Ask her to levy stiff penalty for WEA campaign finance violations

Jan. 11, 2001 - The Evergreen Freedom Foundation yesterday delivered nearly 1,000 signed

cards and notes from citizens around the state asking Attorney General

Christine Gregoire to fully investigate and penalize the Washington

Education Association for its recent campaign finance violations.

Teachers from the area were also present to express their concern at WEA

officials' proven willingness to skirt the law and spend their wages

advancing a political agenda they personally disagree with.

"A lot of teachers are angry at what union officials are doing, but there's

a big intimidation factor," said Doug Crawford, a seventh grade teacher in

Olympia. "They're afraid of losing the jobs they love if they speak out.

We elected the Attorney General to represent us and she needs to hold the

WEA accountable."

Gregoire filed a lawsuit against the union in October after WEA officials

admitted to funding political activities with the fees of more than 4,000

non-member teachers without getting their permission. This is a direct

violation of state campaign finance laws.

"The last time the Attorney General took the WEA to court, in 1998, union

officials got off with a slap-on-the-wrist settlement," said Jami Lund, a

program manager for EFF. "We don't want that to happen again."

To read a teacher's opinion, please visit:

http://www.effwa.org/tppreport/a_teacher.htm

Evergreen Freedom Foundation

A Nonprofit Public Policy Research Organization

P.O. Box 552, Olympia, WA 98507

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For Immediate Release

January 11, 2001

Contact: Marsha Richards, Communications Director

(360) 956-3482