Time to Re-Vote

[Go Aweigh2452]

For those of you who may be interested... (what is the latest tally??? 8400 votes more than registered voters so far???)

Got the following in my email today (don't know why???) lol...

As you know, there are literally hundreds of questions regarding the recent election for the next Governor of Washington. The Rossi campaign and the Washington State Republican Party are working very hard to investigate many of these questions.

Yet, there is almost no way to resolve many of the questions to the point that the people of Washington will feel confident that who is determined the winner actually received the most amount of legal votes. On top of these questions, there are the many Washington residents who are proudly serving in our military who were never given the opportunity to vote in this election.

Until just a few days ago, even the Democrats were stating that there were many questions regarding this elections.



Many in this state can not accept a result that is under such a cloud of illegitimacy. We can not have our executive branch of our government be crippled by such problems.



There is only one answer -- a re-vote.



There has been a website set up to have people learn more about a re-vote -- www.revotewa.com



At this website, people can sign a petition to the legislature asking them to call for a re-vote.



Please take the time to sign the petition yourself and to pass information regarding this website to as many Washington residents as possible. We have a short amount of time to show the legislature that the people of Washington are demanding a re-vote.



THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT! Please take the time to pass this information along as soon as possible. Also, encourage your friends to send it to their friends.



Go to www.revotewa.com

Click on: Revote: Petition

Click on: "Click Here to Sign Petition" at the bottom of the page

Fill out the petition and click: Submit

[Tedster]

Debi and I got 'er done, the rest of you please, get'er done! Ted :D

[Nelie59]

Done

[Randygh]

Got 'er done!

[3788sam]

Done - I can't see any other reasonable way to fix this mess!

[Tedster]

There isn't, and the latest snafu is that the Libertarian canidate did not get 1% in the primary and therefore should not have been on the ballot. Course she went to court and old CG did not stop her from being on the ballot. More crap everyday, this could get fun! Ted :D

[heymagic]

What is really funny is the King 5 polls show Rossi leading in the opinion questions by 30% or so...way over half think he should keep fighting...way under half think Christine is legit....way, way over half think King County is in error or fraud or whatever.

I wonder if there's some way to let him know how many people feel that same way. I'd love to see this guy fight his way through this. I hope he hangs in.

[Ray Smith]

Done here too.

Ray

[heymagic]

If he turns on the TV , he knows the people support a revote. And he likely has figured out that if he isn't the present governor of Wash he will be the next. I'm afraid our old "hide your head in the sand" legislature and courts will be afraid to do the right thing here. Too many good old boys. Bigger problem for me is the partisan requirements for many of the jobs in state and local government. Should be no party affiliation for election officials, auditors, judges, sheriffs etc.

[Go Aweigh2452]

well if there is a new vote... I have the perfect voting machine for King County...




http://www.iboatnw.com/gallery/details.php?image_id=253

[Pegasis]

Done

[Stompor]

I would have to say no to a revote.

It is clear that Washington is not able to produce a statistically correct election. We now need to let this whole thing drop.

Just last week Rossi said Gregoire should let the recount be final, now he should do the same.

About 50% want Rossi and about 50% want Gregoire.
She has been certified, if it goes to the legislature she will be Governor.
It is over.

The Repulicans can try again in 4 years.








Oh, and I voted for Rossi

[Go Aweigh2452]

hmmm, I smell a deadocrat amongest the ranks here...

really no biggie for me (revote that is).

I just think it is really too bad King County who uses the exact same methods as Pierce County cannot get it right. Smells fishy, just too fishy...

[Randygh]

It will be a HUGE DEAL if CG is seated in the governor's mansion for the next four years. The state budget will be balanced by additional or new taxes. She will have Carte Blanche with a democratic House and Senate. The WEA would probably have a key to her office. I have no doubt one of the taxes she'll go after is the B & O tax which is one of the most unjust taxes in the nation. Business should be taxed on its net, not its gross. We can't discourage business enterprise. Another thing, the C doesn't realize there are WA state residents that live East of the Cascades. All this touchy feeling verbage about working together and reaching across the isles is a bunch of garbage. She will rule with an iron fist, and she won't forget if anyone contests her.

A revote will be expensive, but considering all the errors the King County election miscreants made, it is absolutely necessary to revote. If the shoe was on the other foot, do you think Queen CG wouldn't challenge the results in court? Of course she would. I think it is great the Reps are challenging the election in Chelan County Superior Court. Judge Small is a good judge. He's smart, fair, experienced and runs a good courtroom.
Regardless of the Superior Court ruling, the decision will be appealed directly to our State Supreme Court.

