Response from What's Upstream and EPA

Response from What's Upstream and EPA

Bob Larson
Bob Larson
I'm Bob Larson. After months of waiting, the Environmental Protection Agency and organizers of the What's Upstream campaign have responded to claims they violated state campaign laws...

GERALD BARON ... "Well, both Mr. Wasserman from the Swinomish Tribe and Mr. McLaren, the region 10 administrator of EPA, responded to the complaint that we had submitted with the Public Disclosure Commission. They're defense against our concern about illegal campaign activity violating state campaign laws was similar, in some respects, with the primary defense being that they are immune from state campaign laws."

Save Family Farming Executive Director Gerald Baron says the PDC has not yet ruled on that Tribal Immunity defense ...

GERALD BARON ... "If it is upheld, or if the PDC decides it's a legitimate defense, this opens up a very important and lucrative opportunity for the tribes because any entity who wants to hide their political activities can strike a business arrangement with the tribe whereby the tribe hires them as a contractor or employee and therefore they are shielded from any and all disclosure and any and all laws relating to our campaign laws."

The PDC is reviewing the response and Baron says they expect a decision from them by the end of the year.

Listen tomorrow for more on the response and what it could mean moving forward.

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