Pelz fined over 2005 campaign-finance violations

The Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission has fined Dwight Pelz $1,750 for violating campaign-finance reporting rules during his unsuccessful 2005 bid for City Council.

Wayne Barnett, the commission's executive director, said six violations by Pelz's campaign "concealed from public scrutiny ... several over-the-limit campaign contributions and made the financial condition of the campaign difficult for the public to assess."

Pelz, now chairman of the Washington State Democratic Party, said he would pay the fine. He described the violations as "bookkeeping errors" by him and his volunteer campaign treasurer. Pelz, who was a King County councilman at the time, said his campaign did not attempt to mislead the commission and public.

Barnett notified Pelz of the fines in a letter Tuesday and made them public Thursday.

In four instances, Pelz's campaign reported refunds that were not made until six to eight months later to contributors who gave more than the legal maximum of $650, Barnett said. Overall, the improperly reported refunds totaled $1,375. The other violations involved reporting deposits before they were made and reporting a debt already paid.

While the violations "could be viewed as minor," Barnett said in his letter to Pelz, they "distorted the campaign's financial position in the reports filed."

Based on the commission's rules, Barnett could have fined Pelz $9,600, but reduced the penalty because the improperly reported finances amounted to a "small fraction" of the $224,000 raised by Pelz's City Council campaign.

Still, the penalty is one of the largest assessed for elections-code violations, Barnett said.

Bob Young: 206-464-2174 or byoung@seattletimes.com