BREAKING NEWS- DIDIER ASKS FEDERAL COURT TO ORDER NEWHOUSE TO HALT ILLEGAL CAMPAIGN ACTIVITIES IN WASHINGTON 4TH DISTRICT Newhouse Chair Admits Using State Resources, Sees Nothing Wrong with It (The court documents and emails are on the website) Richland, WA - The “Didier for Congress” campaign has gone to court to stop its opponent from violating both state and federal campaign laws in Washington’s 4th Congressional District. “We were reluctant to do it, but we owe it to the voters to level the playing field to guarantee an honest and fair election, Said Clint Didier. “They’ve already admitted using state resources in the campaign, and the state Ethics Board has found ‘reasonable cause’ for the charges. But they still won’t say they have or will stop before the election, and claim they haven’t done anything wrong.” The complaint, filed in Federal District Court in Richland WA, asks the Court to issue an injunction to immediately stop using state agency resources to campaign for Dan Newhouse, and to stop violating federal law – the Hatch Act – by using “official authority and influence for the purpose of interfering with and affecting the result of an election.” Plaintiffs are “Clint Didier 4 Congress” and Didier as an individual. Defendants include the “Dan Newhouse for Congress” campaign, the Washington State Potato Commission, and Chris Voigt, Executive Director of the Potato Commission, who is also a Chair for the Newhouse campaign. Newhouse and Voigt have a long-standing professional relationship in state government -- Newhouse was a political-appointment as state Director of Agriculture which oversees state agricultural agencies like the Potato commission. The complaint demonstrates that the Newhouse campaign is using “public resources, including the facilities, email, equipment, office space, vehicle, clientele lists, and publications of the Washington State Potato Commission for the purpose of compelling the speech of persons who disagree with the political views of Mr. Voigt, in violation of the protections found in the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.” The emails were obtained by the Didier campaign through disclosure requests after an outraged Newhouse supporter brought some of the emails from Voigt to them and asked Didier to take action. “We’ve been trying to get them to stop for about two months, so with the election coming up, they’ve left us no choice but to go through the courts,” says Clint Didier who along with the Didier 4 Congress Campaign are plaintiffs. “Even after Chris Voigt publicly admitted using his position and resources as Executive Director of the Potato Commission to campaign for Dan Newhouse, he refused to stop or say he was wrong.” The Washington Executive Ethics Board announced this week that they found “reasonable cause” for the charges against Voigt, who could face up to $10,000 in fines and other actions. He has 30 days to respond. “Heck, I’m a potato farmer and pay into the Potato Commission. He’s using my own money to campaign against me,” says Didier. For example, a March 18, 2014 email from Chris Voigt “strongly urged” potato farmers to attend a fundraiser for Dan Newhouse and included an attached invitation from the official campaign. “I’m really hoping we can have a strong showing from the potato industry at this event…it’s important that Dan is able to show in the next Federal Elections Commission report that he is doing great with fund raising. This will be the most important fund raising event Dan will be hosting.” And in a March 21 email signed “Chris Voigt, Executive Director, Washington State Potato Commission” Voigt again pushed potato farmers to attend the Newhouse fundraiser: “I hope you and Liz will consider attending. I’d really like to see about 10 potato folks there. Dan is going to win it…it will discourage others from further diluting the race.” “It’s not just that he’s using his email and car,” says Didier, “but what’s even worse is using the influence and power of his state title and position. And I’m just shocked to find out that Voigt authorized the Potato Commission to co-host a high-dollar fundraiser for Patty Murray. This is a clear violation of both state and federal law.” Didier points out that Newhouse can’t claim he didn’t know what was going on because there are emails back and forth between them on Voigt’s potato commission account. And as state Director of Agriculture, Newhouse was responsible for ethics enforcement of the state agricultural agencies, including the Potato Commission. Didier says the injunction is the only way to make sure action is taken before the election since the Ethics Board doesn’t meet until after the election to rule on Voigt’s violations. “We’re glad the Ethics Board is taking this seriously, but what’s the point if the Newhouse campaign isn’t stopped before the election,” said Didier. bit.ly/1kbmmGN
Posted on: Thu, 18 Sep 2014 23:31:06 +0000
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