[Go Aweigh2452]

I think it is great the Reps are challenging the election in Chelan County Superior Court. Judge Small is a good judge. He's smart, fair, experienced and runs a good courtroom.
Regardless of the Superior Court ruling, the decision will be appealed directly to our State Supreme Court.


and if Judge Small says revote... it would be very very hard if not impossible for the Supreme Court to try to overturn that ruling...

[heymagic]

The BIG problem I see is that if we let it go as it stands that just rewards bad policy, behavior and possibly fraudulent intent. Too much like the NBA... :wink: When there are thousands of votes more than voters, when there are many voters who didn't get their vote counted, when there are unsubstaniated votes counted and legitimate votes tossed out , when votes get remarked in felt marker someting is amiss and needs to be corrected, now not next time.

[Randygh]

Gene, I agree entirely. If CG wins in a revote, then I can respect her as governor. I think she'll be a bad governor, but at least we'd know she won fair and square.

[Stompor]

What make anyone thing that a re-vote would be fair?

The same people who ran this last election will do it again,
they will make the rules, then they will bend or brake them
to suit their needs.

It will just be more of the same.
IMHO :thefinger:
but what do I know

[Tedster]

Scott now don't get all huffy. The underlying belief would be that if there was a re-vote, Rossi would now win by large amount, enough that would allow for the usual graff and errors that on most elections we don't worry about. Now that is what the majority are thinking, I'm only passing on what has been talked about, not what is going to happen. Smile! Ted :D

[Tedster]

Did everyone see the new voting device in the Gallery pages yet? What a hoot, I think it might work! Ted :D

[heymagic]

Scott isn't all huffy ..that is such a fun , but hard to use emoticon !

I think the scurtiny would be so intense no one would dare monkey around. I also agree with Ted that Rossi would take a large victory . I also agree with Randy that CG could be viewed as legit if she won.

I think a one vote, no 3rd candidate, no recount by hand, no other issues on ballot , ALL counties quiet until final results would yield a definite victory for one of the candidates....won't happen though :(

Statistically speaking... the vote would go one way or another. That's the part that angers me the most. Even with the margin of error in a machine recount (less than the human error of a hand count) the margin will swing back and forth by hundreds of votes. That's why I think there was hanky panky. If you you just count the same 9 million votes over and over again... you'll have errors in the hundreds... but to watch the numbers consistently climb on one side each time they're recounted is troubling.

[Tedster]

Not to mention the the total number of votes counted and re-counted each time got larger,......hmmmmm! Ted :shock:

[Roel Jansen]

Briljant!

I started recounting my money in my wallet! :D

[heymagic]

Now that's a great idea Roel !!

Briljant!

I started recounting my money in my wallet! :D

Ive counted mine THREE times over the last week.... It's only going down. I guess I really am a Republican. If I weren't I suppose I just would've voted in a tax increase! :)

[heymagic]

Mike, you're not republican....you're federally funded....and we all know once the feds touch money it never goes as far as it did last time... :roll:

Well... the good thing about being federally funded is I'm guaranteed by law to match against inflation and the same money that pays for my retirement, funds the retirements of the entire executive branch.

But, I'm gonna keep recounting... we will soon have another democratic governor... so you can never tell when more might show up in a recount... It worked for her... :)

[Tedster]

Not so soon SS, now the military looks like they might sue due to not counting their vote! Yeeeehaaaa about time I'd say! Ted :D

I'm waiting for someone to cry foul on a civil liberty call. It's around the corner. Never mind Rossi's rights... I don't feel like my right to vote was fairly treated through this whole thing.

[heymagic]

If you take the money Kerry put in and devide by the difference of the last two recounts it seems like a Dem vote is worth about $4100....It sure seems like they absolutley knew they could pull off the hand recount...

It wouldn't take a crack team of cat burglars to slide a vote around here or there for sure. I think the majority of thye wrong-doing came just as the polls closed. Lots of "provisional" ballots went to dead folks and folks who'd already voted somewhere else. :(

[Tedster]

Why do you think the deadocrats are so panicy about moving on, cause they are going to get caught with their dirty hands in the ole cookie jar! I'm so impressed the way the Republicans are not lying down and rolling over like they have done so many times before. Ted :D

[Randygh]

I found out last night that Chelan Superior Court Judge Chip Small has asked Reps., Dems., and all 39 county auditors to be excused from hearing the governor's vote inconsistancy case. Small said while he could be impartial in his ruling, he admitted to knowing CG, and his daughters have interned in the state AG office and campaigned for CG. His wife is a republican, and has worked for the local Chelan county Republican party. The WA state Republican party is the plantiff in the case and all 39 county auditors and the state Democratic party are codefendants.

The new Judge will be John Bridges. Bridges has been on the bench for many years, and he too is known to be a fair judge. I might take alittle time off work to attend the proceedings next week.

