No foul, no fine for former Washington lawmaker Mark Mullet in mayoral bid
A photo from 2024 shows former Democratic state Sen. Mark Mullet, when he was running for governor. He's now running to be mayor of Issaquah after retiring from the Legislature. (Photo courtesy of Mark Mullet gubernatorial campaign)
Former Washington state lawmaker Mark Mullet didn't break any laws when he accepted contributions to his campaign for Issaquah mayor in December, a judge ruled Friday.
Issaquah Municipal Court Judge Scott Stewart dismissed a complaint against Mullet, saying the city ordinance he was accused of violating, which restricted when candidates could receive donations, is unconstitutional.
Stewart ruled from the bench following a hearing that lasted a little over five minutes. He later issued a one-page order stating the city's limitation violates the First Amendment right to donate to political campaigns.
'This unconstitutional law was left on the books too long. As mayor, I look forward to fixing inconsistencies in our laws like this one,' Mullet said afterwards.
The city pretty much conceded last month, informing the judge that it would defer to his decision.
Mullet, a Democrat and ex-state senator who ran unsuccessfully for governor last year, launched his mayoral campaign in December. That month, he raised $4,478.34.
A complaint filed in February accused him of violating an Issaquah law that says candidates can only fundraise in the same calendar year as the election for the office they seek. Therefore, he needed to wait until Jan. 1 because the mayoral race is on the November ballot.
Had the judge upheld the law, Mullet could have been ordered to surrender his December haul to the city as a penalty.
The Issaquah City Council passed that ordinance in May 2009, and it took effect on June 1 of that year. It also imposed a $500 cap on donations that is not affected by Friday's ruling.
That same year, Mullet won a seat on the city council. He has said he recalled the debate on the city law focused on the contribution limit, not the timing for accepting donations. Mullet served on the council until 2013 when he entered the Legislature.
Mullet never disputed the facts. He questioned the legality of the ordinance and noted no other city in the state had such a rule restricting when contributions could be collected.
In a May 19 letter to the court, Issaquah Prosecuting Attorney Alexa McBarron attached a February ruling by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Texas, which said the city of Austin's ban on fundraising outside a one-year period is unconstitutional.
Mullet and City Councilwoman Lindsey Walsh are competing to be Issaquah's next mayor.
In March, Walsh took a swipe at her opponent, saying she knew the rules and that it was important 'that if somebody is going to lead the city, they respect and follow the laws.'
She declined to comment on Friday's outcome.
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