The AG’s Case Against Me Is An Elaborate Hoax — Here’s How It’s Fundamentally Flawed

by | Apr 8, 2019

“I think everything they’re alleging is just crap.” 

“Nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard you can hit, it’s about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward, how much you can take, and keep moving forward.”  Rocky (video herehttps://youtu.be/MGmgWrFaMdI)

At Friday’s hearing, I didn’t respond to the AG’s accusations. With my motion on the lifetime ban, the judge was asked, “under state law and our state & federal Constitutions, can the government forcibly restrict the free speech rights of a citizen the way the AG is proposing?”

The judge didn’t decide. He just said he’d rule on it at trial (which may not be until 2021 or 2022 — it was delayed again).  

So that means from now until his eventual ruling, and then after all the years of appeals in state and federal court — from now until the end of all that — I’m gonna continue to be a pedal-to-the-metal political activist. I’m gonna keep working super hard with our heroic supporters to promote initiatives ($30 Tabs, We Don’t Want An Income Tax). I’m gonna keep fighting against tax increase bills and help my fellow citizens do the same. At political events, in emails/letters, and on social media, I’m gonna keep highlighting the governments’ greed and give citizens the chance to fight back against it. 
 
During Friday’s hearing, the AG threw a lot of mud. A reporter asked me afterwards for my response. 

“I think everything they’re alleging is just crap.” 

Here’s what I mean:  the AG’s case against me is an elaborate hoax.   

Let’s start with the biggest fundamental flaw: under state law, campaign reporting is the legal responsibility of the treasurer. From 2003-2013, our PAC’s treasurer was Stan Long, a professional CPA and former IRS investigator. He expertly handled our PAC’s finances and reporting. But the AG’s allegations regarding “failure to report” are against me even though I wasn’t the treasurer, was not a signer on the bank accounts, and had no access to campaign funds. 

Which leads to fundamental flaw #2: the AG claims I used campaign funds for personal use and used campaign funds for one initiative for another. But that’s simply not possible because I never had access to campaign funds. Again, I wasn’t the treasurer nor was I a signer for the bank accounts (that was CPA Stan). None of the transactions at issue involved campaign funds. 

The AG doesn’t like these inconvenient facts. So they recently amended their original complaint and manufactured an unprecedented interpretation of the law. They now say that I, Tim Eyman personally, am a walking talking political action committee who has to register with the government and report every single financial transaction in my personal life. In the 46 year history of the Fair Campaign Practices Act, such an interpretation has never been attempted, let alone ruled valid. 

Am I exaggerating or mischaracterizing the State’s position? No, I’m not. Here’s what the AG said in court:  

“Mr. Eyman is absolutely and undeniably a PAC … he is not registered as a PAC which is a violation of the law.”  

Let that sink in for a second. They’re saying I gotta register with the government to exercise my free speech rights and if I don’t, I’m breaking the law.

It’s Orwellian.  

This all started with a complaint made in early 2012. Because I had been through witch hunts like this before, I knew how brutally expensive they are (unless you’re a big donor to the AG). The AG’s litigation against me has been unprecedented. They’ve spent more taxpayer money on my case than all the other campaign finance cases in the last 5 years combined  

There was simply no way I could possibly afford it on my own.

So I asked friends and family to help me. I asked for work as a political consultant, I asked for donations to my legal defense fund, I asked people to contribute to an organization that owed me money, and I asked folks to give to me and my family personally. The cost for my attorneys has been $800,000+ so far and the State is seeking $2.3 million in fines and $1 million+ for investigative costs. If I didn’t ask for help, the AG woulda crushed me. 
 
Ferguson maintains that his case against me isn’t political — if that’s true, if it’s not political, then neither is the money I’ve raised to fight back against it. None of the funds I’m raising are being used for a political campaign – they’re being used to help me and my family survive this brutal legal assault.  

I don’t “take” anyone’s money. Each person is free to help me or not. Every agreement is voluntary. 

It’s perfectly legal for me to ask friends and family for help. And it’s perfectly legal for them to do so. We live in a free country where citizens are allowed to help one another if they want to.

People don’t like bullies and they recognize political persecution when they see it.

Fergie is furious. He figured I would’ve broken by now. But I haven’t. Far from it. Despite Fergie’s fascism, our $30 Tabs Initiative will be on the November ballot and he can’t stop us from making the Democrats’ income tax THE ISSUE in 2020 with our “We Don’t Want An Income Tax Initiative” if they pass one. 

Thanks to all of you, I’m still here and I’m still fighting. And that’s only because of your prayers, friendship, and generous support.