# Washington AG files campaign finance lawsuits against Google & Facebook! **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [June 7, 2018, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-ag-files-campaign-finance-lawsuits-against-google-facebook/815597 "2018-06-07T05:44:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2018, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-ag-files-campaign-finance-lawsuits-against-google-facebook/815597/1 "2018-06-07T05:44:39Z")
[Seriously](http://www.atg.wa.gov/news/news-releases/ag-ferguson-files-campaign-finance-lawsuits-against-facebook-google)! > [@](#): > > Attorney General Bob Ferguson filed campaign finance lawsuits in King County Superior Court today alleging Facebook and Google failed to maintain legally required information for Washington state political advertising placed on their online platforms since 2013. > > Washington state campaign finance laws require commercial advertisers that sell political advertising to maintain information about those who purchase advertising. The advertisers are also required to make that information available to the public. > > According to documents filed with the state Public Disclosure Commission, in the last decade, Washington candidates and political committees reported about $3.4 million in payments to Facebook and $1.5 million to Google related to advertising. > > “Washington’s political advertising disclosure laws apply to everyone, whether you are a small-town newspaper or a large corporation,” Ferguson said. “Washingtonians have a right to know who’s paying for the political advertising they see.” I really, really hope this gets before a judge. > [@](#): > > The state seeks penalties and injunctive relief. The defendants will have 20 days from the date they are served to respond to the state’s complaint. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2018, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-ag-files-campaign-finance-lawsuits-against-google-facebook/815597/2 "2018-06-07T05:54:20Z")
Is he running for higher office? Because this sounds like a typical political ploy by a politician to spank big bad tech as well as pander to the Snowden left. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2018, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-ag-files-campaign-finance-lawsuits-against-google-facebook/815597/3 "2018-06-07T22:13:27Z")
Enforcing the law is just a gimmick to you? ---
**Author:** ![Flyer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/flyer/32/7298_2.png) [@Flyer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flyer)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-ag-files-campaign-finance-lawsuits-against-google-facebook/815597/6 "2018-06-10T14:35:56Z")
> [@foolsguinea](#): > > Enforcing the law is just a gimmick to you? (A), Every reasonable person knows that law enforcement doesn’t have the resources to enforce every single law all the time. They have to pick and choose to some extent. (B), They have the option of enforcing the law in a quiet, routine manner, and they have the option of enforcing it in a loud, splashy manner, with accompanying press conferences and the like. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-ag-files-campaign-finance-lawsuits-against-google-facebook/815597/7 "2018-06-10T14:53:11Z")
> [@Flyer](#): > > (B), They have the option of enforcing the law in a quiet, routine manner, and they have the option of enforcing it in a loud, splashy manner, with accompanying press conferences and the like. You’re new to this country aren’t you? ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-ag-files-campaign-finance-lawsuits-against-google-facebook/815597/8 "2018-06-10T22:51:12Z")
> [@Flyer](#): > > (A), Every reasonable person knows that law enforcement doesn’t have the resources to enforce every single law all the time. They have to pick and choose to some extent. > > (B), They have the option of enforcing the law in a quiet, routine manner, and they have the option of enforcing it in a loud, splashy manner, with accompanying press conferences and the like. And which do you think was done here?