OLYMPIA—An anti-GMO organization violated Washington’s public disclosure law by concealing the names of more than 7,000 donors who contributed in 2013 to an initiative that would have required food makers to label products with genetically engineered ingredients, a judge ruled Friday.
Food Democracy Now, based in Iowa, didn’t register as a political-action committee or report until after the election the sources of the $200,000 it contributed to the Yes on Initiative 522 campaign.
Thurston County Superior Court Judge Gary Tabor rejected arguments that Food Democracy was a short-staffed non-profit and naive to Washington’s political laws.
“They were able to get huge interest, with 7,000 people donating,” he said. “This is not an insubstantial amount of money that was contributed.”
The ruling was a second victory for the state Attorney General’s Office in cases stemming from the most-expensive political campaign Washington history.
Another Thurston County judge ruled in March that the Grocery Manufacturers Association was guilty of failing to disclose the names of the food and beverage companies that contributed to I-522’s defeat.
Food Democracy’s fine will be decided at a trial, unless the sides negotiate a settlement. The attorney general’s office has not indicated the penalty it will seek. A trial date has not been set.
The attorney general’s office has argued GMA should be punished with a fine of up to $42 million, triple the amount $14 million the trade association raised in 2013 for political activities nationwide.
GMA contributed $11 million to the “No on I-522” campaign. A trial to decide the penalty is scheduled for August.
Food Democracy raised $295,661 by soliciting campaign contributions through four electronic newsletters. The group contributed the $200,000 through its political arm, Food Democracy Action.
GMO-labeling supporters contributed $9.87 million to the Yes on I-522 campaign, while opponents spent $33.3 million against the measure.
The Public Disclosure Commission can levy fines of up to $10,000 per disclosure violation. The Attorney General’s Office pursues cases in state court when potential penalties are higher.
Source: www.capitalpress.com