I'll tell ya the website I'd like to find:

www.hang-in-there-dino.com

[Go Aweigh2452]

I don't think Dino has a choice as to hanging in there or not... It's going to happen with OR without him.... tee hee...

Yeah... hopefully they maintain enough momentum to keep this thing going. This whole mess is a black mark on our system here in Washington. They need to do what is right.

[heymagic]

You're all wrong !!! Everything is all better now, we have a truly elected governor and if she fixes everything else like she fixed the election we be on easy street. In fact I'm gonna cash in my savings, take a couple months off, buy a 50ft boat and have some fun. I know she is gonna change everything for the better and we'll all be livin the good life :clown: .... :puke:

[Tedster]

Well that certainly was graphic! Ted :lol:

[Go Aweigh2452]

Judge turns down GOP request for speedy action in election challenge

By REBECCA COOK; Associated Press Writer
Last updated: January 20th, 2005 12:06 PM


WENATCHEE — A judge refused Thursday to speed up the Republican challenge to the bitterly disputed Washington governor’s election, handing a small victory to Democrats.
Chelan County Superior Court Judge John E. Bridges ruled that the case would go forward, but not on the expedited schedule proposed by Republicans.

“The old maxim that justice delayed is justice denied has a corollary: Justice hurried is justice denied,” Bridges said.

But in a plus for the GOP, the judge also denied a request by Democrats to delay “discovery” — the gathering of evidence — until the court considers the underlying constitutional issues in the dispute.

The hearing came eight days after Democrat Gov. Christine Gregoire was sworn into an office that she had at first apparently lost to Republican Dino Rossi. A hand recount found she had won by 129 votes, and the Republicans are challenging the result.

Bridges will hear motions by the Democrats and county officials to dismiss the case Feb. 4.

The heart of the Republicans’ challenge is that mistakes during the vote-counting forever obscured the true results of the November election, and the only just remedy is another statewide vote.

Thursday’s hearing was held at the county auditorium instead of the courthouse to accommodate the large crowd.

Neither Rossi nor Gregoire attended. Gregoire remained in Olympia, working to establish her authority as governor. Rossi traveled to Washington, D.C., for President Bush’s inauguration.

[Randygh]

If Judge Bridges and ultimately the state supreme court rule in favor of a revote will the Queen's current rule be legitmate? What happens to any bills she may have signed into law? What about appointments she has made? If there is a revote and DR is elected for a 3rd time, it will be an interesting time in Olympia.

[heymagic]

As much as I would like to see a different outcome, there will be no re-vote. While we all suspect there was a great deal of shenanigans it will all be chocked up to "honest mistakes" and flaws in the system. Reform will be called for no doubt. There isn't enough hard evidence of Dem fraud and I can't see any court or judge having the stones to overturn the election. The Dems would just counter sue, the states budget would be in the crapper...Kerry sure as hell isn't going to fund the re-vote.... :shock:

To top it off with a Dem legislature, Rossi would be as serious lame duck if the re-vote went his way. I think we're stuck with the Queen B for this term, but I think it would take a miracle for her to be re-elected. She definitely will put the "C" in government . :D

[Go Aweigh2452]

Well, she just stated she is looking at a tax increase... already... Didn't she "indicate" she would not look at raising taxes as her running platform? If there is a revote, that will go big time on her!

[Randygh]

I don't think Judge Bridges will be afraid to throw out the governor's vote if he feels so indicated. Back in 2000 he defrocked the newly elected mayor of Wenatchee when it was brought to light that the new mayor was not legally residing in the city limits. The guy owned a house in the city that he shared with his daughter, but lived most of the time outside city limits. Judge Bridges threw his butt out of the mayor's office and installed the runnerup.

The arguments in this case are really quite different. The Reps say there is enough error to invalidate the election and the Dems say that while there were errors, the errors were not intentional. This seems like a weak defense argument and I say BS to that. There were errors and I believe there was malicious intent on the part of King County election officials. Interesting that the Reps are not going after the possible misconduct. Evidently, the Rep lawyers feel they have enough of a case they don't need to introduce intent into the trial.

[3788sam]

Didn't a former mayor just have a furnerl this past weekend?(same guy?)
Had lunch at The Resturant, a friend stopped in who is in the honer guard said it was a 2 hour service.

[Randygh]

Jim Lynch passed away last week. Jim was mayor for several terms and then was voted a county commissioner. Jim was an attorney and a die-hard democrat. He was a very good mayor and commissioner. He was a moderate and had a great personality. Being Irish, he started the locally famous St. Patrick's day parade. It was 1/2 block long and ended at a tavern. The invited parade grand marshall's have included such famous people as Bill and Monica, and Michael Jackson. Two years ago the parade was moved to Cashmere because a parade participant on a Harley hit someone in front of the tavern. Needless to say, both had been hitting the sauce before the parade. Wenatchee was afraid it would get sued because it supported the parade.

