Disclosure commission welcomes new leader

OLYMPIA — Jim Oswald was named to the Public Disclosure Commission by Gov. Jay Inslee on April 1, according to an announcement from the PDC.

Oswald is a 1977 University of California, Berkeley, School of Law graduate who spent much of his career in private practice in Washington. Oswald is now retired and lives in Union, in Mason County, according to the announcement.

Oswald said he values the goals of the Public Disclosure Commission, which include transparency in election spending and lobbying, and is looking forward to being of public service on the Commission.  

Oswald has previously represented clients in enforcement hearings before the PDC, according to the announcement. He is particularly interested in how artificial intelligence will affect digital political advertising, and upcoming PDC rulemaking on deepfakes, or synthetic media.  

“I’m fascinated by how AI is going to affect everything we do,” Oswald wrote in the announcement, calling deepfake political advertising an “immediate, pressing problem” for the PDC to help address through rulemaking.

Oswald will replace outgoing Commissioner Fred Jarrett. Jarrett’s term was up in December, but state law allowed him to remain on the Commission until a replacement was appointed. Jarrett took part in his final meeting March 28.  

“It’s hard to overstate Fred’s impact on the Commission over the past five years, and we thank him for his steady leadership and guidance, particularly in the realm of strategic planning,” Commission Chair Nancy Isserlis wrote in the announcement. “We’re excited to get to work with our newest commissioner this month.”