OLYMPIA… State Sen. Mark Schoesler is questioning whether Gov. Bob Ferguson’s recent appointments to the state Public Disclosure Commission are legal.
After a recall effort began against him for not filling two vacancies on the PDC for several months, Ferguson in the past two weeks appointed Matthew Segal, a former King County Superior Court judge, and Microsoft attorney Teebah Alsaleh to the commission.
“Under the state statute (RCW 29B.20.010) dealing with the PDC, no more than three commissioners shall have an identification with the same political party,” said Schoesler, R-Ritzville. “The three current commissioners are considered to be identified with the Democrats, while nobody aligned with Republicans had been appointed. That being the case, Governor Ferguson should have appointed at least one person with Republican ties. Clearly, neither of the governor’s recent appointees identifies with Republicans. It can be argued that the two new appointees have Democrat connections. If it is not a violation of the law related to the PDC, it is a violation of the spirit of the law.”
The PDC was created by Initiative 276 in 1972. The five-member commission enforces state campaign-finance laws.
Schoesler, who serves the 9th Legislative District, said the Senate Republican Caucus suggested to the governor that he consider former 15th District Republican Sen. Jim Honeyford as a PDC appointee.
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