Tim Eyman pleads not guilty to stealing chair from Office Depot



LACEY, Wash. -- Anti-tax initiative promoter Tim Eyman has pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor theft charges.

Eyman, who appeared in a Thurston County courtroom this week, is accused of stealing a $70 chair from Office Depot in Lacey.

Video showed Eyman sitting in the chair in the store's entryway on Feb. 13, spinning it around a few times, and then walking it out to the parking lot. Police say he then returned, exchanged one printer and bought new ones.

Through his lawyers, Eyman issued a written statement saying it would be ridiculous for him to have stolen the $70 chair while wearing an easily identifiable, bright red shirt featuring his motto, "Let the voters decide." He had just testified before the Legislature when he stopped at the store.

Eyman said he intended to pay for the chair, but received a call on his cell phone, became distracted and forgot.

Eyman is best known for his campaign to bring $30 car tabs back to Washington state.

"It’s gratifying to learn that the legacy media is not dead.  I find it encouraging that they can still speak loudly and with one voice when they want to.  Thank goodness it wasn’t over things like Inslee’s tax hikes or politicians’ massive salary bonuses - no, it was about me and a $70 chair," Eyman said in his prepared statement.