Knoll Lowney, an attorney representing Bellingham based A-1 Builders and a group that is suing the BIAW, says the organization was found in breach of trust by the state Court of Appeals in Seattle Wednesday.
The case, dating back to 2008, alleges that the BIAW funneled member state tax refunds and interest held in trust into their own funds paying themselves nearly $20 million over the course of many years.
Lowney also says that between eight and nine million dollars from the trust were spent to help fund Dino Rossi’s multi million dollar gubernatorial campaign in 2008.
The court of appeals has referred the case back to the trial court in Thurston County to determine how much the BIAW will have to pay back its members.
