Pope Threatens County Lawsuit
The gad just keeps flying: King County Council candidate Richard Pope is now threatening to sue county interim prosecuting attorney Dan Satterberg for - Pope's words - "refusing to enforce" county campaign laws. Pope, the contentious Democratic opponent of Republican council member Jane Hague, contends that the county Republican Central Committee has over-contributed to the campaign of Jim Nobles, the GOP candidate for King County Assessor. He cites disclosure records showing the committee has given Nobles $1,976.57, despite, he says, a law limiting contributions from a person or party to $1,400 per election cycle.
Pope also released copies of e-mails between him and Satterberg in which the prosecutor admits he made a "rookie mistake" in depositing a $1,500 committee check into his personal bank account rather than his prosecutor's 2007 campaign account - the check was mistakenly made out to him personally; Satterberg said the error has been corrected. Pope has also complained to GOP state attorney general Rob McKenna about the GOP committee's apparent failure to timely file records of all its bank deposits.
Today Pope sent Satterberg what Pope says is the third of three letters since early September asking Satterberg to enforce the law as it applies to Nobles' campaign. "I am especially concerned that your office might not be enforcing the campaign contribution limits...because of political reasons," Pope wrote in his e-mail copied to county officials. "Mr. Nobles is a Republican and so you are [sic]. The KCRCC is supporting both Mr. Nobles and yourself in this election." Pope, noting that the law does not expressly prohibit citizens from taking action when a violation occurs, warned Satterberg he had ten days to file a lawsuit. If the prosecutor fails, "then I shall commence a lawsuit against yourself, the KCRCC and Mr. Nobles..."
A spokesperson for the county Republicans says that a complaint apparently from Pope has been filed with the state Public Disclosure Commission, but that the committee feels it has not exceeded the donations limit, based on the GOP's reading of state law.
UPDATE: The county GOP is striking back with a faux news page "reporting" on Pope's own legal problems and political travails, the Times' David Postman reports - including details of a goofy lawsuit against Costco over food discrimination! More here.
7 comment(s)
Richard Pope says:
The King County GOP and Jim Nobles appear to be in violation of a King County ordinance, which is more restrictive than state law regarding what political parties may donate.
King County Code 1.05.040 prohibits ANYONE -- including political parties -- from donating more than $1,400 per election cycle to county candidates -- executive, council, sheriff and assessor. (The King County ordinance does not apply to the prosecutor race, since that office is not established by the King County Charter.)
If the King County Code did not impose a much lower limit, state law would only prohibit the King County GOP from giving more than 35 cents per registered voter -- which is a considerably higher limit.
Posted On: Friday, Oct. 5 2007 @ 5:09PM
Dick Bishop says:
These sort of issues are handled by the Public Disclosure Commission, not the prosecutor\'s office.
Mr. Pope should know that.
Then again, maybe not.
Mr. Pope has a history of filing frivolous lawsuits.
Perhaps that\'s why the King County Bar Association has rated him \"not-qualified.\"
Posted On: Friday, Oct. 5 2007 @ 5:47PM
GaryK says:
No in this case - even though a PDC complaint apparently has also been made - it is a county ordinance not a state law at issue; the ordinance governs the donation limit and it is the prosecutor who should be enforcing it. Pope\'s right, and that\'s why he\'s threatening to sue the county, to do its job.
Posted On: Saturday, Oct. 6 2007 @ 8:55AM
larryb says:
Hague or Pope - what a choice. I\'m writing in Bart Simpson.
Posted On: Saturday, Oct. 6 2007 @ 3:26PM
ma782zda says:
c810t
Posted On: Saturday, Oct. 6 2007 @ 3:31PM
Piper Scott says:
The King County Bar Association ain\'t the only ones...ditto the Muni League AND KC Democrats refused to endorse him...His own (more recent?) kind have turned him out!
In the movie that\'s to be made of this race, Richard Pope will be played by Rowan Atkinson a/k/a Mr. Bean. Some might say it\'s type-casting.
The Piper
Posted On: Sunday, Oct. 7 2007 @ 12:42AM
JR says:
Richard Pope wanting to sue city? Maybe city should sue Richard and convict him of ethics violations, theft and new investigations of sexual assult filed in Bellevue, Washington.
Posted On: Saturday, Jul. 25 2009 @ 4:13PM