Sue Lani Madsen: Following Seattle money to Spokane

Running a successful political campaign at any level requires money. Preferably local money, but it’s not surprising to find statewide and national organizations interested in the council races in Washington’s second largest city.

One organization has perfected a method of disguising its support as ordinary individual donations. The group calls it a “moneybomb.” Its successful July 9 bombing run dropped over $20,000 from Seattle metro area donors strategically into two Spokane City Council races.

First Mile Circle (firstmilecircle.org) does not hide its mission or strategy. The group seeks out progressive candidates who also meet their criteria as people of color, then advises its followers to “give online directly to candidates in a coordinated ‘moneybomb’ that concentrates the circle’s contributions on the same day for maximum impact.”

Recipients of First Circle’s recent aerial campaign were Naghmana Sherazi and Lacrecia Hill, who until July 9 had been struggling to raise money in highly competitive primaries. Sherazi faces Jonathan Bingle and Luc Jasmin III in the northeast district for the seat currently held by Kate Burke. Hill faces Christopher Savage, Karen Kearney, Michael Lish and Zack Zappone in the northwest district race to replace Candace Mumm.

Candidates not paying attention to contributions will still catch flak. Sherazi and Hill may have no idea who these Seattle-area donors are but any campaign team would celebrate a single day $10,000 bump in the bank account. They know the money is there and why. Especially when it closes the gap between them and their hottest competition.

And you can bet the Progress Alliance of Washington and its First Mile Circle know who they are supporting across the state. It won’t be independent, bipartisan middle-of-the-road candidates. The Alliance is all about spreading the progressive agenda out of its Seattle-centric headquarters to “build a permanent and powerful social change movement in Washington state.”

In other words, to make the Spokane City Council just as dysfunctional as the progressive council in Seattle. The one whose decisions have left Seattle facing a public safety crisis, according to Interim Seattle police Chief Adrian Diaz, as well as a housing crisis.

A “moneybomb” only becomes obvious in Washington’s Public Disclosure Commission records by digging into the timing and addresses of donors. It will be hard to see at all if First Circle decides to change strategies and advise donors to scatter contributions over multiple days or weeks.

But this cycle, we can see the bomb. It includes a lot of donors listing themselves as “Not Employed.”

Unemployed in posh neighborhoods of Seattle, Kirkland and Mercer Island means something a whole lot different than it does in Hillyard. Look up the addresses on Zillow and it’s easy to spot the tech millionaires in the privileged circle. One house was purchased by an “unemployed” donor for over $5.7 million in 2019, before the real estate bubble expanded. It features a 5 burner gas range and natural gas radiant heating system for a 4,264 sf single family house in Kirkland.

Ironic for someone who is presumably a supporter of the progressive legislative push to eliminate natural gas in housing statewide. Natural gas for me and not for thee.

While privileged and well-housed Seattle donors dump money into campaigns for two open seats, the current Spokane City Council and mayor are working on Spokane’s housing emergency for the long-term.

Which explains the independent expenditures from the political action committees of the Washington Association of Realtors and the National Association of Realtors. Their stated goal is to support candidates they feel will best understand how “laws and regulations implemented by public officials directly impact … housing availability and housing affordability.”

It’s hard to see anything nefarious about people who make a living selling houses giving voters their opinion of which candidates understand the housing business. Or when organizations interested in building houses make direct donations.

What’s puzzling is why NARAL Pro-Choice America made in-kind plus maximum cash contributions to Sherazi and Hill for the primary. Advocating for abortion is not a city council issue.

These are nonpartisan races, so the usual disclaimer about “candidate party preference does not mean a party prefers a candidate” is not applicable. But while a candidate may not prefer or even know all their donors, putting their money on the line tells you who the donors believe best matches their agenda. Is their agenda the same as yours? It’s all reported to the Public Disclosure Commission (pdc.wa.gov) for anyone to see.

A little advice for candidates – either you or a trusted friend needs to scan through your donors to spot potentially embarrassing connections before your opponent does.

Contact Sue Lani Madsen at rulingpen@gmail.com.