[3788sam]

Didn't hear about that bit of trivia :?

[Go Aweigh2452]

OLYMPIA - State Republican Party officials say they have verified 737 illegal votes in the governor's election.

State Party Chairman Chris Vance says the votes came from felons, dead people, people who voted twice, and from provisional ballots that were illegally fed directly into voting machines.

Republicans have filed a court challenge to the election of Democratic Governor Christine Gregoire. Gregoire lost the first two counts against Republican Dino Rossi. She won by just 129 votes after a final, hand recount.

Vance says there should be a new election, because the number of illegal votes is so much larger than the margin of victory.

Republicans filed briefs Wednesday responding to Democrats' motions to dismiss their election challenge. The next court hearing is scheduled for Feb. 4.

The iron's still hot.

:D

[Tedster]

Ya think this whole mess will be over with in four years?! Ted :roll:

[heymagic]

Would be kind of ironic to have the former AG elected to governor by illegal convicted felons votes....

So they need to tabulate the illegal votes and deduct that from the official tallie ( any on eof the three would be ok) and see who wins then. An illegal vote is a non-vote and can't be counted even by mistake ...IMHO

Ted's on to something..if 3 years from now this is still in court, could CG run for re-election without being really elected ? Would Rossi run for election or re-election ?? Would a 3rd party candidate dare throw a hat into the ring??? Stay tuned for the next episode of " The Old and the Witless"....

[Go Aweigh2452]

Well, I think since the laws are on the books that a revote is possible in close elections, how close does it have to be to be OK to do a revote? I say, lets use the revote as per law and also fix the system (especially King CO.).

[heymagic]

Maybe we should have the CG supporters dye their finger , ala Iraq. Then if a recount is needed just send in the finger...we got too many nose-pickers in politics anyway... :twisted:

I say they just keep the fingers as they show up at the pole. Just sort 'em in a big ole barrel..

[Go Aweigh2452]

Yeah, and some of them cheaters will undoubtably vote twice by sending in the left and then get a provisional ballot and send the right index finger or thumbs!

[Randygh]

Yesterday I visited with the Chelan County Prosecuting Attorney, Gary Reisen, when he brought in his dog. Good guy. He told me that state law says the county auditor is supposed to have an established VALID voter list BEFORE each election. It is the county's responsibility that only legally registered voters are allowed to vote. Gary said that no counties in this state check-out the registered voters before each election. The county election boards would have to contact the Dept. of Corrections and local law enforcement agencies to get up to date histories of felons, find out who has croaked, left the area etc., and remove their names. He said it would be prohibitively expensive for counties to do what they are mandated to do. (Sounds like a Democratic idea--another unfunded state mandate). He thought the Dems were going to push the idea that if a county voter list included dead people, convicted felons, aliens and mad Germans, that the vote tally is valid because the counties didn't do their work before the election.

If Judge Bridges rules in favor of the Republican party, Gary is going to ask the court to excuse Chelan County from the lawsuit. Chelan county did not have any election hanky-panky like King Co. In fact, I believe the two machine counts and hand counts were within 2 or three votes each time.

That's a similar result here in Snohomish County. Ironically... we're one of two fully automated system counties (touch screen). The computer only adds them up... anyhow... in the hand recount...they had to PRINT copies of each ballot... and then those were human counted. Go figure how many ways that could be screwed up...

It's crazy to think a human counting millions of votes against a computer, could be anything less than accurate... oh well...

[Go Aweigh2452]

Well, the Deadocrats conceded in November that hand counts are not as accurate as machine counts.... but they did it anyway... ???? :roll:

[heymagic]

That was November...in January they said the hand count was the most accurate count ever...hmmm...bet they wouldn't agree if it had gone the other way.

[heymagic]

Maybe we can take up a collection, bribe someone in Iraq and have everyone convinced that CG won that election instead...

[Go Aweigh2452]

Gene... I like it...

latest news:

Judge Favors GOP In Rulings On Jurisdiction, Venue

A judge hearing the challenge to the election of Washington Governor Christine Gregoire has ruled against a couple of motions to dismiss the case.
The judge decided the case is being properly heard in Chelan County Superior Court in Wenatchee, instead of the state Legislature.

The hearing continues with the judge expected to rule today on several more motions.

Today's rulings favor Republicans contesting the election.

Democrats wanted the judge to dismiss the case. They say there is no reason to remove the governor.

