PDC hits deadlock on Internet lobbying rules

The state Public Disclosure Commission split down the middle on whether to adopt a clarified rule on Internet lobbying today, deciding instead to give the issue more time.

Two commissioners felt it was time to adopt some clarification ahead of the fast-evolving arena of political blogs and grassroots lobbying that uses the Internet. But two others felt there is too little evidence of a problem and more time is needed to look at the issue.

“They are going to give it some more time,” PDC spokeswoman Lori Anderson said after the commission’s discussion this morning, which came after meeting with stakeholders in November. “I think you’ll see us putting together some more groups for them to hear from in the meantime.’’

The right-of-center Institute for Justice sent a letter Wednesday to the PDC urging caution and asking that the commission’s five citizen members use caution. “In general, we believe that the recommendations of PDC staff and the commission’s ‘light touch’ approach are to be commended,” says the letter signed by William Maurer of the IJ’s Washington chapter.

But Maurer — and signing groups that included Evergreen Freedom Foundation, the Sound Politics blog, Evergreen Washington Coalition for Open Government and Washington Policy Center — also said the commission should defer to the U.S. and state constitutions that “assume that free speech and association are the norm and regulation is the exception.’’

The letter went on to say that draft wording is too narrow for how a media exemption is applied to news organizations. Maurer contended the proposed definition protected material disseminated by “ newspaper, book publisher, regularly published periodical, radio station, or television station.’’

But it leaves out news items, features or commentary that could appear “in a regularly scheduled news medium that is of primary interest to the general public” and that is not controlled by political parties or political committees.

A broader definition would include bloggers who write commentary for a regular audience without being paid directly to pen a certain message.

Look in tomorrow's Olympian for a slightly longer description of the meeting.