Breitbart News reports that Facebook was fined almost $25 million last Wednesday for intentionally and repeatedly violating Washington State’s campaign finance laws. Attorney General Bob Ferguson claims it is the largest campaign finance penalty ever issued in the United States, although it will barely be felt by the social media giant, which raked in a profit of $46.7 billion in 2021.
King County Superior Court Judge Douglass North issued the maximum possible fine after determining that Facebook had violated Washington State’s political disclosure laws 822 separate times between 2019 and 2021. Facebook was fined $30,000 for each of those violations. Ferguson, who brought the case against the company, asked for the maximum possible fine after his office sued Facebook for violating the same law in 2018.
“I have one word for Facebook’s conduct in this case — arrogance,” Ferguson said. “It intentionally disregarded Washington’s election transparency laws. But that wasn’t enough. Facebook argued in court that those laws should be declared unconstitutional. That’s breathtaking. Where’s the corporate responsibility?”
He added: “I urge Facebook to come to its senses, accept responsibility, apologize for its conduct and comply with the law. If Facebook refuses to do this, we will beat them again in court.”