For years the WEA has denied that it spends dues money on politics, and proudly maintained its status as a democratic organization with full member involvement. But when they found themselves in court last May, the truth of the matter emerged.

WEA Action Newsletter, April 1995:

"No WEA dues are used for political contributions."

WEA Attorney Judith Lonnquist, May 1999:

"WEA dues are put into the general fund and commingled. There is no way to identify what expenditures are made out of which segments of the dues revenue. The membership does not vote on how these are appropriated, how they are expended. They are not even advised in any detail as to how these monies are expended. And it is a discretionary ad hoc decision by Mr. Seibert to write checks for ballot propositions or candidates."
May 27, 1999, Closing Arguments, EFF v. WEA

Judge W. T. McPhee, August 1999:

"Total directly allocated [election-affecting] expenditures equaled $548,444. An additional amount must be added to political expenses to account for the salaries of staff members who performed some work on political activities...The additional amount to be added for these political activities [not including benefits] is $147,717...The decision to make [political] contributions were [sic] made by the Executive Director and President...there is no evidence that the membership held an expectation that such payments would be made... Based upon these findings...I conclude that WEA is not a political committee."
August 27, 1999, Court's Decision, EFF v. WEA

WEA Action Newsletter, September 1999:

"...regular monthly dues of card-carrying WEA members do cover activities in the political arena."

WEA attorney Kathleen O'Toole defended the concealed NEA donation in testimony to the Public Disclosure Commission

"First of all, we are not talking about money here, we are talking about electronic transfers, checks.... [W]e put the NEA money in and six weeks later, we took it out, in the exact amount and we gave it to the NO Committee."

WEA Bargaining Team, October 11, 1995

"WEA employees [at union headquarters] currently have excellent salary, benefits and employment protection in their contract which if widely known by the membership would cause significant unrest within the Association."

Rich Wood WEA Media Relations, August 14, 1998

"This is a copy of the postcard [questionaire] EFF recently mailed to WEA members. The Suggested answers are marked."

A letter received by a WEA member from his union, by Kathleen O'Toole Attorney at Law, March 12, 1997

"I am the General Counsel for the Washington Education Association... You are hereby warned... we will sue you to hold you liable for tortious interference."

Patrick Pearson, WEA Board Member, Bremerton Sun, September 12, 1999

"...68,000 public school employees who voluntarily pay dues to the Washington Education Association"

Patty Maruca, President Tacoma Education Association, Sept. 1999
The News Tribune, "Teachers' right to be involved is affirmed"

"WEA's members include 68,000 public school teachers, educational support personnel, and college faculty members, all of whom voluntarily joined WEA"

Kathy Gramprie, The Columbian, "Foundation distorts truth in WEA case" Sept. 1999

"WEA is a democratic organization in every way. Membership is voluntary, and all members have a say in how their dues are spent."

Comments made by State and National publications.

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