(MyNorthwest photo)
A handful of people and lobbyist groups are spending mountains of money — both for and against all of the Washington ballot measures that voters will decide this November.
RELATED: Which controversial Washington ballot measures will win in November?[1]
So who’s looking to buy your vote? Let’s dive in.
I-940
If passed, I-940 would require a “good faith” test to determine whether the use of deadly force by law enforcement is justified in specific cases. Also, police would be required to undergo “de-escalation” training, and officers would have to provide first aid.
The line in the sand has been drawn between those lobbying for more oversight of law enforcement, and people who believe that these measures would only serve to make the world a more dangerous place for police officers.
The gap between money raised for each respective side is significant, with the “Yes” campaign boasting upwards of $3.16 million in committee contributions as of publishing of this article. Comparatively, the opposition committees to this initiative have raised just $207,027.
The top contributors to the “Yes” side of the aisle include:
- $2 million from “De-Escalate WA”
- $600,000 from the Puyallup Tribe of Indians
- $350,000 from the Washington State ACLU
- $350,000 from local progressive think tank founder and early Amazon investor Nick Hanauer
- $250,000 from the ACLU proper
The “No” campaign’s biggest individual contributors are mainly law enforcement representatives:
- $163,505 from the Coalition for a Safer WA
- $90,000 coming from the Seattle Police Officer’s Guild
- $42,125 from Cops Against I-940
- $17,025 from the WA Council of Police and Sheriffs
- $15,000 from the King County Police
