Don't tolerate election interference

A King County Superior Court ruling last week struck a blow for Washington state's values of transparent campaign financing.

Judge Richard Jones ruled the Voters Education Committee had to report who paid for an incessant television ad campaign in 2004 that targeted Deborah Senn. She was running for the Democratic nomination for state attorney general. Jones agreed with the state Public Disclosure Commission's 5-0 ruling last September that the ads were expressly advocating against Senn, rather than merely informing voters — a key distinction. The PDC sued Voters Education Committee to make it register as a political committee and reveal its expenditures and contributions.

Only two days before the election, the committee revealed the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform was the sole contributor of $1.5 million.

This manipulative tactic of trying to capsize an election while hiding behind a locally established front organization is particularly offensive in Washington state, where voters long ago embraced the concept of transparency when it comes to campaign finance.

The 1972 Open Government Law, passed by voters in 1972, reads in part: "The public's right to know of the financing of political campaigns and lobbying and the financial affairs of elected officials and candidates far outweighs any right that these matters remain secret and private."

The state attorney general will press for penalties and fines, but it's unclear whether the Voters Education Committee has any money of its own. A lawyer for the group promises an appeal.

So far, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is not a defendant in the action, but it should be.

In Washington, the television smear campaign might have backfired, because Senn won the primary handily. Republican Rob McKenna defeated her in the general election.

The U.S. Chamber and other organizations that want to secretly interfere in Washington's elections should be put on notice:

Washington state won't tolerate it.