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LYNNWOOD—A six-week long, in-depth Lynnwood Times investigation has uncovered that Lynnwood City Council Vice President Josh Binda was evicted from his Lynnwood apartment in 2023 and has been allegedly living at a south Everett address near Seattle Paine Field Airport for at least the last 12 months he has served on the Lynnwood City Council.

The investigation further uncovered that Vice President Binda, 25, owes just over $18,000 in unpaid traffic citations ($1,400 to the City of Lynnwood alone), PDC fines ($1,363), and several legal judgments against him (over $14,000). Records also show that within the last five years, Binda had a total of 18 court cases, several related to wage garnishments that involved the City of Lynnwood.

Election records obtained by the Lynnwood Times indicate that Council Vice President Binda may have violated state and federal election laws by having declared the address he was evicted from in November 2023 as his home address with the Snohomish County Auditor for which he then used to vote in 2024 elections. According to the Secretary of State’s Office, Binda declared a Lynnwood P.O. Box as the location to receive his mail-in ballot.

According to Nathan MacDonald, Manager of Communications and Public Affairs for the City of Lynnwood, the city was not aware that Council Vice President Binda may be living in Everett and will need to “look into it,” pursuant of the state law’s requirement to be a registered voter in the city a council member serves.

The Lynnwood Times reached out to Council Vice President Binda to give him the opportunity to address these allegations of not living in Lynnwood, outstanding fines and judgements, if he were intending to run for re-election via phone call on Friday, January 24. He requested a list of questions via email that were sent on Friday afternoon. As of the publication of this article on Monday, January 27, Binda has not replied to these emailed questions to communicate his responses to readers.

Binda was first elected in November 2021, defeating former city councilwoman Lisa Utter. A former Black Lives Matter activist, Binda became the youngest Black American to be elected to office in Washington state.

As council vice president, Binda votes on, manages, and provides oversight of the City’s $420 million biennium budget; creates laws impacting anyone who visits, lives, or does business in Lynnwood; assists in setting council agendas; and is an official representative of the city at events. In January of 2025, Binda was elected Council Vice President, a council leadership position, for the 2025 Legislative Session by his fellow council members.

According to payroll records, Binda was compensated approximately $20,000 from the City of Lynnwood in 2024, and the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission shows that Binda reported earnings between $30,000 to $59,999 from his Josh Binda Speaks LLC in his most recent 2024 Financial Affairs Disclosure report for the period January 1, 2023, through December 31, 2023.

According to the submitted 2024 Financial Affairs Disclosure Report, which Binda certified to be accurate and true on July 29, 2024, he lists the address for his Josh Binda Speaks LLC business at a south Everett apartment, the same south Everett apartment throughout our investigation. This is just one data point of several other instances The Lynnwood Times will reveal where this south Everett address is associated with Lynnwood Council Vice President Binda along with undercover surveillance.

The Josh Binda Speaks LLC company in the July 2024 PDC filing with an Everett address as its location, was founded in February of 2023 and its purpose involves the Lynnwood councilman touring various venues performing inspirational speaking at seminars usually to youth.

The address at the formation of this company in February 2023 was the councilman’s former Heather Ridge Apartments in Lynnwood from which he was evicted in November of 2023. As of January 2025, this former Lynnwood address is still on file with the Secretary of State’s Office as the business’ physical location and in March of 2024, an SOS document shows that the councilman certified “under penalty of law and is to the best of my knowledge, true and correct” that the evicted Lynnwood address is the physical location of his Josh Binda Speaks LLC company.

Josh Binda Speaks LLC is the same company in which Binda was also investigated for and signed a settlement agreement in 2023 with the City of Lynnwood for unlawfully using Council Chambers in order to film a promotional video for his business and used city resources (e.g. city email account) for personal financial gain. Coincidentally, Binda’s speaking tour promotional video was filmed allegedly by former fire commissioner and independent journalist Steve Hickey who was recently court ordered to vacate a $1.5 million house in Ravensdale for squatting in December 2024.

