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Washington state GOP contributions to congressional hopefuls suggest party may have helped candidates circumvent election law

Washington state Rep. Jacquelin Maycumber, who has declared her candidacy for the U.S. House seat being vacated by Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, speaks on Tuesday at a news conference outside of the Spokane Convention Center to talk about her endorsement by many law enforcement officials, fire service officials, and state and regional officials. (Jesse Tinsley/THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW)
By Emry Dinman emryd@spokesman.com(509) 459-5472

Campaign finance reports and a text shared with The Spokesman-Review appear to show a high-profile Republican candidate for Congress circumvented federal election law with the aid of the state Republican Party.

Just days before the March 31 cutoff for first-quarter federal campaign finance reports, as candidates tried to rake in any last-minute cash to demonstrate their momentum and clout in one of the most crowded races in the state this year, the Washington State Republican Party donated the legal maximum for the primary election, $5,000, to state Rep. Jacquelin Maycumber.

Of the eight Republican candidates who had announced bids for the seat by the March 28 donation, only Maycumber received party money. The gift’s timing was unusual, as just weeks later the state party would hold its convention in Spokane, during which members overwhelmingly voted to endorse a candidate to replace outgoing Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers: not Maycumber but Ferry County Commissioner Brian Dansel, an appointee in the administration of former President Donald Trump.

The state party is no poorer for its generosity to a candidate whom its members would pass over in April. Two days earlier, Maycumber had donated $5,500 to the state party, not from her campaign account for Congress, but a surplus account from her prior runs for state office. That transfer was not initially reported as required by state law, but was filed as an amendment to Maycumber’s March filings and only became public this month.

It would have been illegal for Maycumber to have simply transferred money from her campaign account for state Legislature to her campaign account for Congress, but a message sent to candidates by the chair of the state GOP suggests the party was willing to act as a pass-through in circumvention of the rule.

State Rep. Jim Walsh, chair of the state Republican Party, made it clear that the organization would help party loyalists running for office to do exactly that. On the same day Maycumber received the party’s money, Walsh attempted to extend the offer to Spokane County Treasurer Michael Baumgartner, who is running for the same seat.

“Mike: WAGOP’s longstanding policy is to help all GOP candidates move financial support to their campaigns as long as they ask and their request is legal,” Walsh wrote. “(State Rep. and 6th Congressional District candidate) Drew MacEwan and Jacquelin Maycumber have asked and WAGOP has helped them.”

MacEwan, who is running to represent the Olympic peninsula in Congress, also received a $1,500 donation from the state party on March 28. Baumgartner declined the offer, believing it would not, in fact, be legal.

In addition to trying to bypass rules against direct transfers between a person’s campaigns, the transfer may still violate laws prohibiting the state party from agreeing to spend a donation for a particular purpose, or earmarking the funds.

Maycumber, a prolific fundraiser in a safe legislative district, has proudly highlighted her record of transferring “hundreds of thousands of dollars” to the state party during her time in Olympia.

In an April interview, Maycumber said that she wasn’t sure if she had sent the state party money from her surplus account in the last month. When asked whether she had any conversations with Walsh about using the state party to circumvent federal electioneering law, Maycumber didn’t answer directly. She said that she had personally talked with Walsh about a donation, but didn’t remember if she had asked for a donation from Walsh himself or the party.

“I have no idea about this text (to Baumgartner),” she said. “I’m very excited to accept the Washington state party money for my campaign.”

When asked why she believes she was the only candidate to receive a donation, particularly just before the party endorsed another candidate, she said the state party would be better able to answer.

Walsh did not agree to an interview or directly answer questions, but did provide an emailed comment.

Maycumber, MacEwan and Baumgartner all “have long histories of supporting and contributing to the State Party,” Walsh wrote. “The State Party would try to support all three of them if they asked. And if their ask is legal and ethical.

“The point is largely academic, since Brian Dansel was endorsed in Spokane. Now, the State Party is focused on supporting him. Perhaps that’s why this issue has come up at this time.”

Walsh did not respond to a request for clarification.

On Friday, the Maycumber campaign responded to a request for comment, following the May report that showed she had sent $5,500 to the state GOP immediately before receiving $5,000.

“Jacquelin Maycumber has sent over $270,000 to the House Republican Organizational Committee and the State Party since becoming an elected official,” stated Peter Graves, Maycumber’s campaign consultant and former executive director of the state GOP. “She is happy to have helped elect Republicans up and down the ballot.”