates for county executive in the Nov. 5 general election.
▪ More than $430,000 has been raised so far in the race, including donations to the PAC and to the Sidhu and Larson campaigns. Through Oct. 24, Larson had raised $157,000, Sidhu had raised $154,000 and the Coalition for a Better Northwest has raised $120,000.
Phillips 66 is the single biggest PAC contributor, giving $70,000 to the PAC that had spent $8,000 to defeat Sidhu, according to PDC reports.
By comparison, only $25,000 was spent in the 2015 race for county executive, and $9,900 was spent in 2007. In 2011, the last time the race lacked an incumbent, $197,000 was spent among five candidates.
▪ Both the Sidhu and Larson campaigns have said their campaign signs have been stolen or damaged and the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office verified that reports of theft and vandalism were filed. One of Sidhu’s signs was defaced with bullet holes and a racial slur, an incident that is being investigated as a hate crime.
▪ A complaint was filed this week with the state Public Disclosure Commission, alleging that the PAC paying for the anti-Sidhu ads has failed to file timely fundraising reports, said Alex Ramel of the Whatcom Democrats, who endorsed Sidhu.
“It’s Big Oil trying to buy our election,” Ramel said in an interview with The Bellingham Herald. Ramel is also extreme oil field director for the environmental nonprofit Stand.Earth.
Ads that debuted this week, paid for by the Coalition for a Better Northwest Washington PAC, claim Sidhu would raise oil prices to $18.54 per gallon and ban all boats on Lake Whatcom.
Sidhu denied both claims.
In an interview, Larson denied knowledge of the ads and said he’s directed his staff to run a positive campaign.
“I condemn any group that attempts to use fear and disinformation,” Larson said.
Election law prohibits candidates from coordinating their activities with those of a PAC.
What’s at stake
Whatcom County executive is a non-partisan, full-time administrative post, responsible for the county’s day-to-day operations and managing various county departments with about 850 total employees and a 2020 budget of $214 million. It’s a four-year term with a 2020 annual salary of $186,000.
County Council sets policy and the executive implements it.
Ballots were mailed to registered voters Oct. 16 and must be postmarked or in ballot drop boxes by 8 p.m. Nov. 5.
Although the race is non-partisan, Sidhu is supported by the Whatcom Democrats and Larson is endorsed by the Whatcom Republicans.
Key issues in the race include amendments that the County Council is considering for the Cherry Point industrial zone, home to two oil refineries, an aluminum smelter and other heavy industry.
Those proposed amendments would limit new refineries, prohibit export of crude oil, and encourage industries that favor “green” technology.
Critics claim that the proposed amendments will hurt good-paying jobs at the refineries and related businesses. Proponents say that growth limits are needed because of the region’s sensitive environment supports eel grass, herring, salmon and orcas — important species in the Salish Sea.
Sidhu said the jobs vs. environment claim is a false equivalency because new, environmentally friendly businesses will support family-wage jobs. He has voted consistently on the council to sustain a temporary moratorium on Cherry Point expansion until the new amendments are final.
County Executive Jack Louws, who has endorsed Larson, is retiring after eight years. Both parties hope to control the post because the executive can influence how the new Cherry Point rules will be implemented.
County Council now has a 5-2 liberal majority, but that could slip to 4-3 with this election.
Sidhu reaction
Two PAC-sponsored ads claim Sidhu would raise oil prices to $500 per barrel and that he intends to ban all boats on Lake Whatcom.
They are based on remarks recorded during County Council sessions that Sidhu said were taken out of context.
“They took 4 seconds of that and made it into a big deal,” Sidhu said of his comments about oil prices.
He said the comments about motorboats were part of a philosophical discussion and said that banning them on Lake Whatcom — which is the source of drinking water for Bellingham and surrounding areas — would be impossible.
“We should be pro-active,” Sidhu said. “But I don’t propose a ban on boats. I’m not against water recreation.”
