On Thurs., July 16, the campaign for District 1 candidate Shannon Braddock, People for Shannon Braddock, received a $44,000 dollar contribution from Screen Strategies Media. Based out of Fairfax, Virginia Screen Strategies Media has worked on promotions and advertisements for numerous campaigns in Washington State.

The contribution has sparked outrage and questions of ethics among the other District 1 candidates. This contribution puts Braddock well above the pack in terms of campaign funds.

As one candidate noted a recent Facebook post to the District 1 page showed a screenshot of a new Braddock advertisement that purportedly played on FX during an airing of “The Avengers”.

The timing of the contribution seems to coincide with the Seattle Times’ recent endorsement of Philip Tavel for District 1 last Wednesday, July 15.

Braddock was unavailable for comment but her campaign staff member Christian Sinderman responded by clarifying this was neither a “donation” nor a “contribution” but rather an “independent expenditure” of which Braddock and her campaign had no involvement with.

“It is an expenditure that an organization has decided to do of their own volition and while we were as surprised as everyone to see it, we are more than happy to have the support” he said, explaining that no one with the campaign or Braddock herself has seen the advertisement yet.

“This is a really important issue to me and it’s something that really bothers me, not so much as an opponent but as a general citizen about this is really kind of what’s wrong about politics,” explained Tavel.

Candidate Lisa Herbold reacted to the donation through email stating “Make no mistake this PAC does not represent West Seattle nor does it represent the “people”. While a person did ultimately make the decision to spend $44,000 dollars in media advertising for Ms. Braddock immediately before the election they did so from the deep accounts of wealthy corporations, which have no unique interests in District One’s neighborhoods.”

“Everybody knows that campaign finance is need of fundamental reform. This is why I have endorsed I-22, the Honest Elections Initiative that would establish public campaign financing for Seattle elections. I invite Shannon Braddock and Lisa Herbold to join me in supporting Honest Elections,” stated Brianna Thomas over email.

When The West Seattle Herald asked Sinderman for a reaction to Thomas’s invite he pointed out that I-22 would not have stopped an independent expenditure such as the one they have recently received.

Candidate Chas Redmond said via email," "I think we’re all a bit surprised that district elections are relevant and important enough to warrant PAC support for one or more candidates. However, in a confirming manner, this shows the worth of the new District system and the imperative it provides all District residents to review the candiates carefully, including doing one’s own research into the candiates’ positions.

None of us can prevent this type of activity. But, all of us can consider reducing outside influence on the election process through such actions as Initiative 735 and helping provide public finance for campaigns through the Honest Elections Seattle Initiative...

It’s politics and additional voter influence is part of the landscape. There are multiple influences trying to draw the attention of the voter, which is why I say that it is truly incumbent on everyone to do your own homework. There are lots of sources of information about all us candidates. Please use them."

Please stay tuned to the website later today for more detailed reactions from the other candidates as we get them and a further examination of this story.