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EVERETT—The Washington Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) has opened an investigation into embattled Everett City Council District 4 Candidate Niko Battle after Ministerial Treasurer to the Friends of Niko Battle campaign, Jacob Read, officially filed a complaint that alleges “severe and repeated campaign finance violations.”

“Over the course of my tenure at Friends of Niko Battle (FoNB), it became increasingly clear that Niko’s requests for campaign finance records alterations were not well-meaning misunderstandings, but a malicious attempt to undermine the regulations set out in the RCW and WAC,” Read opened in his seven-page complaint.

Read resigned from Battle’s campaign on August 5, 2025, and is now requesting “a full and proper investigation.”

“I felt compelled to resign, and now feel compelled to report these violations to the PDC, because I have learned that Niko Battle willfully and knowingly violated PDC regulations and has even lied to someone who requested to see FoNB’s books of account, in an effort to delay the requestor’s lawful access to campaign books of account,” wrote Read.

The “requestor” Read is referring to is Lynnwood Times Publisher and award-winning Investigative Journalist, Mario Lotmore, who made multiple requests to inspect the campaign records of the Friends of Niko Battle campaign in accordance with WAC 390-16-043 but was unsuccessful.

As to why Read did not come forward earlier, with the alleged violations, he shared that he was “under the false impression” that his contract with the FoNB campaign prevented him and he was concerned for a career in campaign services.

“I had been warned by professional associates in Everett that Niko could present a major threat to my career prospects were he to dislike my services,” wrote Read.

Read alleges that he was instructed by Battle to falsify campaign records; confirmed filing full, accurate, and timely C-4 reports; and states that Battle “failed to make their books of account available within 48 hours” when requested by The Lynnwood Times on July 31.

Read alleges that Battle instructed him to amend a C-4 Expenditure report to remove a conditional bonus debt (initially $750, later over $1,000), claiming it misrepresented the campaign’s financial status before a fundraiser. Battle also demanded misreporting direct expenses for consultants (e.g., lodging, travel) to obscure them as lump-sum payments, despite Read’s warnings of improper filing the complaint further alleges.

Battle required pre-approval for report filings but failed to schedule calls, delaying reports during the pre-primary window Read states. This led to an incomplete C-4 report on July 15, with condensed vendor data, and an inaccurate report on July 30, 2025, based on “guesses” due to Battle’s unresponsiveness, hindering compliance.

Read validated the Lynnwood Times allegation that Battle failed to provide campaign books for inspection within 48 hours after a July 31, 2025, request from the news outlet.  

“I can confirm that, according to information published within the Lynnwood Times and my own account of events/interactions with Niko, FoNB has failed to make their books of account available within 48 hours,” said Read. “Further, Niko Battle lied to the individual [Mario Lotmore] who requested access to the books of account and made no effort at all to make them available.”

Read shared that the Friends of Niko Battle campaign’s books of account were entirely digital, with Battle having full knowledge of charges and receipts as the sole official handling them.

Read stated he could have prepared the books for delivery within 30 minutes if notified of a public request for inspection. However, Battle’s failure to retain receipts and documents, despite Read’s repeated requests, resulted in incomplete and unverified campaign finance records.

Read then lodged a series of potential violations by Battle including an allegation of impersonating his father in an attempt to on May 16 gain access to the campaign’s BECU account.

“Despite repeated and clear refusals by BECU branch staff to allow Niko to access the account without providing a social security number, or presenting a physical ID over webcam banking, Niko continued to argue with staff until we were directed to the branch manager (I believe her name was Erika), who again refused to allow access without proper identification…. After terminating the call with BECU, Niko clarified that he had been lying to them (and myself) and that he couldn’t give them his SSN because he was impersonating his father,” Read alleges.

