Complaint Alleges Illegal Activity In 2015 Enumclaw Council Race

ENUMCLAW, WA — A 2016 complaint about alleged illegal campaign finance activity during a nasty Enumclaw City Council race will have a hearing soon. The case also involves Pierce County Councilwoman Pam Roach, whose former legislative assistant passed evidence of illicit collaboration to a former state representative, documents show.

The complaint covers the 2015 City Council campaign of Darrel Dickson, who ran against former Enumclaw Councilwoman Kimberly Lauk. A complaint filed in 2016 by former Enumclaw state lawmaker Christopher Hurst alleged that Dickson collaborated with the group Citizens for a Better Enumclaw (CBE), but never reported the activity.

Hurst's initial complaint was dismissed. But soon after that, Roach's former legislative assistant, Conner Edwards, contacted Hurst to share emails allegedly showing collaboration. State laws prohibit candidates from coordinating with independent groups.

The complaint filed by Hurst includes emails between Dickson and Edwards discussing content for a campaign mailer against Lauk. But the email talks about attributing the mailer to CBE rather than Dickson. In one email, Edwards tells Hurst he was in charge of doing opposition research against Lauk.

Lauk beat Dickson in the 2015 November election with 56.2 percent of the vote. She unexpectedly resigned from the Enumclaw City Council in April. Councilman Beau Chevassus was appointed to replace her, and will serve until Nov. 25.

The state Public Disclosure Commission will hold a contested hearing on the matter on Sept. 19 in Olympia.