
	Chris Mulick has worked for the Herald since 1998 and has served as the statehouse correspondent covering state government and politics since 2000. He works year-round out of the Herald's Olympia bureau on the state Capitol campus. Have a question? Send Chris an e-mail and he'll answer the best questions regularly.

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Thursday, Sep. 25, 2008

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PDC reluctantly approves $130,000 fine for Realtors

The Public Disclosure Commission met in executive session before reluctantly agreeing to a hefty fine.

The Public Disclosure Commission on a vote of 3-1 has just reluctantly approved a stipulated agreement with the Washington Realtors’ Quality of Life PAC for a $130,000 fine for sloppy reporting of its campaign activities from 2004 through 2007.

Of that, $50,000 is suspended if no further errors occur through 2011.

The Olympian’s Brad Shannon wrote about the problems earlier this week.

Commissioners approved the agreement but not without giving the Realtors a tongue lashing.

“This is a very large and able organization and there is no excuse for what happened,” Commissioner Jane Noland said. “The organization has violated the statute and violated the public’s right to know who is giving what to campaigns.”

Commissioner Jim Clements called the roll on the vote.

“Those opposed?” he called. “That’s me. No.”

Clements said he didn’t think the fine was stiff enough, calling the transgressions “egregious violations of state law.” He noted that should another violation occur “I’ll still be on this board and will accept a $50,000 payment.”

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