Republicans hope to go to a trial where thay can argue they have uncovered enough felon votes, dead votes, double votes and other problems to outweigh Gregoire's 129-vote margin of victory over Dino Rossi.

The election challenge is expected to land eventually in the state Supreme Court where Republicans hope justices will order a revote.

[Randygh]

This morning, Judge Bridges excused all the county auditors as defendants in this case. Probably no big obsticle for the GOP.

[3788sam]

Thanks to Randy, Gene and others here, we get better information on IBNW then on the networks!

[Randygh]

The only defendants in the case now are Sam Reed, the democratic party and the independant party. Judge Bridges ruled that Chelan County is the appropriate venue to hear the case and will rule this afternoon whether the case should be dismissed. I bet he says it is not going to be dismissed--rules in favor of Reps.

[Go Aweigh2452]

Interesting poll by KIRO...

Should there be a re-vote in the Washington governor's race?
Choice Votes Percentage of 54116 Votes
Yes. 40596 75%
No. 12729 24%
Not sure. 791 1%


Looks pretty convincing to me... but then again, "They" can always say only Rossi folks check out KIRO-TV

[heymagic]

Loks like the judge allowed the case to proced but tossed out the re-vote request. Court didn't have authority to grant or something to that effect...so on it goes. I admire Rossi's composure and am thankful for CG's relative silence....

[Go Aweigh2452]

just because this court can not mandate a re-vote doesn't mean it is a done deal. Higher court can do this and or maybe he'll rule that the "extra" ballots cannot be counted... be interesting... either way...

[Randygh]

I just heard on a local station that the trial will proceed in Judge Bridge's court. Evidently, even though he can't rule on a revote, he can rule if the election was wrought with errors and invalid. Regardless, of Judge Bridge's ruling, I bet the State Supreme Court will make the ultimate judgement regarding a revote.

[Go Aweigh2452]

You're absolutely correct. He will decide if the Supreme court should make the decision for a re-vote by looking at the evidence. This is just a formality and its looking pretty good that we will either have a re-vote or the election results will be thrown out and in that case, the LT gov will run the show till Nov for the next general election...

The legislature has also put forth a bill that will allow a box on the ballot that says "no one" as a choice... duh!!!!

[heymagic]

I heard one of the Dems yapping about not removing a sitting governor. The theory being that swearing in apparently validates all the errors...hmmm, I don't think so.

Well... this whole mess definitelyt validates my distrust of politicians in general...

What a mess... :x

[Go Aweigh2452]

Judge signs order in election challenge
REBECCA COOK; The Associated Press
Last updated: February 18th, 2005 10:28 AM


OLYMPIA — A Wenatchee judge signed an order Friday confirming that the legal challenge to the governor’s election will move forward in Chelan County Superior Court. But Judge John E. Bridges said it’s not going to move too fast.

The state Republican Party had suggested an April 4 trial date. Bridges said he won’t set a trial date until both sides have finished their discovery, the legal term for fact-finding. He didn’t get to the question of what, exactly, the Republicans will have to prove at trial.

Bridges’ order confirmed his ruling at a Feb. 4 hearing. Bridges denied the Democrats’ motion to move the election challenge to the Legislature or the Supreme Court. He granted the Democrats’ motion to take a “revote” off the table as an option if the Republicans win. And he denied Democrats’ motions to dismiss the case because they believe the Republicans don’t have enough proof.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi and the state GOP are challenging Democratic Gov. Christine Gregoire’s election, saying her 129-vote margin of victory was tainted by so many errors and illegal votes that the courts should throw out the results. They sued Secretary of State Sam Reed, a Republican. The state Democratic Party intervened in the case.

Bridges’ signed the Republican’s proposed order, which stated which motions were denied and which were granted, and included the transcript of the judge’s ruling on Feb. 4.

Democrats had submitted a much more ambitious, 19-page proposed order. They wanted the judge to clarify that in order to win their case, the Republicans will have to prove how each illegal voter actually voted.

The judge said he wasn’t going to go there on Friday, but mentioned that Democrats should file a pretrial motion on that question of what the burden of proof should be.

“The Democrats got totally shut down,” Rossi spokeswoman Mary Lane said. “They keep trying to delay or limit our case and they keep failing.”

[Go Aweigh2452]

YOUR new Govenor wastes no time in paying off her buddies...



Unions 2, Taxpayers 0
Former Attorney General Christine Gregoire signed her first bill yesterday, becoming the first former Attorney General in state history to accidentally get a chance to sign a bill.

And what a bill it was. SB 5097, a pay-off to the goons from Gregoire's base in the public employment unions. It requires 15% of all spending on large public works contracts be set aside for employees enrolled in union apprentice programs.

In another victory for the public employee unions, Gregoire and key Democrats in the state legislature are advocating hundreds of millions of dollars in pay and benefit increases for government workers.

