The state Public Disclosure Commission has dismissed a complaint alleging that conservative political committee Let’s Go Washington violated campaign finance laws.
An investigation by the agency did not find sufficient evidence to support the complaint from watchdog nonprofit Washingtonians for Ethical Government, which alleged that Let’s Go Washington failed to accurately report the financial value of supportive statements and noncash contributions made by conservative podcaster and former TV journalist Brandi Kruse.
Let’s Go Washington did not pay Kruse to promote two statewide ballot measures backed by the organization, the report states, and neither her promotions of the initiatives nor her participation as a speaker at Let’s Go Washington events are legally considered in-kind contributions that require disclosure under state law.
The PDC — which investigates potential violations of state campaign finance laws — ultimately threw out the complaint Wednesday and did not levy any penalties, though it described the complaint as a “close case.”
“PDC staff did not find any evidence that Let’s Go Washington purchased Ms. Kruse’s services in support of its initiatives,” the agency’s report states. “Furthermore, staff were unable to establish Ms. Kruse’s promotion of Let’s Go Washington initiatives and her participation in the organization’s events were in-kind contributions.”
Let’s Go Washington described the complaint Wednesday as a “frivolous claim,” saying that the First Amendment’s protections extend to all journalists — even those with whom Washingtonians for Ethical Government disagrees.
“This complaint should have never seen the light of day and we’re grateful the staff at the PDC can now return to matters that warrant their attention,” Let’s Go Washington founder Brian Heywood said in a written statement.
Washingtonians for Ethical Government is a nonprofit that promotes open government and investigates potential violations of state campaign finance law, according to its website. The nonprofit’s spokesperson, Pam Stuart, said she felt disappointed by the dismissal.
“We need transparency with these content creators and influencers about who’s really providing the information and or money behind it,” said Stuart, who is also a member of the Sammamish City Council. “I think that’s really important.”
Kruse, who now hosts the political podcast “unDivided,” called the complaint “politically motivated” and a means of generating “negative headlines about Let’s Go Washington ahead of an election.”
“I am pleased the PDC came to the only logical conclusion in this case — that free speech is not something the government can or should regulate,” Kruse wrote in a statement to The Seattle Times. “Doing so would expose many others in the media to the same type of government overreach and would chill speech across the board.”
The PDC’s investigation did not find sufficient evidence for Washingtonians for Ethical Government’s complaint.
Washingtonians for Ethical Government questioned the PDC’s dismissal of its complaint, saying the PDC itself admitted that the case was “close” and that the report’s reminder to Let’s Go Washington to disclose campaign expenditures and in-kind contributions raised questions.
“Those unresolved questions deserve a closer look,” the nonprofit said in a written statement Thursday.
The complaint, filed in May, alleged that Kruse had promoted Let’s Go Washington and two of its ballot measures more than 150 times across her digital platforms between September 2025 and February 2026.
It described these promotions as “political advertising” aimed at ginning up support for the two initiatives. These posts were on Instagram, YouTube, X, Facebook, Kruse’s podcast and other online platforms.
Let’s Go Washington is backing three initiatives that voters will consider in November’s general election. At issue in the PDC complaint are promotions regarding two of the measures: One will ask voters whether to ban transgender girls from competing in girls sports in K-12 schools; the second seeks to expand the kinds of school records that parents can request from their children’s schools through changes to the state’s so-called “parents bill of rights.”
Washingtonians for Ethical Government estimated the value of Kruse’s online promotions to be between about $345,000 and $1.25 million, based on the size of her social media following, arguing that those promotions must be reported as “in-kind contributions” — noncash contributions to political candidates or committees. The watchdog nonprofit also cited two instances where Kruse spoke at Let’s Go Washington events, describing them as additional unreported contributions.
During the PDC’s investigation, Let’s Go Washington told the agency that it had not paid Kruse for any services, and that Kruse had never indicated “that she expected future compensation of any kind,” according to the agency’s report.
Let’s Go Washington added that it had “no reason to believe that Ms. Kruse’s public support for LGW ballot measures was anything other than news reporting and/or media editorializing.” Furthermore, the political committee stated it had not paid Kruse or other speakers to appear at Let’s Go Washington events.
The PDC report found that, while Kruse sometimes charges a fee for speaking appearances, doing so does not mean all of her speaking engagements are considered in-kind contributions.
“The evidence in this case does not establish that Ms. Kruse is typically paid for these specific types of speaking engagements, nor does PDC staff conclude that a public figure who at times sells their services for political activities necessarily converts all personal appearances, speeches, or statements on political matters to reportable in-kind contributions,” the agency’s report states.
Additionally, the PDC investigation found that Kruse’s promotions of Let’s Go Washington and its initiatives on her digital platforms did not constitute in-kind contributions, as alleged by the complaint. The report states that Let’s Go Washington has “no editorial control over Kruse’s content” and does not pay her to support the organization.
A legal representative for Kruse also told the PDC that “No one, including Let’s Go Washington, controls what she says, what topics she covers, or what positions she takes.”
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