Hickey was put on leave from his Fire Commissioner position back in May of 2024 after allegations surfaced of him abusing his position for personal gain while also allegedly using municipal equipment to promote his journalism channels. Hickey resigned in late December 2024 following the investigation into corruption by Kangley-Palmer Fire and Rescue.

Our six-week-long Lynnwood Times’ investigation was initiated by a concerned Lynnwood resident into allegations that Council Vice President Binda is not a resident of Lynnwood nor is living in Lynnwood. For ease and simplicity, the words south Everett apartment referred throughout this article is the same south Everett apartment—full address intentionally redacted by the Lynnwood Times—alleging the physical living location of Lynnwood Council Vice President Binda.

Below is a summary of findings that will be explained in more detail later in the article:

• November 6, 2023: Court-ordered Eviction from Heather Ridge Apartments for which Binda was trespassed from the premises. This was Binda’s documented Lynnwood address.
• January 29, 2024: A Statement of Candidacy (Form 2) filing with the Federal Election Commission signed by Councilman Binda which he certified under penalty of 2 U.S.C. §437g that his physical address as a candidate is the south Everett apartment. A Statement of Candidacy form is filed with the Federal Election Commission when a person intends to run as a candidate for federal office.
• January 29, 2024: A Statement of Organization (Form 1) filing with the Federal Election Commission signed by Councilman Binda’s Treasurer which she certified under penalty of 2 U.S.C. §437g that the physical address of his campaign, “People for Josh Binda,” is the south Everett apartment. A Statement of Organization form is used to register a candidate’s political campaign committee.
• April 19, 2024: A Statement of Organization (FEC Form 1) amendment filing with the Federal Election Commission signed by Councilman Binda which he certified under penalty of 2 U.S.C. §437g that the physical address of his campaign and campaign books is the south Everett apartment.
• July 29, 2024: Binda signed a Washington State Public Disclosure Commission’s annual Financial Affairs Disclosure report certifying the South Everett apartment address as the location for Council Vice President Binda’s Josh Binda Speaks LLC business.
• December 23, 2024: The Snohomish County Auditor’s Office is unable to verify Binda’s purported “new” Lynnwood home address that he reported on December 23, 2024, and as of January 24, 2025, Binda’s voter registration status is inactive.
• January 13, 2025: After the city council meeting that evening, Binda was directly (firsthand) observed arriving at the south Everett apartment at approximately 11:10 p.m., where he unlocked the door of the unit, then entered the unit at approximately 11:22 p.m. This was surveillance 2 of 3 by an experienced investigator.
• January 21, 2025: After the city council meeting that evening, Binda was directly (firsthand) observed arriving at the south Everett apartment at approximately 9:29 p.m., where he unlocked the door of the unit, then entered the unit at approximately 9:32 p.m. This was surveillance 3 of 3 by an experienced investigator.
• January 22, 2025: Several neighbors at the south Everett apartment positively identified Council Vice President Binda as possibly living at the location.
• January 23, 2025: An undercover courier delivered a package at approximately 8 a.m. to the south Everett apartment for which Councilman Binda accepted and signed.

Washington State law RCW 35A.12.030 states that elected officials within a mayor-council government must be a registered voter in the city they serve at the time of their filing or declaration of candidacy and must be a resident of the city at least one year next preceding their election.

“To be a legally registered voter, the elected official must maintain a permanent residence in the precinct in which they are registered. “Residence” in this context means “a person’s permanent address where they physically reside and maintain their abode,” wrote Flannary Collins with the Municipal Research and Services Center (MRSC). “An elective office becomes vacant when an elected official ceases to be a legally registered voter of the municipality. Therefore, once an individual moves out of the jurisdictional boundaries of the municipality they serve, unless that move is truly temporary, they are no longer qualified to serve on the governing body of that municipality.”

