Latest finding of guilt panics teachers’ union

Union launches major "anti-EFF blitz" day before enforcement hearing

OLYMPIA — One day before the state’s Public Disclosure Commission is expected to announce that the National Education Association has illegally used teachers’ money to influence Washington state elections, officials of the Washington Education Association have launched a massive $90,000 negative attack campaign against the Evergreen Freedom Foundation.

The WEA’s ads, running on radio stations and in newspapers around the state, personally attack and slander Bob Williams, EFF’s president and a former five-term Washington state legislator.

"There’s nothing like waking up on a Monday morning to hear you beat your wife, kick your dog, and hate children," said Williams. "Apparently WEA officials think this ludicrous and vicious attack will divert attention from the union’s latest law-breaking. They’re desperate."

In the past, WEA officials have sued both EFF and individual teachers who have spoken out against their illegal activity.

The Public Disclosure Commission will be announcing its findings tomorrow on a complaint EFF filed against the NEA in January. The complaint charges the national union with breaking the same state laws the WEA was found guilty of violating late last year. In that case, the union was ordered to pay a $400,000 fine, $190,000 in legal fees, and to refund thousands of teachers a total of $180,000.

All told, the WEA and NEA have been hit with well over $1 million in fines and penalties for repeated violations of state campaign finance laws over the past few years. Included in that is more than $500,000 of ordered refunds to teachers whose dues were illegally spent.

EFF believes teachers have a right to choose whether or not to support the political agenda of union officials. Currently, at least 87 percent of the WEA’s members refuse to voluntarily contribute even one dollar per month to the union’s political action committee. Officials have responded by using mandatory general dues and breaking campaign finance and public disclosure laws.

Contact: Marsha Richards, Communications Director, (360) 956-3482

Evergreen Freedom Foundation P.O. Box 552, Olympia, WA 98507 Phone: (360) 956-3482, Fax: (360) 352-1874 Email: effwa@effwa.org