These people must ask themselves "How will we pay for this"? And believe me, we will pay for this.

[heymagic]

At least she keeps her word....

[Tedster]

What a bucking fitch I say, gee I can say that here cool! Ted :D

[heymagic]

Let's start a new forum : Fitching Lies, Rumors and Half Truths . CG can be moderator.. :lol:

[Go Aweigh2452]

Everybody is right. AH-CHOO!
In a Seattle Times day-in-the-life piece by Ralph Thomas, Gregoire seems to be uncomfortable with the principle, "the bucks stop here" [sic]:

Gregoire is the most sought-after politician in town. Legislators, lobbyists, labor leaders, business executives and citizen advocates— just about everyone is trying to get in to see her.
-----

"So come up with some more ideas," Gregoire told the group.

As consolation, she told Ward and the others that just about everyone she encountered that day wanted something in the budget.

"My heart goes out, because everybody is right," Gregoire said. "I just don't know how you get there from here."

Uh-oh: everyone that asked for budget increases is right. Government spending is the answer to all their problems; there's not one program that is unnecessary... this does not bode well.

The problem might be, if I followed her comments correctly, that the citizens of Washington are undertaxed.

New carpet in the governor's mansion sure didn't help. She's allergic to the cats that Gary Locke owned, you see, and so the whole mansion was recarpeted, at a cost of about $15,000. And no, you won't find that in the newspapers. (She also got a new $3,500 refrigerator, by the way).

[heymagic]

Ah, the old champagne government suffering with a beer populace....we are so not worthy. :puke:

[3788sam]

No wonder why the East side want's to be its own state! I'm sure that their harder to earn tax dollars are being spent on new refrigerators and carpets along with these pet projects just sets them off!

[Go Aweigh2452]

More fuel for the fire... BTW, I get a lot of this stuff from www.soundpolitics.com

A sewer of corruption
I apologize for my earlier statement accusing the Washington State Democratic Party of being an opium den of corruption. It is actually a sewer of corruption. Today's Seattle Times -- "Dems admit mistakes to PDC"

Two years ago, in the largest campaign-disclosure fine imposed against a political party in Washington, the Democrats were assessed $150,000 for failing to properly disclose about $7 million worth of campaign donations and expenditures during the 2000 election.

Under a 2003 deal with the state Attorney General's Office, the Democrats agreed to a $250,000 fine, of which $100,000 was suspended if the party remained free of serious infractions for five years.

Now remind me again -- Who was the Attorney General in 2003? Where is she now? How did she arrive at her current position?

Posted by Stefan Sharkansky

[Go Aweigh2452]

Count every vote
The Rossi Revote campaign released the names today of hundreds of felons who they believe cast illegal votes in November. The campaign also released the names of nearly fifty deceased persons in whose names votes were apparently cast.

Obviously, we can never know for whom these apparently illegal votes were cast. But in the case of felons, even Christine Gregoire implicitly acknowledges they would probably favor her.

Gregoire also indicated support for a House bill that would restore voting rights to felons who have served their time but still owe debts.

If you read the last statement quickly, you probably missed a key point... All convicted felons in this state get shorter sentences if they agree to paying back their victims for their crimes... Gregoire is saying in essence that if a felon gets a shorter sentence for saying they will pay back victims, they really don't have to owe the victims according to this new bill... this from the former State Attorney General??? Where the heck is her head????

[heymagic]

She is thinking outside the box !!! Most politicians woo the law abiding populace...

[Randygh]

I just heard my local state legislators on their weekly live radio conference call. They said the dem's are still pushing for a sales tax on physician services. If I remember correctly one of the Queen's (democratic) campaign issues was the out-of-control cost of health services which results in disparity of health care. Seems to me that adding a sales tax on physician services would hurt the consumer. The doc's don't pay the sales tax, we the end consumers of the services would pay the sales tax. What a stupid idea. I bet there are alot of dumb people who think the tax would be paid by the docs rather than the consumers. Gotta tax those rich docs. We sure don't hear too much rhetoric about slapping a sales tax on attorney fees!! :angry1:

What's going on with the mandatory boater education bill?

[Go Aweigh2452]

Well, all/most taxes on biz is passed on to the consumer and eventually, the consumer will go someplace else (out of state and internet come to mind).. wait, they already are going there... must be the environment is not too friendly for biz currently in this state which means not too friendly for the consumer... and the legislature can not think that far down the line to see this...

when I was doing my own thing in Family Financial Planning 10 years ago I was amazed at the cost of all the taxes on sales... gross sales to boot... heaven forbid you pay tax on net sales... noooo, gotta be gross sales... stupid...

