Lawmakers Get Late Start Fund Raising Law Kept Some From Taking Cash During Session
The Freeze of ‘96 is over, at least for three state lawmakers running for governor.
Rep. Dale Foreman and Sens. Nita Rinehart and Pam Roach had been prohibited by law from accepting contributions for their gubernatorial campaigns during a four-month period that coincided with the 1996 legislative session. The restriction stemmed from a campaign finance reform measure approved by voters in 1992.
The “freeze,” as it came to be known, ended last Sunday, and now the three legislators are scrambling to compete for campaign dollars with the other 10 candidates who were not affected by the law.
Republican Jim Waldo clearly benefited the most in March, thanks in large part to the freeze.
According to campaign finance reports filed this week with the Public Disclosure Commission, the Tacoma attorney was the top fund-raiser among all candidates in March with $84,401. That boosted Waldo’s campaign war chest to $352,564 and propelled him past Foreman, the House majority leader who had reported collecting $304,000 before the freeze went into effect.
Waldo dismissed the impact of the freeze as inconsequential, saying many potential donors declined to give during the legislative session for fear of offending any of the three lawmakers. He also noted that the three legislators spent their time during the freeze aggressively courting endorsements.
Like Waldo, Jay Inslee, who raised $45,990 in March, preferred not to attribute his success to the fund-raising freeze imposed on some of his competitors.
“It’s convenient. But I think it’s overrated as an impact, frankly,” Inslee said. “The freeze helped the legislative candidates get money in the door early.
“Everybody has advantages. Those in the Legislature have the advantage of getting their names in the newspapers.”
xxxx FUND RAISING AND SPENDING Gubernatorial fund raising and spending through March 31: Candidate Home Raised Spent Jim Waldo(R) Vashon Is. $352,564 $171,587 Dale Foreman(R) Wenatchee $304,650 $188,639 Norm Maleng(R) Seattle $293,057 $242,227 Ellen Craswell(R) Poulsbo $226,677 $221,534 Jay Inslee(D) Bainbridge Is. $138,209 $50,590 Pam Roach(R) Auburn $102,299 $76,729 Nita Rinehart(D) Seattle $91,306 $63,228 Norm Rice(D) Seattle $88,603 $13,322 Gary Locke(D) Seattle $83,108 $12,299 Nona Brazier(R) Auburn $10,675 $794 Bob Tharp(R) Vancouver no report Bryan Zetlen(D) Seattle no report Nikou Gustobov(R) Seattle no report NOTE: Locke’s report included figures through April 10. Source: Public Disclosure Commission. Associated Press