PDC dismisses complaint against Federal Way legislative candidate

The Public Disclosure Commission on Wednesday dismissed the complaint filed by the Washington State Democrats against 30th District Republican candidate Teri Hickel on July 17.

September 2, 2015 8:33 pm
Mayor Jim Ferrell presents the Key to the City to Advancing Leadership's founding Executive Director Teri Hickel in March. Hickel is using this photo in her campaign literature.
Mayor Jim Ferrell presents the Key to the City to Advancing Leadership's founding Executive Director Teri Hickel in March. Hickel is using this photo in her campaign literature.

The Public Disclosure Commission on Wednesday dismissed the complaint filed by the Washington State Democrats against 30th District Republican candidate Teri Hickel on July 17.

The complaint, filed by Tony Yuchasz, executive director for the state Democrats, alleged that Hickel violated state law by using a photo of her with Federal Way Mayor Jim Ferrell in her political advertising. The photo depicts Hickel accepting the Key to the City from Ferrell, a gesture the mayor made in March to recognize Hickel for her part in the local organization Advancing Leadership.

But Public Disclosure Commission officials said the photo does not imply an endorsement from the mayor.

“By using the photo of Teri Hickel receiving the ‘Key to the City’ from Mayor Jim Ferrell, the Hickel campaign’s advertising represented only that Ms. Hickel has received the key to the city,” said Frederick C. Kiga, executive director of the Public Disclosure Commission, in a letter to Yuchasz. “No evidence was presented that the photo was inaccurate in this regard. The advertisements at issue contained no statements indicating that Mr. Ferrell supported or endorsed Ms. Hickel in her campaign for state representative.”

Hickel’s campaign manager Keith Schipper said in a media release that “Teri has conducted herself with integrity throughout this campaign, and we applaud the Public Disclosure Commission for recognizing that in their decisive ruling this morning. She is proud to have been recognized by her hometown for her hard work to make this community a better place to live, and while Seattle Democrats may not like it, we will continue to share that with voters in Federal Way.”

In addition, the commission upheld the Hickel campaign’s claim that California billionaire Tom Steyer is heavily funding Rep. Carol Gregory, D-Federal Way.

Kiga said commission staff “found no clear and convincing evidence that the relevant statements in the campaign’s advertising were false statements of material fact.”

Gregory could not be reached for immediate comment.

Hickel said she is “relieved that these distractions have been put to rest, and I am excited to continue to talk about the issues our community, and our state, face.”