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Couple admits to secret $50,000 gift to No!200
Saturday, April 24, 1999
By ROBERT GAVIN
OLYMPIA -- A Seattle couple yesterday identified themselves as the anonymous donors who funneled $50,000 to the campaign against Initiative 200 through a non-profit foundation last year.
David Foecke and Pat Close, part-owners of the Cafe Flora restaurant, stepped forward yesterday as the Public Disclosure Commission charged them and the foundation, A Territory Resource, with violating state law prohibiting anonymous political contributions.
The PDC has scheduled a Tuesday hearing on the case.
In a written statement, the married couple said they believed they acted legally when they gave $50,000 to A Territory Resource, which in turn contributed it to No!200.
The initiative, which won voter approval, bans state and local government affirmative-action programs.
"Almost all of our donations for many years have been given anonymously. We haven't wanted our giving to affect our personal and working relationships," they explained in their statement. "We continue to believe we were following the law when we made the gift to ATR. In hindsight, we understand how some people might interpret the law differently."
The Public Disclosure Commission has spent several months investigating A Territory Resource, and went to court to force the foundation to reveal the donors. The couple eventually agreed to submit to questioning by PDC investigators.
A Territory Resource insists it acted legally and has the right as a private foundation to protect the identity of its donors. Although the Seattle couple suggested a donation to the No!200 committee, ATR's board ultimately made the decision, said Carol Pencke, the executive director.
A Territory Resource, not the Seattle couple, made the contribution, as reported to the Public Disclosure Commission, Pencke said. She added that board members did not know the identities of the donors when they voted to contribute to the campaign against I-200.
"I still believe ATR did the right thing," she said, "and the money was ours."
If they are found to have violated the law, they could face fines.
Foecke and Close have lived in Seattle for more than 20 years and have been involved in charitable, civic, educational and political activities in the community, as financial contributors and volunteers, said Rick Cocker, a spokesman for the couple. Through Cocker, Foecke and Close declined to be interviewed.
"We have no desire to be in the middle of a debate about whether foundations should be required to identify their donors," they wrote. "We agreed to voluntarily identify ourselves to help bring an end to our involvement."
P-I reporter Robert Gavin can be reached at 360-943-8311 or robertgavin@seattle-pi.com
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