Washington State

Office of the Attorney General

Attorney General

Bob Ferguson

The Attorney General’s Office today provided the following update regarding the Grocery Manufacturers Association against I-522 and its compliance with state campaign finance laws.
Attorney General Bob Ferguson today announced the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) has agreed to disclose the financing of its campaign to oppose Initiative 522. The agreement eliminates the need to seek court intervention to compel such disclosure. The GMA agreed to file reports with the Public Disclosure Commission and produce information related to its members’ contributions by close of business Friday, Oct. 18.
As required under Initiative 960, the Attorney General has sent written notice to the Secretary of State identifying legislation adopted in the 2013 legislative session that is subject to an advisory vote of the people under Initiative 960.
Attorney General Bob Ferguson reiterated Washington state’s support for marriage equality today as the US Supreme Court hears two landmark cases. Washington joined more than a dozen other states in two “friend-of-the-court briefs” in these cases in late February.
“We all share the desire to provide the highest quality education for our children. As the state’s attorney, it’s my responsibility to defend the will of the voters and I will be directing my legal team to do so in this case.”
OLYMPIA – The Washington State Supreme Court today rejected a lawsuit claiming that Initiative 1183, which privatized state liquor sales, violated the state Constitution’s requirement that proposed laws only address a single subject. The Court also rejected a claim that the description of the new law on voters’ ballots was misleading.
Attorney General Rob McKenna today issued the following statement in response toJudge William Thomas McPhee’s ruling today in Thurston County Superior regarding the proposed ballot title for Referendum 74. The ballot title faced dual challenges from Preserve Marriage Washington, a group supporting the referendum, and the League of Women Voters and others, who oppose the referendum.
 OLYMPIA – A United States District Court judge ruled today that there is no reason to shield from public view petitions from a 2009 ballot measure on domestic partnerships.
The state’s political parties lost another battle against Washington’s popular Top 2 primary today, a loss state officials hopes will put an end to years of litigation.  US District Court Judge John Coughenour of the Western District of Washington at Seattle today ruled the Top 2 primary as implemented in partisan elections “is constitutional because the ballot and accompanying information eliminate the possibility of widespread confusion among the reasonable, well-informed electorate.”
The Attorney General’s Office announced a settlement in its lawsuit against the Washington State Republican Party (WSRP) for violating thestate’s campaign finance disclosure law. 

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