According to the Snohomish County Auditor’s Office, Binda’s voting status is currently inactive following several attempts by the Auditor to verify that he is living at the purportedly “new” Lynnwood address on file as of December 23, 2024. The Office verified with the Lynnwood Times that Binda’s voting registration was placed on inactive status because they have not received confirmation, or any subsequent proof, that he is indeed living at the Lynnwood residence in which he recently registered on December 23, 2024.

As far as requiring City Council members to maintain residency within the jurisdiction they serve throughout the duration of their term, there is currently no state law that prohibits this. However, according to a spokesperson for the Washington Secretary of State’s Office, the intent of the law is for an elected official to continuously reside in the jurisdiction, telling the Lynnwood Times, “This is often the case because how can you serve a jurisdiction, you’re not a resident of?”

The SOS’ Office informed the Lynnwood Times that it’s not their responsibility to police residency and it ultimately falls upon a City and its own codes to enforce residency requirements.

While Lynnwood’s Municipal Code 2.04.070 does not outright state a City Council member must remain a resident throughout one’s term, several other neighboring jurisdictions do. Mukilteo, for example, states “You must be a resident of Mukilteo to serve on a City Board, Commission or Committee” on City position applications.

The City of Everett, similarly, includes in their municipal code, Section 2.2, that “Council members must remain City residents while in office and must remain residents of any Council district from which elected.”

By comparison, Lynnwood’s Municipal Code and its lack of language requiring a City Council member to maintain a residency through their term, is unique to the region and a city of this size and is up to City Council members to address.

FEC filings list the south Everett apartment address

For the 2024 Presidential Election, Binda unsuccessfully ran against Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02)—the Ranking Member of the United States House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee—for the Second Congressional District seat.

According to Federal Election Commission filings on January 29 and April 19 of 2024, the Lynnwood Councilman used the south Everett apartment address as his primary, campaign, and records addresses.

On January 29, 2024, a Statement of Candidacy (FEC Form 2) was filed and signed by Councilman Binda which he certified under penalty of 2 U.S.C. §437g that his physical address as a candidate is the south Everett apartment. A Statement of Candidacy form is filed with the Federal Election Commission when a person intends to run as a candidate for federal office.

On that same day, Binda’s campaign Treasurer signed and certified a Statement of Organization (FEC Form 1) under penalty of 2 U.S.C. §437g with the FEC that the physical address of Binda’s campaign “People for Josh Binda” is the south Everett apartment. A Statement of Organization form is used to register a candidate’s political campaign committee.

Just three months later, on April 19, 2024, Councilman Binda amended the Statement of Organization (FEC Form 1) to remove his Treasurer replacing her with himself, including updating the Custodian of Records—physical location of his congressional “People for Josh Binda” campaign books—to the south Everett apartment and switching financial institutions from Wells Fargo to BECU. The amendment was signed and certified by Councilman Binda under penalty of 2 U.S.C. §437g with the FEC.

FEC records show that the “People for Josh Binda” received $4,634.88 in contributions and expensed $2,400 for campaign flyers and $734 for campaign shirts. According to the FEC, as of January 24, 2025, the campaign is showing an ending cash balance of $1,900.88. However, this reflects filings as of June 30, 2024.

The Treasurer, Jessica Pisane, originally used by Binda for his “People for Josh Binda” congressional run who he later replaced within the first three months of the campaign to himself, successfully offered treasurer services for OSPI Superintendent Chris Reykdal (a $354,000 campaign) and 24^th LD Washington State Representative Adam Bernbaum ($218,000 campaign) in 2024. She also successfully performed treasurer services to Seattle City Council Candidate Alexander Dawson Cooley in 2023 (a $94,000 campaign).

Pisane in a phone call with the Lynnwood Times confirmed that she originally helped Binda on his congressional campaign.