Of course the first knee jerk reaction will be that we will have to cut into health care to get out of the 2 billion deficit... that will get the pentioners up in arms and then the legislature will just HAVE to raise taxes so as NOT to hurt health care... the same health care the current gov ran on saying she would not decrease, but increase health care in WA State... speak with forked tongue why dontcha...

[Go Aweigh2452]

The discrepancy widens

Saturday's P-I brought us this outlandishly biased article -- "Democrats charge GOP list of 'illegal' votes full of errors". It's fair for the Democrats to dispute the names that are on the list in error. But the real story should be that hundreds of people voted illegally, and not that a small percentage of the names might be on the list in error. Indeed, the only reason that the GOP had to come up with these names is because election officials failed to do their jobs in the first place. That's the real story.

And here's a bombshell the P-I failed to pick up on:

In one example, a copied page appears to show that a woman who the GOP alleges voted twice only signed for one ballot. A poll worker's notation under the woman's signature apparently got counted as a second signature.
What this has to mean is that there's one fewer voter to match with the ballots. The number of voterless mystery ballots just went up to 1,801!

[Tedster]

It just doesn't end does it?! Ted :shock:

[Go Aweigh2452]

Public peace, health and safety

Legislators in Olympia have declared a number of bills "necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions."

Bills passed with this emergency clause take effect almost immediately and are not subject to a voter referendum.

So just what are these "emergencies" in Olympia?

Publicly expressed support for the potato industry. Regulations governing milk processing. Taxes on carbonated beverages. Exemptions for the conditioning of vegetable seeds. Development of outdoor recreational ballfields on agricultural land. Programs for recycling waste tires. Tax credits for syrup sales.

Jason Mercier of the Evergreen Freedom Foundation compiled a list of emergency bills that are still alive this session. You'll find a great bullet-point list in the extended entry, and you can get more detail on any bill at www.washingtonvotes.org.

[Go Aweigh2452]

Move To Gut Tax And Spending Limits Draws Fire

State Sen. Margarita Prentice (D-Renton) tells the Seattle Post-Intelligencer that Senate Democrats are showing "boldness and guts" by pushing a bill to evade the 1993 voter-approved tax hike limits and spending limits of Initiative 601.

Washington state Substitute Senate Bill 6078 would weaken I-601's two-thirds vote requirement for approval of new taxes to a simple legislative majority. It has passed Senate Ways and Means; may be headed for a Senate floor vote; and could become law after late-innings budget action in The House.

The Seattle Times is opposed. And the King County Journal thinks it's a rotten idea. More from the Journal:

The current law, an initiative passed by the voters 12 years ago, says any tax increase needs a two-thirds approval of the Legislature and spending increases are limited to the rate of inflation plus population growth. The requirements are strict, but the state has been able to function, even in tough times.
Now some legislators want to loosen the reins on government by permitting a simple majority of the Legislature to raise taxes and eliminating the formula on spending. The bill replaces the population and inflation growth limit with a limit based on 90 percent of personal income growth in the state. Had this been in place since 1993, the spending limit would have been billions higher than it is now and everyone's taxes would be higher.

The bill does one more thing that directly hurts voters: It contains an emergency clause that would deny people their constitutional right to repeal the bill through referendum. That, alone, is outrageous enough to sink this legislation.


However, Democrat Prentice, in the P-I, argues that failing to eviscerate I-601, as per SSB 6078.....

....would be to "condemn the state to something that's pretty unsustainable...This will not be the Washington state that we've known."
What's unsustainable is where we're at now: with a bloated bureaucracy; too many programs of indeterminate or negligible effect; and no political will to trim the sails on the ship of state. While I-601 has helped keep tax-and-spend Democrats in check, the real pruning of state government has barely begun, public employee labor union caterwauling aside.

Also ignored has been been serious examination of corporate tax giveaways which have totalled billions in Washington state, with no demonstrable net benefit. These are simply taxes on the rest of us, but by another name.

[Go Aweigh2452]

Democrats: Election was a mess, don't really know who won

In yesterday's P-I we learn that the Democrats aren't feeling very confident of Gregoire's margin of "victory" and are so desperate to increase it that they're trolling through the provisional ballots that King County rejected -- "Democrats still looking for votes -- just in case"

The Democrats want to look at whether those 4,432 ballots were rejected appropriately, McDonald said. As a first step, he said, they're reviewing the cases of 208 voters whose ballots were excluded under the category "not registered, needed further research" as it appears on a post-election report, he said.

A preliminary check on about 10 of those names turned up five or six that seemed to match with names on a voter registration list, McDonald said.