In reviewing the PDC submitted campaign finance reports for Friends of Niko Battle, the Lynnwood Times identified $5,928.93 in suspicious expenditures tied to the campaign for travel expenses, Airbnb, campaign management payments, gift cards, gas reimbursements, food expenses, and other expenses classified as “Expenses of $200 or less.”

So far from our investigation, $256.29 in expenses associated to a “Taqueria Costa” are listed with an address of Chervon gas station in Everett on Broadway; campaign management payments of $700 to a “Chris Roughlidge” that doesn’t appear anywhere listed in the U.S. yet Battle’s father “Erron Kevin Battle” is listed as his campaign manager with the PDC; Airbnb and travel totaling $1,019.31 listed as “Travel expenses for consultants;” another $880.36 in nine Shell Gas gift cards and gas reimbursements all from the same Everett gas station which may go against PDC guidelines; and $3,072.97 in expenses classified as “Expenses of $200 or less.”

An employee who spoke with the Lynnwood Times at the Shell gas station on Broadway from which $600 in gas cards were purchased, said that Shell Gas Cards can only be purchased using cash only. According to the restrictions on the back of the Shell Gas Cards, these are not redeemable for cash.

“I believe there is sufficient suspicious data to merit an investigation into the legitimacy of these expenses, to confirm whether or not the food, coffee, and gas cards were really ending up in the hands of staff and volunteers, or if these were improper uses of campaign funds for personal expenditures,” Read stated in his complaint to the PDC.

The Lynnwood Times on July 31 and August 2 was attempting to inspect the receipts of these and the other questionable transactions.

Lastly, Read alleges that Battle instructed him to report a fabricated $1,000 in-kind contribution from Gordon Marketing and Management, owned by Battle’s parent, to falsely inflate fundraising figures and deceive donors, with no services provided.

Battle is an experienced campaign manager and consultant having worked as a campaign consultant and campaign manager for Rep. Brandy Donaghy in 2021, Edmonds City Councilwoman Susan Paine in 2019, a former Mukilteo mayor in 2019, and a former Mukilteo Councilwoman Sarah Kneller in 2017. Battle also worked on former Snohomish County Prosecutor Adam Cornell’s campaign.

According to the Battle’s LinkedIn account, he is the Senior Partner at Impact Public Affairs, which is listed as a “Political Campaign Consulting” business with the Washington State Secretary of State naming Niko Battle as sole owner.  Battle’s LinkedIn profile reads, “With a robust background in public relations, fundraising, and campaigns, I have honed a skill set pivotal to navigating the political landscape and achieving client objectives effectively.”

According to the PDC, Impact Public Affairs, have performed campaign management and consulting services for the following candidates: Rep. Brandy Donaghy in 2021, Mukilteo City Council Candidate Carolyn A Carlson in 2021, Lake Stevens City Council candidate Jessica Wadhams in 2021, Seattle Mayoral candidate Jessyn Farrell in 2021, Seattle Mayoral candidate Lance Randall in 2021, Auburn City Councilwoman Kate Baldwin in 2021, former Edmonds City Councilwoman Fraley-Monillas Adrienne in 2021, Snohomish County Council Candidate Nicole Ng-A-Qui in 2021, King County Council candidate Saudia J Abdullah in 2021, Thurston County Commissioner Carolina Mejia in 2020 (equivalent to a Snohomish County Council member), Washington House of Representatives candidate Glenda Breiler in 2020, and Rep. Strom Peterson in 2020.

According to the PDC, Battle’s name is listed to have received $11,075.36 for his campaign services and his political campaign consulting business, Impact Public Affairs, is listed with the PDC to have received $39,528.74, for a total of $50,604.10 in payments for campaign related services from 16 political campaigns from 2017 through 2021.

The Secretary of State’s Office reports Impact Public Affairs administratively dissolved as of February 13, 2023.

The Lynnwood Times is awaiting a response from the Niko Battle campaign of our request to address the allegations by his former campaign treasurer who is still listed on the Registration form.

Author: Mario Lotmore