For Binda’s 2021 Lynnwood City Council campaign, Andy Lo was listed as Treasurer. Lo confirmed back then with the Lynnwood Times that he separated with Binda in September of 2021, just after the Primary election, because of questionable transactions and lack of communication from Binda. Lo was and still is an experienced, respected, and prominent campaign Treasurer within the state of Washington.

These five data points listing the south Everett apartment as his address in three FEC filings signed and certified under penalty of 2 U.S.C. §437g by Councilman Binda and/or his Treasurer is evidence that Councilman Binda is allegedly living at the south Everett apartment and not in Lynnwood.

Undercover surveillance leads to the south Everett apartment address

An experienced investigator surveilled Councilman Binda on three separate occasions after three city council meetings—December 2024 to January 2025—to provide evidence to the allegation that Lynnwood Council Vice President Binda is not a resident of Lynnwood nor is living in Lynnwood.

The findings resulted in that two of the three occasions Councilman Binda was directly (firsthand) witnessed to have concluded his travel from the Lynnwood City Council meeting at City Hall to the south Everett apartment.

For the one occasion which Binda was not witnessed to have concluded his travel to the south Everett apartment, the surveillance ended prematurely when the councilman was directly observed at a dinner with a fellow councilwoman at a Lynnwood restaurant late into the night after the city council meeting. The surveillance was called off and did not continue after Binda and the councilwoman left the restaurant together after dinner.

An undercover decoy posing as a courier was able to obtain a signature from Council Vice President Binda at the south Everett apartment on January 23, 2025.

Below are the findings from the surveillance by the experienced investigator and an undercover decoy:

Surveillance 1: After the city council meeting on December 9, 2024, Councilman Binda was observed leaving with Councilwoman Derica Escamilla in her vehicle from City Hall—she was the driver.

The vehicle with both Binda and Escamilla drove to Escamilla’s residence and parked outside of her residence—neither person ever left the vehicle.

After several minutes, the vehicle with both Binda and Escamilla then left her place where they went to Olive Garden on 196^th Street in Lynnwood and were observed having dinner together. Because it was getting late, past 10:30 p.m., the experienced investigator called off the surveillance.

Surveillance 2: After the city council meeting on January 13, 2025, Council Vice President Binda was observed leaving with Councilwoman Derica Escamilla in her vehicle from City Hall—she was the driver.

They arrived at the south Everett apartment at approximately 11:10 p.m. where they were observed sitting in the vehicle. They could be heard via the car’s loudspeakers talking on the phone with a female about the aftermath of the city council meeting.

This conversation lasted until 11:22 p.m. after which Councilman Binda was directly (firsthand) observed leaving the vehicle then proceeded to the door of the south Everett apartment, unlocked the door, then entered the unit. Councilwoman Escamilla did not join Councilman Binda to the unit and left the property.

Surveillance 3: After the city council meeting on January 21, 2025, Council Vice President Binda was observed leaving City Hall shortly after 7 p.m. where he walked to the Lynnwood Library and remained there until 8 p.m.

The councilman then walked from the Lynnwood Library to Wendy’s on 52^nd and 196^th in Lynnwood where he enjoyed a meal. At approximately 8:30 p.m., the councilman left Wendy’s to the Community Transit Blue Swift Line’s 196th St SW NB Station located at 196^th Street and HWY 99.

Binda was directly observed boarding the 9:09 p.m. Blue Swift Line BRT to Everett. The bus arrived at the 4^th Ave W NB Station in south Everett at approximately 9:21 p.m. where Binda was observed leaving the bus.

At approximately 9:29 p.m. Binda arrived at the south Everett apartment where he paced back-and-forth on the sidewalk in front of the apartment building for approximately 2 minutes speaking on the phone with a female about how to “work Nick,” addressing “naysayers” on council, and discussing a “youth council.”

Still on the phone, Councilman Binda was directly (firsthand) observed proceeding to the door of the south Everett apartment, unlocked the door, then entered the unit at approximately 9:32 p.m.

