Let’s Go Washington cleared in PDC case, Brandi Kruse commentary not an in-kind contribution
OLYMPIA — The Washington Public Disclosure Commission on September 23 formally dismissed a campaign-finance complaint against Let’s Go Washington (LGW) involving commentary by political commentator Brandi Kruse, finding no evidence the committee paid her and declining to treat her on-air advocacy or event appearances as reportable in-kind contributions. “PDC staff did not find any evidence […]
California fines influencers for hidden political posts, could Washington follow?
SACRAMENTO— California just put real teeth behind a rule Washington already has on paper: if a campaign pays someone, say an influencer, to post about a candidate or ballot measure, the audience is supposed to know. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 1130 on Saturday, September 19. The measure lets California’s Fair Political Practices Commission […]
Seattle Times’ Climate Lab faces PDC complaint over $44,000 in undeclared anti-I-2117 Ads
OLYMPIA—In a bombshell complaint that rips the veil off alleged media collusion and undisclosed political muscle, Ari Hoffman has accused The Seattle Times and a web of connected nonprofits of systematically failing to report the true value of what he calls undeclared political advertising and in-kind contributions worth at least $44,090.64—and potentially more than $100,000—against […]
Free Speech on trial: Why the Brandi Kruse investigation threatens more than one podcast
[COMMENTARY]—A potential showdown is unfolding: Does independent political speech in the digital age still receive the same constitutional protection long afforded to traditional media? The Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) on August 12, has opened a formal investigation into Let’s Go Washington and, by extension, independent commentator Brandi Kruse over a complaint filed by Washingtonians for […]
Let’s Go Washington now under formal PDC investigation over alleged $1.25M in-kind ads to Brandi Kruse
OLYMPIA — The Washington State Public Disclosure Commission opened a formal investigation into Let’s Go Washington after an initial hearing on August 12, 2026, into allegations that the political action committee failed to report between $345,000 and $1.25 million in in-kind political advertising linked to political commentator Brandi Kruse and host of unDivided. The committee […]
Judge upholds state’s ballot statement on income tax repeal, Let’s Go Washington cries foul
OLYMPIA [Jerry Cornfield]—A Thurston County judge on Friday upheld a one-sentence statement that will appear on ballots describing the budgetary consequences of an initiative to repeal Washington’s new income tax on high earners. Superior Court Judge Chris Lanese denied open government activist Arthur West’s request to amend the disclosure statement or remove it from the ballot. That […]
Ferguson kicks off fight to defeat Let’s Go WA’s income tax repeal initiative
SEATTLE [Jake Goldstein-Street] — The initiative to overturn Washington’s new income tax on high earners hasn’t officially qualified for the fall ballot yet, but on Tuesday, Governor Bob Ferguson and other opponents of the measure launched a campaign to defeat it. At Food Lifeline in the city’s South Park neighborhood, Ferguson said that with Initiative […]
Let’s Go Washington turns in over half-a-million signatures on IP26-645 to repeal income tax bill
TUMWATER — Let’s Go Washington delivered 511,408 signatures Thursday to the Washington Secretary of State’s office for Initiative to the People IP26-645, an effort to repeal the state’s newly enacted 9.9% tax on annual household income above $1 million and to bar state and local governments from imposing taxes on overall individual income. The submission […]
AG Nick Brown offers prosecutorial help after new attacks against signature gatherers
SEATTLE — Washington Attorney General Nick Brown announced Friday, June 12, that his office will assist local prosecutors investigating crimes against people collecting signatures for ballot initiatives and referendums, citing a recent pattern of harassment and violence. “We should not tolerate illegal actions that threaten to disrupt Washington’s democratic process,” Brown wrote in his announcement. […]
Ferguson admits LGW’s income tax repeal initiative will be on November ballot
OLYMPIA—Governor Bob Ferguson on Wednesday, May 27, publicly acknowledged that Let’s Go Washington’s initiative to repeal the newly enacted income tax he signed into law on March 30, will collect the required 309,000 valid signatures by the July 2nd deadline to qualify for the November 3rd general election ballot. “It looks like voters will get a say […]