Now why would the Democrats be announcing new claims of King County election mistakes unless they believed that the Republican claims had irrefutable merit? This looks like a shift in strategy. The Democrats' new strategy seems to be to counter every Republican claim of illegitimate votes that appeared to favor Democrats with claims of erroneously rejected votes that would appear to help Democrats had they been counted.

This is a major concession that supports Rossi's argument that the election was a total mess and that we don't reallly know who won.

[Go Aweigh2452]

All in the family

County auditors from around the state are again circling the wagons and, quite frankly, lying to the public in a shameless attempt to defend the mistakes made by King County Elections. This letter was written by Pat McCarthy (Pierce), Bob Terwilliger (Snohomish) and Karen Flynn (Kitsap) and sent to King County Politburo Chairman Larry Phillips in time for last Monday's Council meeting.

The intense scrutiny of audit processes that ensure that only eligible voters are voting absentee or provisional ballots or that there are ballots at the polling places in the ballot boxes equal to the number of persons who signed in the poll books is not the same during the administrative act of providing a notation in the voter registration system that a voter voted at a particular election. One is critical to ensuring the integrity of the election while the giving of credit for voting purposes is for pure administrative post election purposes totally unrelated to the legitimacy or eligibility of a voter to cast a ballot in any particular election.

Wrong on two counts. First, the so-called "intense scrutiny" of provisional ballots wasn't very intense. Hundreds of ballots were illegally cast. Second, state administrative rules (WAC 434-240-250) and King County's own administrative procedures document (7.1.b) state very clearly that absentee voters are credited at the time that the ballots are processed, and in order to ensure the integrity of the election by preventing double votes.

Why are these auditors so feverishly circling the wagons and making fools of themselves in order to defend King County Elections? Partly, I assume, because they have a lot of sloppiness of their own they're helping each other cover up. Also, because the elections industry is something of a family business. The Kitscap County Auditor's chief deputy is Winnie Flores-Logan, who also happens to be Mrs. Dean Logan. Dean Logan did Pat McCarthy a handsome favor last year when he gave her son Conor McCarthy an unusually well-paid temporary job in King County Elections between April 2004 and January 2005. McCarthy undoubtedly owes Logan a favor or two. And Bob Terwilliger --?

[Go Aweigh2452]

In answer to 3388sam on the fishing forum about casinos owned by indians in the 1800's where he said:
Did the tribes have casinos that bring in millons back in the 1800's ?

Well, take a look at this....

you see, as long as you own a democrate in power... you can have it all...

Pork Barrel Business Park

The Tulalip tribe's Quil Ceda Village Business Park, a combination casino/shopping mall, may be getting a $2 million annual cut of state sales tax revenue, diverted from Snohomish County, courtesy of the Democrat-controlled state legislature.

Quil Ceda Village asserts its claim on the municipal portion of the sales tax from its legal status as a "municipal body". But unlike a bona fide municipality, it has no residents and therefore no voters. Its "Village Council" is appointed by the Tulalip Tribe. The "Village Manager" is John McCoy, who also happens to be ... Rep. John McCoy (D-Marysville) and who, go figure, doesn't seem terribly interested in being held accountable for how he spends his gift of public funds:

McCoy, whose legislative district contains the Tulalip Reservation, said Quil Ceda Village meetings are open to the public, though he wasn't sure whether the tribes released budget documents and other records. He said the public would be able to tell its dollars were being spent well because of the services the tribes would provide.

The enabling legislation, HB 1721, easily passed in the House and is on the way to the Senate floor.

That's partly because they initially wanted to incorporate Quilceda Village into the township of Tulalip. That woudl have allowed them to draw direct taxation off the top. Could imagine what the tax take would be on a WalMart Superstore and a Home Depot? Even a 1/2 percent kicker would be HUGE!

As it is they're building an Outlet Mall bigger than anything in the NorthWest and a theme park is on the table for the 400 acres behind it. Can you say cha-CHING???

[Randygh]

Are any NW tribes in the salmon farming business? Seems to me, the tribes that don't own casinos would make more money selling farm raised salmon than they do from taking wild salmon. A very good friend who was born and reared on the Yakama Indian Nation Reservation said it was not uncommon to find dumped salmon along roadsides or ditch banks because the indian fisherman couldn't sell all his catch from the trunk of his car. It's a shame to waste wild or Washington hatchery fish and if you or me did it, we'd be breaking the law.

[3788sam]

This has been all over our local Paper over the years - I rember when they first built up Quilceda and the tribe wanted to keep all the sales tax that the stores charged. Wall Mart basicaly said no way well build some where else!

[Go Aweigh2452]

Gregoire's Budget Proposal Weak, Timid

The proposed two-year, $25.8 billion state budget unveiled by Washington's Democratic Governor Christine Gregoire is weak, timid and evasive. