Ex-Senate Democratic campaign chief pleads guilty to stealing up to $330,000

SEATTLE -- The former head of the state Senate Democratic Campaign Committee  pleaded guilty Thursday to stealing up to $330,000 in campaign contributions to fuel his alcohol and gambling addiction.

The Seattle Times reported that prosecutors said they will recommend that Michael Walter King, 32, serve two years in prison for the eight counts of first-degree theft he pleaded guilty to and pay $250,000 in restitution when he is sentenced Nov. 22.

King admitted to stealing money from the committee tasked with securing election seats for state Senate Democrats from a period of March 2011 to January 2013, court documents stated.

According to charging documents, King would simply steal the funds by writing checks from the organization to different online polling and auto-dialing companies often used as services for elections. King then deposited the checks into his personal bank account. He also wrote himself reimbursement checks totaling more than $125,000 for expenses related to "Survey Monkey," an online political survey device, charging documents said.

Discrepancies in payments and balances were noticed by the treasurer of the SDCC, and Pacifica Law Group was retained to investigate. The group found King had embezzled a total of $330,000 in 19 months. The information was passed on to law enforcement agencies, who interviewed King.

He allegedly told an officer he spent much of the funds at Goldie's Casino in Shoreline, the Tulalip Casino in Marysville and the Silver Dollar Casino in SeaTac.