SPOKANE, Wash. – “Let’s Go Washington” (LGW), a political group sponsored by hedge fund manager Brian Heywood, has been accused of violating Washington’s anti-corruption laws with discount gas and food.
LGW has held a number of events across Washington offering heavily discounted gas, in the hopes of gaining support for Initiative 2117 in the November election. That initiative would oppose the state’s cap-and-trade system.
The complaints against LGW were filed with the state’s Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) on Aug. 15 by “Defend Washington,” a group created to oppose LGW’s initiatives.
In the past, Defend Washington has filed lawsuits regarding how LGW obtained signatures to get their initiatives on ballots.
The recent complaint alleges that LGW’s offer of cheaper gas and, in one case, food, during promotional events for four initiatives the group supports, violates Washington’s anti-corruption and anti-bribery laws.
“It’s been clear to us that Let’s Go Washington has been skirting [the law] and, we believe, in some cases, violating the laws in Washington state, regarding transparency and disclosure of their campaign financing… More recently, they’ve been engaging in providing inducements to voting ‘Yes’ on the initiatives. And that’s a violation of state law as well,” Sandeep Kaushik, a consultant for Defend Washington, said.
At an LGW event at a Spokane gas station on Aug. 21, drivers who attended were handed flyers about their initiatives and saw prices for a gallon of regular gas drop from $3.79 to the national average of $3.39.
“Led by a millionaire hedge fund owner, Let’s Go Washington is deceiving Washington voters and trying to buy votes at gas stations through a gimmick: giving people an artificial discount while making false promises about the future,” Mark Prentice, the Communications Director for “No On 2117,” said.
LGW claims their events are designed to show how much Washingtonians could save by voting to repeal the Climate Commitment Act (CCA).
Brian Heywood has publicly suggested that the CCA providing $200 checks paid toward electric bills for low-income Washingtonians in 2024 served as tool to bribe voters into keeping the law in place.
“We’re not exchanging discounted gas prices for votes, or for the promise that someone will vote for the initiatives. We’re just simply saying ‘Come out, get some cheaper gas and enjoy the benefits of us lowering gas prices for a little while’,” Hallie Balch, the press secretary for LGW, said.
In a phone call with NonStop Local, PDC said all of the latest complaints against LGW are “supplemental,” as there has been an existing investigation into LGW since 2023.
“We’re hopeful that the Public Disclosure Commission will step up and take action here,” Kaushik said.
LGW told NonStop Local that the complaints will not deter them from hosting more gas events. In fact, their next event in Eastern Washington is in Colfax on Saturday, Sept. 7 at the Four Star Supply Cenex Gas Station.
