PORT TOWNSEND — Jefferson County Democratic Party leaders filed a complaint with postal officials Friday after an anonymous political leaflet highly critical of a Democratic county commissioner candidate was mailed to south county voters.
Port Townsend Postmaster Ed Euritt on Friday said he would forward the letter attacking Port Townsend contractor Phil Johnson to U.S. postal inspectors.
“We will notify postal inspectors next week to see if any laws have been broken,” said Euritt.
“I don’t know if they’re breaking any law.”
Bill Biery, Democratic Party county chairman, and Nora Porter, a volunteer working for Johnson’s campaign, said the letter would also be turned over the state Public Disclosure Commission, which reviews political campaigning.
Porter said the letter broke state election laws because it did not identify any sponsoring political group or party.
The letter, which referred to Johnson as “an unsuccessful general contractor who desperately needs a paying job,” was identified only as being: “Paid for by me. I just spent 500 bucks and my time so my fellow Democrats know they’re not alone.”
Biery, Johnson and Porter, however, expressed doubt that the letter came from a county Democrat.
“I think it’s just some angry jerk,” said Johnson, who was busy ringing doorbells Friday night, asking voters for support.
Johnson said he was not blaming county Republicans for the letter, “but I’m not buying that he’s a Democrat.”
Johnson said he believed the letter was written “by somebody desperate.”
Johnson has restored The Rose Theatre in downtown Port Townsend.
Johnson said he was also the project manager in the construction of The Food Co-op in Port Townsend, “and I have built many beautiful homes.”
