Spokane Democrats to pay campaign finance violation fines

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — The attorney general's office says the Spokane County Democratic Central Committee, its former chair and executive director and former treasurer will pay combined fines of nearly $50,000 for campaign finance violations.

The attorney general's office filed a lawsuit in May 2017 against the committee, former chair Jim CastroLang, and former treasurer Justin Galloway, alleging failure to file timely disclosure reports of contributions and expenditures, as well as salary payments to CastroLang.

The attorney general's office says a Thurston County judge on Friday ordered the committee to pay $72,000 in penalties, with $36,000 suspended for four years contingent on no violations in that period, as well as $11,300 in costs and fees. CastroLang will pay $1,500 in penalties and Galloway will pay $500.

A phone message left with the committee was not returned Monday.