Complaint Says Wenatchee Schools Illegally Influenced Election
The state Public Disclosure Commission is investigating a complaint accusing the Wenatchee School District of using public money to influence an election.
The complaint filed by Chelan Douglas Health District board member and Licensed Hydrogeologist Bill Sullivan claims School Superintendent Kory Kalahar used school resources for political activity in countering a mass mailer that was critical of the district's policies.
Sulivan claims Kalahar's actions provided indirect opposition to two candidates in the 2023 school board election, which resulted in the candidates losing to incumbent board members.
Kalahar has sent a letter to the Public Disclosure Commission, denying the accusation.
The commission can resolve the claim administratively or open a formal investigation.
The mailer which was critical of the district's policies was printed in newspaper form and was labeled “The Wenatchee Record”.
It claimed there is promotion of transgender ideology, and that parents are unaware of many policies including new mental health teletherapy programs for children.
The mailer was paid for by Glenn M. Dobbs. Glenn Dobbs served one term in the Washington House of Representatives for Spokane from 1985 to 1987
The mailer featured opinion pieces by two people running for Wenatchee School Board in the 2023 election - Randy Smith and Tricia Cleek.
Both candidates lost to incumbent board members, with Smith losing to Maria Iñiguez by 14 votes.
Sullivan says Kalahar and the school district violated two state laws.
One law, RCW 42.17A.555, says no person appointed to any public office may use or authorize the use of any of the public facilities for the purpose of assisting a campaign for election of any person to any office.
The other law, RCW 28A.320.090, says nothing authorizes the board of directors of any school district to prepare and distribute information to the general public for the purpose of influencing the outcome of a school district election.
Sullivan claims beginning on November 3rd, Superintendent Kalahar published several public statements using District resources to counter the Record and implicate school board candidates.
He said the statements by Kalahar were the first to publicly establish The Record as a “political mailer” and “political propaganda” being used “for the gain of political office” with “an election only two days away."
Kalahar emailed approximately 900 District employees and the parents of more than 7,400 enrolled students with his statements.
He also posted the statements on the school district’s Facebook page with 7,200 followers and its Twitter/X account with 1,400 followers.
Sullivan included correspondence between Kalahar and school board member Julie Norton, who expressed concern over Kalahar’s statements, saying "it may be too far." Kalahar responded that his statements did not cross Public Disclosure Commission lines.
In a subsequent email, Norton said, "I’m getting worried about the constant need to defend or address matters in the media."
Sulivan's complaint also included an email from Wenatchee School District spokesperson Diana Haglund to Wenatchee World reported Gabriel Garcia, saying, "we respectfully ask for limited media exposure on any issues that could be considered controversial and further any false narratives."
Kalahar sent a one-and-a-half-page response to the Public Disclosure Commission defending his statements and denying any wrongdoing. Read it in its entirety here.
Separately, the printing press which publishes the Wenatchee World was used to publish "The Wenatchee Record" mailer. The newspaper subsequently published a series of stories on those actions..
10 of the Wackiest Washington State Laws You Won’t Believe
Gallery Credit: Rik Mikals