Neighbors ID Binda: On January 22, 2025, several neighbors at the south Everett apartment positively identified Council Vice President Binda from his City Council headshot picture when it was presented to them. The neighbors said that to the best of their knowledge they thought the person in the picture lived at the residence as they see Council Vice President Binda entering and leaving the apartment almost daily or on the property frequently.

Package Delivery: At approximately 8 a.m. on January 23, 2025, an undercover courier delivered a package to the south Everett apartment for which Binda accepted and signed.

The Lynnwood Council Vice President answered the door shirtless and in his underwear. He then proceeded to tell the undercover courier that he was expecting his laptop to be delivered today. The courier asked Binda how long he lived at the south Everett apartment to which Binda answered, “technically this is my dad’s place.” The courier did not follow up with a question and left.

The Lynnwood Times was able to confirm that the south Everett apartment where Council Vice President Binda is allegedly living is leased to Binda’s father.

The independent data points of Council Vice President Binda arriving to, unlocking the door of, and entering the unit of the south Everett apartment; the confirmation from neighbors frequently observing Binda at the south Everett apartment; Binda signing for a package at the south Everett apartment; and Binda divulging he was expecting a laptop to be delivered at the south Everett apartment are evidence that Binda is allegedly living at the south Everett apartment and not in Lynnwood.

Binda voter registration is inactive and possible voter fraud

According to Washington state voter registration records obtained by the Lynnwood Times, Council Vice President Binda’s voter registration status is currently inactive as of January 24, 2025, because his purported “new” Lynnwood home address in the Meadowdale area (52^nd Ave W) cannot be confirmed. This “new” address is coincidently very similar to his previously listed address before moving to Heather Ridge Apartments.

Voter registration records show that until December 23, 2024, Council Vice President Binda listed his home address as a unit in the Heather Ridge Apartments in Lynnwood—the address where he was evicted from in November of 2023. However, according to voter registration records obtained by the Lynnwood Times, a P.O. Box was declared by Binda for the mailing address to receive his mail-in ballots—not the evicted home address.

Records show that Binda did vote in the 2023 General Election on November 7, the 2024 Special Election on February 13, the 2024 Presidential Primary on March 15, the 2024 Primary Election on August 6, and 2024 General Election on November 5. The date of Binda’s eviction from the Heather Ridge Apartment residence was on November 6, 2023, a day before the end of the 2023 November General Election cycle.

According to RCW 29A.84.030, “A person who willfully violates any provision of this title regarding the conduct of mail ballot primaries or elections is guilty of a class C felony punishable under RCW 9A.20.021.” Also, as 2024 was a Presidential Election, 52 U.S. Code § 10307 Section C states that under federal law it is unlawful to provide false information in registering to vote or voting.

From December 23, 2024, onward, the Snohomish County Auditor’s Office reports a “new” home and mailing address for Councilman Binda in the Meadowdale area (52^nd Ave W) of Lynnwood, but the Auditor’s Office is unable to verify the address and lists Binda as an inactive voter as of January 24, 2025.

Both the purportedly “new” home and mailing addresses submitted by Binda are the same but coincidently they share a very similar address (just off by one digit and identical streets) listed as Binda’s address from a parking violation he received in March of 2021 and a traffic infraction he received on June 16, 2021. These citations show Binda’s former address was 17433 52^nd Ave W in Lynnwood (before he was evicted by Heather Ridge Apartments) and is just off by one digit for his purported “new” December 23, 2024, address for which the County Auditor’s Office is unable to confirm.

The Lynnwood Times knocked on the doors of each of the eight units at the “new” home location listed for Council Vice President Binda and was told by several neighbors that they neither knew nor heard of a Josh Binda. A City Council headshot picture of the councilman was presented to the neighbors at the time of inquiry. The Lynnwood Times will be following up with those units that were unavailable during our inquiries on Friday, January 24.

