February 2014
Watching Government
Whatcom County Independent Expenditures for 2013
Compiled by Bill McCallum
The below list is not a comprehensive inventory of committees involved in 2013 races. An independent expenditure means the committee was completely independent of the candidate. The candidate did not encourage or approve any advertising and did not receive any of the money. Committees spent the money on mailings, television, door belling, etc. Two committees are not on the list below and each spent large amounts of money. The Whatcom County Democratic Central Committee (exempt and non exempt) spent $271,635. Saving Whatcom County (doing business as Save Whatcom) contributed at least $159,000 to Whatcom First listed below.
Planned Parenthood Northwest (Seattle)
Bellingham City Council At-Large Roxanne Murphy Supported $234.40
Bellingham City Council Ward 4 Pinky Vargus Supported $234.40
Total supporting candidates $468.80
Washington Association of Realtors (Olympia)
Port of Bellingham District 1 Patrick Bell Supported $1,666.67
Port of Bellingham District 2 Daniel Robbins Supported $1,666.66
Whatcom County Council At-Large Bill Knutzen Supported $1,666.66
Whatcom County Council District 1 Kathy Kershener Supported $1,666.67
Whatcom County Council District 2 Ken Mann Supported $1,666.67
Whatcom County Council District 3 Michelle Luke Supported $1,666.67
Total supporting candidates $10.000.00
Washington Conservation Voters Action Fund (Seattle)
Whatcom County Council At-Large Rud Browne Supported $81,801.05
Whatcom County Council District 1 Barry Buchanan Supported $63,590.15
Whatcom County Council District 2 Ken Mann Supported $57,839.35
Whatcom County Council District 2 Carl Weimer Supported $57,839.37
Total supporting candidates $261,070.02
Whatcom County Council District 1 Kathy Kershener Opposed $18,210.89
Grand total for Washington Conservation Voters Action Fund $279.280.91
Whatcom County Republican Party (Bellingham)
Port of Bellingham District 1 Patrick Bell Supported $2,536.07
Port of Bellingham District 2 Daniel Robbins Supported $2,536.08
Whatcom County Council At-Large Bill Knutzen Supported $3,488.83
Whatcom County Council District 1 Kathy Kershener Supported $3,488.84
Whatcom County Council District 2 Ben Elenbaas Supported $3,098.60
Whatcom County Council District 3 Michelle Luke Supported $3,488.84
Bellingham City Council Ward 4 Clayton Petree Supported $1,100.64
Total supporting candidates $19,737.90
Whatcom First (Bellingham)
Port of Bellingham District 1 Patrick Bell Supported $3,614.58
Port of Bellingham District 2 Daniel Robbins Supported $3,613.02
Whatcom County Council District 1 Bill Knutzen Supported $22,752.23
Whatcom County Council District 1 Kathy Kershener Supported $22,773.88
Whatcom County Council District 1 Ben Elenbaas Supported $22,634.67
Whatcom County Council District 1 Michelle Luke Supported $22,624.59
Total supporting candidates $98,022.97
Port of Bellingham District 1 Renata Kowalczyk Opposed $47.27
Whatcom County Council At-Large Rud Browne Opposed $13,349.97
Whatcom County Council District 1 Barry Buchanan Opposed $13,341.62
Whatcom County Council District 2 Ken Mann Opposed $13,000.04
Whatcom County Council District 3 Carl Weimer Opposed $13,329.97
Total opposing candidates $53,468.87
Grand total for Whatcom First $151,491.84
Your Fellow Patriots (Sumas)
Whatcom County Council District 2 Ben Elenbaas Supported $1,184.00
