KGMI News
BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Two immigrant activists are suing three Whatcom County leaders.
Rosalinda Guillen and Maria Mora-Villalpando filed suit over a mailer about the jail measure on the 2015 ballot.
The Whatcom County Council voted to pay the legal bills for Executive Jack Louws, Prosecutor Dave McEachran and Sheriff Bill Elfo, saying they were acting within their official duties.
The mailer includes their pictures and statements.
Councilmember Barry Buchanan and Ken Mann voted against funding the legal costs.
Buchanan said “Use of public, taxpayer dollars for a campaign mailer and then using taxpayer dollars to defend that action crosses my moral centerline.
This goes against my principles regarding public stewardship and accountability..”
Mann says he was “deeply opposed to the county-funded Jail Mailer in 2015, ” adding that he “could not justify spending additional taxpayer dollars to defend it in court.”
State election watchdogs fined Louws $500 over the mailer.