Let’s Go Washington is facing a formal investigation for violating Washington’s electioneering laws after being fined $20,000 for ethics violations in 2024. This isn’t the first time Let’s Go Washington has acted with disregard for state laws meant to provide transparency and build trust in our political system.
On May 12th, Washingtonians for Ethical Government, a nonprofit campaign and government watchdog organization, filed a complaint with Washington’s Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) concerning violations of the Fair Campaign Practices Act (FPCA) by conservative political action committee Let’s Go Washington for failing to disclose advertising provided by right-wing paid political content creator Brandi Kruse
This week, the PDC notified WFEG that they have launched a formal investigation of the complaint. They will gather documents, interview witnesses, and can subpoena records as part of the investigation.
The PDC carries out FCPA rulemaking and interprets and enforces campaign finance and disclosure laws found in Title 29B RCW and WAC 390 including regulating political advertising.
According to the complaint, there have been at least 159 instances of political advertising by commercial advertiser Brandi Kruse on behalf of Let’s Go Washington in support of its two 2026 ballot initiatives: IL26-638 and IL26-001. Let’s Go Washington also failed to report at least two instances of in-kind contributions in the form of Kruse’s appearances at political rallies and likely in-kind contributions from one of Brian Heywood’s other organizations, Project 42 and Future 42.
Pam Stuart, Communications Liaison for Washingtonians For Ethical Government, issued the following statement:
“I’m happy to hear the PDC is taking this complaint seriously by moving forward with a formal investigation, and I look forward to their findings. Paid influencers like Brandi Kruse are stoking distrust in government and driving voter apathy, something we cannot afford at a time when democracy in America is under assault.
The public has the right to know that the information they are hearing or seeing is actually political advertising, who is paying for that advertising, and how much was paid. More than 150 times, Kruse provided political advertising that urged voters to sign Let’s Go Washington’s initiative petitions, appealed to voters for support, attacked groups opposed to the initiatives, acted as a spokesperson for the campaign at political rallies and events, and otherwise advertised Let’s Go Washington, IL26-001, IL26-638, and Brian Heywood on her platforms.
Let’s Go Washington hid Kruse’s political advertising from the public, in violation of state law, and must be held accountable. If the PDC decides that these activities fall under the Fair Campaign Practices Act’s media exemption, then we will be calling on them and legislators to update our rules and laws to reflect the current state of online creator advertising, and to improve transparency in political advertising for Washington voters.”
Undisclosed political advertising via podcasts, content creators, and influencers is a growing transparency and accountability issue. Advertiser spending on podcasters and influencers is expected to reach $13.7 billion in 2027, and that includes tens of millions spent by political campaigns, candidates, and dark money groups on podcasters and social media influencers to promote their interests. Political advertising on influencers has become so commonplace that in 2023 California passed rules requiring content creators to disclose their political advertisers on their posts and in their podcasts.
