Columbian is doing a story on the Rivers PDC issue tomorrow, here's the statement I provided them:

Occasionally, the Columbian is fact-challenged, so to speak.

Lauren Dake contacted me for comment since I filed the complaint against Rivers' PDC scam.

This is my statement to Dake, emailed for clarity.

“While I appreciate the Commission’s finding in this issue, the idea that Sen. Rivers did not know that the amount showing in her PDC’s exceeded the actual amount of money that she had… by $182,000…. For over a year… is absurd.  Her husband is listed as her treasurer; he has the campaign checkbook and knew throughout the time period that the number they were showing was inflated and simply not possible.

It would be one thing if Rivers, upon discovering this error at the time or shortly after it happened had reached out and sought PDC assistance in resolving this issue.  But the reality is that nothing happened until I filed the complaint against her and since, for the most part, complaints are rarely generated by the staff… there is a likelihood that the number would STILL be inflated had I not acted.  As it is, the PDC itself unilaterally lowered the amount in her PDC filing on their own, as I understand it, last February 25^th, according to communication I have with the PDC Executive Director. 

Sen. Rivers had been an elected official for at least the better part of 5 years in both the House and the Senate when this issue came up and had acted as a campaign consultant for several years before that; she knows PDC regulation and laws inside and out, perhaps even better than I do.  I had no problem realizing there was an issue with one glance at the records in question; all politicians frequently view their PDC’s over the months and that includes Sen. Rivers.  She had to know this was wrong.

If she didn't know there was a problem, it’s because she didn't want to know.”

Being a friend of Lou, it's likely they'll white wash the dozens and dozens of late filed, wrongly filed or unfiled documents.

In the interests of accuracy, I wanted to make sure that my statement was both included and not cut up so much that it was taken out of context.

So, here it is.