Gregoire's Errors Minor, Panel Says -- She Admits To '92 Ethics Violations

Attorney General Christine Gregoire violated several election laws beginning with her successful 1992 campaign, she acknowledged yesterday, but state investigators agreed with her assessment that they were minor and unintentional infractions.

She faces a maximum fine of $2,500, but the actual fine, to be determined Aug. 27 by the Public Disclosure Commission (PDC), is likely to be less if the commission follows its pattern of leniency for first-time offenders and for inadvertent mistakes.

Commission Executive Director Melissa Warheit released a 92-page report yesterday detailing the PDC staff's 18-month investigation of Gregoire, a Democrat, along with a shorter "stipulated agreement" in which Gregoire and the staff agreed on the scope and seriousness of 10 violations or reporting irregularities.

According to the agreement, Gregoire failed to report income she received from the law firm Foster Pepper & Shefelman in 1992 and failed to report several campaign benefits - such as the use of a phone at the law firm and a discount on political consulting - as in-kind contributions.

In each case, the report said, the violations appeared to be an oversight and not an attempt to deceive. When it was brought to her attention in January 1995 that she had not reported $30,874 in compensation from Foster Pepper, for example, she acknowledged the error, apologized and submitted a corrected disclosure form within days, Warheit said.

After her election in November 1992, Gregoire on three occasions improperly used state facilities for political purposes, the report said. Twice in 1994 an aide in the attorney general's office scheduled political appearances for her, and once she used a state car to get to a political event.

"As a first-time candidate, I set out the goal for myself of doing everything I could to have a perfect record on personal ethics," Gregoire said yesterday. "Obviously I didn't meet my goal. But I'm delighted with this report, and I hope finally to put this to rest."

Warheit said it was a coincidence the report was released this week, when candidates must officially declare their intentions to run for office.

Gregoire filed for re-election yesterday. Also filing yesterday was the only Republican to announce against her so far, Richard Pope Jr.

A 35-year-old Shoreline resident, Pope has a law practice in Seattle. He unsuccessfully ran for Shoreline Water District commissioner last year. State GOP spokesman Todd Myers said he was unfamiliar with Pope.