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Dispatches from public radio's correspondent at the Washington Legislature. Austin Jenkins is the Olympia correspondent for the Northwest News Network. You can also see Austin on television as host of TVW's (the C–SPAN of Washington State) weekly public affairs program "Inside Olympia."

Washington GOP Requests AG Investigation Of Auditor's Self-Financed Campaign

Washington Legislature
Indicted Washington State Auditor Troy Kelley provided $500,000 of his own money to his 2012 campaign.

In 2012, indicted Washington State Auditor Troy Kelley raised $700,000 for his winning campaign for state auditor. But the bulk of that money -- nearly $500,000 -- came from Kelley himself.

Now, the state Republican Party is formally requesting an investigation into where that money came from. In a letter to Attorney General Bob Ferguson, the chair of the state Republican Party suggests at least some of that money might have been “illegally obtained.”

Kelley is accused in a federal indictment of keeping more than $2 million stolen from title company customers. Kelley has pleaded not guilty.

The federal indictment does not make a direct connection between the alleged ill-gotten funds and Kelley’s self-funded campaign. But it does allege Kelley illegally claimed personal and campaign deductions on nearly $500,000 of the funds in question.

If the attorney general decides to take civil action, the law gives him 45 days to do so.

Since January 2004, Austin Jenkins has been the Olympia-based political reporter for the Northwest News Network. In that position, Austin covers Northwest politics and public policy, as well as the Washington State Legislature. You can also see Austin on television as host of TVW's (the C–SPAN of Washington State) Emmy-nominated public affairs program "Inside Olympia."