The Lynnwood Times also will be further investigating the “coincidence” in Binda purporting his “new” registration address very similar as his former 17433 52^nd Ave W address.

The independent data point of the Snohomish County Auditor’s Office being unable to verify Binda’s purported “new” Lynnwood home address that he reported on December 23, 2024, is evidence that Binda is allegedly living at the south Everett apartment and is not currently an active registered voter in Lynnwood.

Binda’s eviction from his Lynnwood apartment

Binda was served an eviction notice from where he lived at the Heather Ridge Apartments in Lynnwood on October 21, 2023, for unpaid rent. He was personally served an eviction lawsuit notice and summons to appear in Snohomish County Superior Court by Bruce Munro of Puckett and Redford PLLC.

Binda’s rent at Heather Ridge was approximately $1,350 a month but he failed to make payments for six straight months from April of 2023 through September of 2023. Binda also did not pay his roughly $68 a month utility bill from February of 2023 through September of 2023 or his $35 a month pet fee from April of 2023, through September of 2023. This, in addition to a $45 a day late fee totaled approximately $10,300.45 of unpaid rent, utilities, pet fee, and fees as agreed upon in his rental lease contract. Binda was also required to pay the attorney fees, court fees, Sheriff fees, and filing fees.

In August of 2023, Binda entered a rent repayment plan under Washington State’s Eviction Resolution Pilot Program (ERPP) with payments of $484 a month—a third of his monthly rent—but also failed to meet these payments.

Binda was served a notice to pay rent or vacate the premises on September 7, 2023, and a Summons and Complaint for Unlawful Detainer on October 21, 2023, requiring an appearance and answer by October 30. However, Binda failed to appear in court, nor did he reply by the deadline placing himself in default. By not complying to vacate or pay rent by the deadline, Binda was then considered to be unlawfully detaining the premises by state law.

Attorney Randall Redford, Attorney representing the Heather Ridge Apartments, motioned for a judgement against Binda on November 3, 2023. Redford, on behalf of Heather Ridge Apartments, was granted that judgement on November 8 to collect the unpaid amount of $10,300.45 plus $45 a day with a 12% interest rate.

That judgement hearing also authorized the Snohomish County Sheriff to force Binda to vacate the premises, and seize his property, if he did not vacate by November 17, 2023.

However, as part of the court’s Writ of Restitution signed on November 8, 2023, Binda was and has been trespassed from the Heather Ridge Apartments and is not allowed on the property without the management’s prior written permission.

The independent data points of his eviction from his Lynnwood apartment in November of 2023 coupled with the court-ordered trespass, establishes a possible date Council Vice President Binda was forced to relocate possibly to the south Everett apartment and not legally authorized to reside at the Heather Ridge Apartments in Lynnwood.

Binda’s multiple traffic infractions and other judgements

Most of Binda’s 18 court cases over the last four years involve driving violations and traffic infractions, from which he incurred approximately $3,800 in fines. He still has an outstanding balance in collections as of the end of December of just over $1,900 of which $1,400 is owed to the City of Lynnwood. Binda collects a monthly salary from the City of Lynnwood of approximately $1,650.

Below is a summary of court documents of his driving violations.

