From staff reports:

On May 27, former Federal Way Municipal Court judge Michael Morgan was assessed a penalty of $1,500 for “multiple violations of the prohibition against using public facilities to support his 2009 re-election campaign,” according to the state Public Disclosure Commission.

“Mr. Morgan entered into a stipulation as to facts, violations, and penalty that the Commission accepted in March, except for the penalty portion which was set over for hearing,” according to a news release by the Public Disclosure Commission.

On Aug. 7, the commission received a complaint that alleges a computer found in Morgan’s personal office was used to claim the identity of a clerk in his court, then respond to fellow judicial candidates’ election blogs on The Mirror’s Web site and the Tacoma News Tribune’s Web site. State campaign laws prohibit the use of city equipment and computers for election purposes.

After last week’s ruling, Morgan told The News Tribune “he gave evidence to the state showing he did not make the Internet postings in question,” according to the newspaper’s May 28 report.

Morgan lost re-election to Rebecca Robertson in the November general election.

To read The Mirror’s original report on the case, click here.