It’s been more than a year since Battle Ground resident Jackie Lane filed a complaint alleging that Clark County Councilor Tom Mielke used his county email to campaign in 2014, a violation of state campaign laws.
Earlier this week, she finally received a response from the state Public Disclosure Commission: Mielke did break campaign laws, and for his punishment, faces a $100 fine.
“I doubt the $100 fine … covers staff costs,” Lane said. “(I’m) not thinking the PDC is much of a deterrent for bad behavior in our politicians.”
In February last year, Lane alleged to the PDC that the Republican councilor used his county email to campaign against the Home Rule Charter ballot measure, as well as against Democratic county commission candidate Craig Pridemore, who lost to Republican Jeanne Stewart in 2014. State law prohibits officials from using public resources to campaign.
The PDC found violations in two of the three emails Lane submitted.
In an email exchange between Woodland Chamber of Commerce treasurer Darlene Johnson and Mielke in October 2014, Mielke discouraged the Woodland chamber from taking a position on the charter.
Johnson forwarded to Mielke a press release from the Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce and the Camas-Washougal Chamber of Commerce, in which they announced their support of the charter.
“Thought you might be interested in what is being email (sic) to Chamber on the Charter issue,” Johnson wrote to Mielke.
“The Charter is a disaster,” Mielke responded. “Please don’t let the chamber take a position on this, it will put them in a bad light.”
A second email, sent from local conservative Larry Patella in October 2014 to a mailing list, details a series of votes made and stances taken by then-commissioner candidate Pridemore, and urges readers to vote for Stewart.
“WOW!” Mielke responded to the entire list. “JUST WOW! HARD TO BELIEVE ALL THIS WENT RIGHT DOWN PARTY LINES … ENOUGH ABOUT WORKING WELL WITH OTHERS.”
According to a PDC order, Mielke faces a $100 penalty from the PDC due to the office of the state treasurer. If he doesn’t pay within 30 days, that fine will increase to $200.
Mielke, who told The Columbian last year that Lane’s complaint was a “reach in the best of sense,” did not return a request for comment.