1. In December 2019 he was pulled over for expired registration and driving without insurance accruing a $1,026 fine. He entered a payment plan and has since paid this off in full.
2. In December of 2020 he was pulled over in Lynnwood for improper lane usage, expired tabs, and driving without a valid license, incurring $923 in fines in Lynnwood Municipal Court. He has since paid only $127.
3. In March 2021, he was pulled over for expired tabs again, charged a $30 fine with an added $25 delinquent parking fee. When he did not pay this, the $55 total fine was sent to collections and DOL was notified to suspend his license.
4. In June 2021, Binda was issued a traffic infraction by Mountlake Terrace police for expired tabs incurring a $231 fine that was increased to $283 for failure to pay. This is still unpaid.
5. In September 2021, he was pulled over for driving without headlights in Lynnwood incurring a $191 fine. This is still unpaid and has entered collections.
6. In June 2022, Binda was pulled over in King County for following too close to another vehicle and was fined $187. He did not pay and the fine has since entered into collections.
7. In November 2022, Binda received a traffic citation for speeding 24 mph over the speed limit by Washington State Patrol incurring a $273. He has since paid this off in full in March 2023.
8. In January 2023, he was pulled over for driving 17 miles per hour over the speed limit on I-5 in Snohomish County incurring a $248 fine. He has since paid this off in full.
9. In February 2023, he was pulled over for driving 10 miles over the speed limit in Thurston County. He has since paid off the $187 fine in full.
10. In March 2023, Binda was pulled over for driving with a suspended license in the third degree (meaning his license is eligible to be reinstated) on I-5 in Thurston County. He attended an arraignment that same month and the case was closed without any charges.
11. In August 2023, Binda was issued a citation for running a red light by a photo enforcement camera in Lynnwood incurring a $189 fine. This fine was not paid and has since entered collections.
12. On July 1, 2024, Binda was issued a citation for running a red light again by a photo enforcement camera in Lynnwood incurring a $170 penalty. The vehicle was clocked at 58 mph in a 35-mph zone. This fine has not been paid.

The remaining court cases involve Binda’s failure to pay rent and utilities at his Lynnwood apartment, his Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office-backed forced eviction, and the subsequent judgements approved to garner his wages.

Binda has two additional unpaid judgements against him totaling $4,615, as of December 17, 2024. Below is a breakdown of those judgments:

• A 2022 judgement for garnishment is by Olympic Collection, Inc. representing Fitz Towing in the amount of $854.64 for a 2012 Ford Focus. The garnishees were Blue Origin (employment terminated July 2022), Cocoon House, and City of Lynnwood. This judgement is still outstanding.
• A 2023 judgement for garnishment is by Credit Concepts of Washington representing Sno-King Auto Sales in the amount of $3,760.84 for a 2012 Ford Focus with a 29.90% APR which he financed in 2021. The garnishee was the City of Lynnwood. This judgement is still outstanding.

Binda still yet to paid PDC violations  

According to PDC records, Binda has still not paid his multiple violation fines. Below is a breakdown of the outstanding balance of the $1,363 in PDC fines as of January 24, 2024 to the state of Washington by Councilman Binda:

• A $1,000 fine from using campaign funds for personal use and failure to make campaign books open to public inspection (a fine that initially had $500 of it suspended if he had paid it on time, but has since been reinstated after he failed to do so),
• A $300 fine for a second violation of RCW 42.17A.700, and
• A $63 balance on a $250 fine for failing to file F1 financial statement documents in time.

Throughout his 2021 campaign leading up to his eventual 2021 election win, Councilman Binda recorded $4,848.19 in expenditures towards rent, towing fees, event tickets, jewelry, laptops, airfare, groceries, dental work, haircuts, and office furniture. An additional over 100 purchases totaling $4,952.12 was recorded as “Expenses of $50 or less.”

In July 2023, Binda testified at a PDC Brief Adjudicating Proceeding that he had not paid off his fines because he didn’t know “how to a write a check.”

Potential breach of oath

Though Council Vice President Binda’s list of traffic infractions is considered civil matters in Washington State—and do not qualify as a breach of his oath of office—his failure to pay the approximately $14,000 in restitution could result in a criminal offense if a prosecutor decides to do so.

According to state law RCW 42.12.010, an elected office position shall become vacant after an official commits any “offense involving a violation of his or her official oath”, or “whenever a judgment shall be obtained against that incumbent for breach of the condition of his or her official bond.”

As mapped out in RCW 43.01.020, Binda was required to take the following oath leading up into his swearing in as a Lynnwood City Council member: “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution and laws of the state of Washington.”

Editor’s Note: Mario Lotmore contributed to this article.

Author: Kienan Briscoe