In an email, Sidhu’s campaign manager said that an image of Sidhu used in the ad was altered digitally to make it appear that he is sitting in a canoe.
“Yes, it was lifted from our Facebook page and Photoshopped,” Jedidiah Holmes said.
Social media targeting Larson
Larson, who runs the Whatcom Business Alliance and is publisher of Business Pulse magazine, said that Sidhu and his supporters are sharing articles on social media that distort his record in support of industry at Cherry Point.
“I condemn all that behavior,” he said. “It’s extremely unhealthy for our civic dialogue. This should be about ideas. Right now, we’re not talking about that. It’s intellectually lazy.”
By law, Larson cannot work with the PAC that’s opposing Sidhu, and Larson said he had no knowledge of the PAC or its activities.
“It’s very unfortunate that local politics are so divisive,” Larson said in an interview. “I’m not doing any negative campaigning. All my ads are inspirational and aspirational. In our campaign, we take the high road.”
He said that PAC money helps Sidhu too, pointing out that Washington Conservation Voters had donated to Riveters Collective, which endorses Sidhu, and to the Sidhu campaign itself.
“Look at the language they are using — it’s wrong” Larson said. “ ‘Tea Party Tony,’ what is that? They’re using my name to fundraise.”
Larson also criticized Sidhu for using his campaign website to link to news articles that Larson said misrepresent his politics and business dealings.
“He’s basically saying that I’m a shill for these folks and I had nothing to do with it,” Larson said. “This battle is a big battle that’s been going on for many years. It’s not just about money. It’s about influence. The conduct of the campaigns is what’s important.”
PAC ads attack Sidhu
Coalition for a Better Northwest Washington registered with the Public Disclosure Commission in late August and had raised more than $120,000 through Oct. 24, according to the PDC website.
Its chairman is John Huntley and most of its efforts have been directed at defeating Sidhu, according to expense reports filed with the PDC.
Besides Phillips 66, major contributors are Marathon Petroleum of Ohio, Brooks Manufacturing of Bellingham, Mills Electric of Bellingham, and Haskell Corp. of Bellingham.
No one at the PAC consulted with the Larson campaign as funds were being raised and the ads were being developed, according to Randy Pepple of Pepple Communications in Woodinville, who is a consultant with the PAC.
“We’re just following the rules that are clearly outlined,” Pepple said in an interview with The Herald. He denied Ramel’s allegations that he was trying to hide fundraising information from voters and said the required reports are being filed on time.
Pepple, who managed Rob McKenna’s campaign for governor against Jay Inslee in 2012, denied using Sidhu’s statements out of context.
“It was his own words,” Pepple said. “I’m not sure how it’s out of context to use his words. He can say, ‘I didn’t mean it that way’ — but let him explain.”
Why one-sided ads work
Jake Grumbach, an assistant professor of political science at the University of Washington, said he couldn’t comment specifically on the local race, but that PAC money creates leverage in local elections because these races are “low-information environments” for voters.
“One of the advantages of using money to support or oppose a candidate is that one can move the money quickly across strategies and campaigns,” Grumbach said in an email. “Donors can quickly send money to unexpectedly competitive races, and campaigns can quickly disseminate ads to respond to new narratives or issues. Ads, whether on TV or online or by mail, positive or negative, are not magic, but if the amount of advertising is one-sidedly in favor of one candidate, it can really matter.”
PDC complaint
In his complaint, Ramel said the PAC violated state law that limits the size of donations within three weeks of an election and requires weekly reporting of campaign contributions.
“The idea is that (voters) can go to the PDC and see who’s supporting the candidates,” Ramel said. “The oil company has hidden the ball to keep voters from finding the source of the money.”
Sidhu said he stands by his assertion that Larson is influenced by contributions from conservative donors and the oil industry.
“I understand that’s he’s upset,” Sidhu said. “But if you look at the people who have donated, the majority of PAC donors are the same people who donated to his campaign. He must’ve known that money was there. He may officially be able to say that he had no knowledge, but he had to know that money was coming.”
