The Washington State Public Disclosure Commission has opened an investigation into a complaint alleging Clark County Councilor Tom Mielke illegally used his county email account to campaign in 2014.
Battle Ground resident Jackie Lane filed the complaint last month, providing emails from Mielke that she says indicate he violated state laws prohibiting public employees from using public resources in campaigns.
The complaint alleges that Mielke, a Republican, campaigned against the Home Rule Charter, as well as against Democratic County Commissioner candidate Craig Pridemore, who lost to Republican Jeanne Stewart in November.
Lane provided three email exchanges between Mielke and various people and groups after filing a public records request.
In one of the three email exchanges, Mielke urged Darlene Johnson, Woodland Chamber of Commerce treasurer, to prevent the Woodland chamber from taking a position on the charter.
“The Charter is a disaster,” Mielke wrote to Johnson. “Please don’t let the chamber take a position on this, it will put them in a bad light.”
Though she was glad to see the complaint forwarded along for a formal investigation, Lane said she expects Mielke to face “a slap on the wrist” as punishment.
Mielke previously called the complaint a “reach in the best of sense” and denied that his emails violated any laws. He did not return a request for additional comment Monday.
Mielke also faced a Public Disclosure Commission investigation in 2005, which was later dismissed, according to records on the commission’s website. The complaint alleged that Mielke, then a candidate for Clark County commissioner, implied in campaign fliers that he was the incumbent. Mielke was first elected to a county seat in 2009.
Representatives from the Public Disclosure Commission did not return requests for comment Monday.
