A judge ruled Friday that the Grocery Manufacturer’s Association violated Washington campaign finance disclosure laws by hiding the identities of corporate donors that were funding efforts to defeat a food labeling initiative in Washington.
“This landmark case has been a long fight for accountability,” Attorney General Bob Ferguson said. “This ruling sends an unequivocal message: Big money donors cannot evade Washington law and hide from public scrutiny.”
The case is about the association’s financing of a 2013 campaign against Initiative 522, which would have required the labeling of genetically engineered products. The association was the largest donor to the “No on 522” political committee.