Grocery Manufactures Association Fighting Washington State Fine

The Grocery Manufactures Association is vowing to “pursue its legal options” following a Washington State court-ordered fine of $18 million regarding campaign financing. The fine stems from an opposition campaign by GMA against the state’s 2013 GMO labeling ballot initiative. The measure failed with 49 percent of the vote after the food industry spent more than $17 million on an opposition campaign. The Seattle Times Reports a state judge ruled the association illegally concealed the source of contributions to the campaign and ordered GMA to pay the record penalty for campaign finance law violations. In a following statement, the association said: “GMA believes that there is no basis in law or fact to support this unprecedented, inequitable and clearly excessive penalty.” The association further alleges Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson’s “crusade” against the association “has been a centerpiece of his fundraising appeals and re-election effort,” while vowing to contest the fine.