OLYMPIA, Wash. — Two Democrats running to replace outgoing Washington Governor Jay Inslee agree that a pair of short-lived candidacies of apparently fake Bob Fergusons filing to run for governor was an undemocratic attempt to influence the election.
Where Bob Ferguson and Mark Mullet disagree, however, is whether Ferguson responded to the ordeal appropriately.
Mullet’s campaign levied harsh criticism against Ferguson in a release on Monday, accusing the Washington State Attorney General of not understanding Washington laws.
Ferguson’s misstep, Mullet believes, was when he cited the Washington Administrative Code to ask Secretary of State Steve Hobbes to reorder the candidates to make it clear that he was the Bob Ferguson most voters are familiar with.
Mullet argues that would be illegal.
“Any attorney general should know that the Revised Code of Washington supersedes the Washington Administrative Code,” Mullet said. “Bob Ferguson is very clearly asking the Washington Office of the Secretary of State to break the law.”
The statement came a week after the two phony Fergusons withdrew their names under mounting and widespread pressure to do so.
On Monday, Ferguson doubled down on his approach and defended his knowledge of the laws of Washington state.
“I know the law — and Mark Mullet reveals he does not,” Ferguson said in a statement. “Washington state code specifically grants the Secretary of State authority to ‘differentiate between the candidates by…any other means which, in the judgment of the filing officer, fairly and impartially distinguishes the candidates.'”
Ferugson was confident enough in that judgement that he was prepared to legally challenge the Secretary of State’s office if they didn’t make the change.
“I am confident a judge would have agreed that the criminal scheme to disenfranchise voters required taking every reasonable, lawful step to minimize confusion,” Ferguson said. “It’s unfortunate Mullet does not support this simple act for election integrity, but perhaps the fact that he would have benefited from that confusion explains his anti-democratic position.”
Washington holds an open primary for state elections, meaning Mullet and Ferguson aren’t exactly battling directly for a berth in the general election.
The two Democrats are joined by Republicans Dave Reichert and Semi Bird in the primary battle that concludes on Aug. 6. The top two vote getters move on to the general election in November.
