Community Government

Markley files complaint over Republican campaign literature

Tracie Markley, the mayor of Gig Harbor, filed a complaint with the state Public Disclosure Commission about campaign literature the state Republican Party sent to voters in the 26th Legislative District.

The party sent the campaign mailers in support of state Senate candidate Rep. Jesse Young of Gig Harbor. The mailers quoted Markley as saying Young “has my full endorsement” and “I encourage you to vote for him this election.”

Markley’s complaint, dated Oct. 31, indicates the mailers surprised her.

“The Washington State Republican Party did not contact me to obtain my authorization for this mailer,” according to Markley’s complaint, dated Oct. 31. “They did not have the right to use my photograph or any quotes that were not approved by me in writing. The quotes on the mailer were crafted in such a way as to suggest that I was speaking on behalf of the City of Gig Harbor, or residents of the City, which I do not and would not have approved of.”

The state Republican Party denied any implication that Markley was speaking on behalf of city government.

“The mailer accurately communicated the personal endorsement of Jesse Young’s campaign for State Senate by Tracie Markley, the Mayor of Gig Harbor,” said the statement, distributed by state GOP spokesman Ben Gonzalez. “The use of Mayor Tracey (sic) Markley’s title was not meant to imply that she was ‘speaking on behalf of the City of Gig Harbor, or the residents of the city.’”

In an email to city staff and council members, Markley said she was “upset and frustrated” by the mailer.

“It disgusts me that the Republican Party would send such a mailer without my approval,” Markley wrote. “I would never speak on behalf of the City or its residents in this capacity, or use my position to further someone else’s political career.”

Young is running for Senate against Democratic incumbent Emily Randall. The election is Tuesday, Nov. 8.

Food bank sends letter to GOP

Separately, another local institution sent a letter to the state Republican Party objecting to another mailer sent in support of 26th District House candidates. The mailer used the logo of Gig Harbor Peninsula FISH food bank.

The mailer supports House candidates Spencer Hutchins and Michelle Caldier and is designed to resemble a newspaper. FISH objected to use of its logo in an item about Hutchins’ work raising money for FISH’s new building.

“While we are very grateful for Spencer’s Hutchins’ support for our property search and capital campaign, our 501(c) 3 (nonprofit) organization does not endorse political candidates, which the presence of our logo might imply,” said the letter, written by FISH communications coordinator Sue John. “Please do not engage in such a misuse again.”

Tracie Markley of Gig Harbor filed a complaint with the state Public Disclosure Commission over this mailer, sent recently to voters in the 26th Legislative District.