Residents offer funds to state initiatives

A race for a state Senate seat representing part of east King County and a ballot initiative campaign to halt safe-injection sites for heroin users in Seattle would seem to have little bearing on Clark County.

But a review of campaign filings with the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission shows that wealthy political donors in Clark County have taken an interest in these campaigns, as well as others.

According to PDC filings, Ken Fisher, the founder of the Camas-based Fisher Investments, and Clyde Holland, CEO of apartment developer Holland Partner Group, both contributed to $25,000 to IMPACtion, a political action committee spearheading a ballot initiative that would ban proposed safe-injection sites for heroin and other drugs in King County.

The injection sites would be modeled after an operation in Vancouver, B.C. Proponents of these sites say they reduce the nuisances and public health hazards associated with intravenous drug use. But the IMPACtion campaign argues they are inconsistent with goals of reducing drug use. The campaign, which has raised $154,466 according to the most recent campaign filings, received a donation from Fisher in early July and Holland in May.

This isn’t the first time Fisher and Holland, who didn’t return calls for comment, have donated to political campaigns. Last year, it was reported in The Seattle Times that both gave more than a $100,000 apiece to the Reagan Fund, which helps elect Republicans to the state House, while also donating to individual legislative and judicial candidates. The Times also reported that both were the state’s largest donors to a political committee backing Donald Trump’s candidacy for president.

Holland has made other donations this year. Since April he has donated $56,000 to the Washington State Republican Party and $10,000 to the Civic Alliance for a Sound Economy, a political organization backed by the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce. Locally, he’s given $5,250 to Kris Greene, who is running for Port of Vancouver District 1 commissioner on a pro-oil terminal platform.

Fisher gave $2,000 to Phil Fortunato, a former Republican state representative who was appointed to the state Senate and is running to retain his seat in a special election. He also contributed $2,000 to Jinyoung Lee Englund, a Republican running for state Senate representing part of east King County. The outcome of the race could shift the balance of power in Olympia and thus has attracted national attention and money.

The Senate is currently controlled by the Majority Coalition Caucus, which is comprised of 24 Republicans and one Democrat. A win by Democrat Manka Dhingra, Englund’s opponent, would return control of the 49-member to that party. The seat was formerly held by Republican Andy Hill, who died of cancer last year. The district went for Democrat Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election, and campaign donations have poured into the race.

According to the most recent campaign filings, Englund has raised $691,624 in cash contributions. Dhingra has raised $696,582. There has been more than $1 million in independent expenditures in the race, according to campaign filings.

According to campaign filings, residents of Vancouver have contributed $22,910 to Englund’s campaign. Residents of Camas have contributed another $8,575.

Dhingra hasn’t received as much financial support from Clark County as her opponent. Campaign filings show that she’s received $1,315 in small donations from residents of Clark County. The most notable donation came from Ty Stober, a member of the Vancouver City Council.

David Nierenberg of Camas, an investor and philanthropist, donated $2,000 to Englund. Last year, Nierenberg helped form a political action committee to aimed at electing Republicans John Blom and Jennifer McDaniel to the county council. Nierenberg said he describes himself as a “classic Northwest moderate Republican” who is “socially tolerant and fiscally conservative” and that Englund reflects his values.

“She exemplifies to me the big tent Republican Party of Ronald Reagan: inclusive happy warriors,” he said. He said he contributed to Englund because the outcome of the race will determine the control of the Senate, which he said could have an impact on whether or not the state has capital gains or an income tax. He said he was involved with a local fundraiser for Englund last week, the filings for which were not publicly available Friday.

Former Clark County Councilor David Madore lost his bid for reelection last year, but campaign filings show he hasn’t lost his interest in state and local politics.

Madore, the CEO of U.S. Digital, contributed $1,000 to Englund. He also contributed $3,270 to the Clark County Republican Central Committee. He also gave a total of $22.50 to Just Want Privacy, a campaign that sought a failed ballot measure to overturn a state rule allowing transgender people to use the bathroom of their choice. He also gave $1,000 to Washougal City Councilman Dan Coursey for his bid for mayor. Madore did not return a call seeking comment.