PART 3: Bob Ferguson just confirmed he plans to violate the law to sabotage Jim Walsh’s initiatives. I’m still trying to stop that by putting a spotlight on him.
Wed, May 22, 2024
To: Our thousands of supporters throughout the state
(cc’d to the media, house & senate members, and Governor, and other candidates for office)
From: Tim Eyman
Fighting for Taxpayers for 27 years
On April 18, the headline of my update read: “Would Bob Ferguson violate the law to sabotage Jim Walsh’s initiatives? Of course he would.” You can read the whole thing here.
Here’s the situation:
1) In 2021, the Democrats passed into law Inslee’s Capital Gains Income Tax.
2) In 2022, the Democrats passed a law to sabotage any initiative that kills off any tax or fee, including the Cap Gains Tax.
3) That law they passed — RCW 29A.72.027 — allows the Attorney General to write and insert a SABOTAGE SENTENCE into any initiative’s ballot title that affects “any tax or fee.”
4) As soon as Jim Walsh’s 3 initiatives were set to appear on the November ballot, I’ve been hectoring the AG’s office about it.
Read this email exchange and you’ll see what I’m talking about:
EYMAN (March 15): “Please let me know the individual(s) in the office who will be handling the new policy on public investment impact statements on initiatives (RCW 29A.72.027).”
AG (March 15): “This will be the first year that we have to prepare any of them (public investment impact disclosures), and we have not yet finalized our process for doing so. If you check back later this month we should have a clearer timeline and plan.”
EYMAN (March 26): Reading the clear text for RCW 29A.72.027, I note that a “public investment impact disclosure” (PIID) is to be prepared by the AG only when an initiative affects “any tax or fee”.
I note that Initiative 2117 repeals the Climate Commitment Act (CCA) and that law generates revenue from “allowances” and not from a tax or fee. Neither the word “tax” or “fee” appear anywhere in the CCA (https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.
I note that Initiative 2124 allows workers to opt-out of paying the “premiums” (not tax or fee) for Long Term Care Insurance (LTCI). Neither the word “tax” or “fee” appear anywhere in the LTCI (https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/
Neither of those initiatives “Repeals, levies, or modifies any tax or fee” and therefore your office should NOT prepare a “public investment impact disclosure” for either of them.
If your office chooses to ignore the clear language of RCW 29A.72.027 and decides to prepare a PIID for one or both of these initiatives anyway, I want to be notified immediately so a legal challenge can be timely filed. It is in everyone’s interest to avoid any delays in the preparation of the voters pamphlet and ballots.
Sincerely, Tim Eyman
— END —
Despite putting a bright spotlight on such law-less behavior, the AG just sent me this email:
AG (May 20): “I am notifying you that our office has concluded that PIID statements are required for Initiatives 2117 and 2124, and we will be preparing those accordingly.”
As I wrote before, I believe the law is unconstitutional.
But to challenge it in court, the plaintiff must have “standing.”
And as far as I can tell, the only ones who have standing are initiative sponsor Jim Walsh and the good folks at Let’s Go Washington who are backing them.
And in my opinion, the best person for them to retain to handle the critical task of overturning this obnoxious law is superstar attorney Joel Ard:
I urge you to urge them to legally challenge this horribly destructive law.
This law needs to be overturned so none of Jim’s initiatives can be sabotaged by the AG.
And even if this law doesn’t get struck down, Bob Ferguson just indicated he plans to violate the law when he sabotages I-2117 (repealing Inslee’s Cap & Trade) and I-2124 (allowing workers to opt-out of Long Term Health premiums) by assigning them a PIID.
I’ll continue to keep everyone updated on this threat to Jim’s initiatives.
Is it any wonder why Bully Bob Ferguson is trying so hard to impose a lifetime ban on all my future political activity?
I urge you to help me fight back against the AG’s abuse of power by donating to the Tim Eyman Legal Defense Fund so that Richard Sanders can get this ridiculously unconstitutional ruling overturned.
Mail your check to:
Tim Eyman Legal Defense Fund
17404 Meridian Ave E #F PMB 176
Puyallup, WA, 98375
Or donate online:
By GiveSendGo (credit/debit card)
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With your help, I will keep fighting for the people across our nation with initiatives, lawsuits, lobbying, and helping elect more freedom-loving elected officials.
I love you all.
Onward!
Tim Eyman
You can call or text me anytime: 509-991-5295
You can email me anytime: Tim@TimDefense.com
(I can’t access any of my other email addresses — grrr!)
For more details on this, go to: TimDefense.com
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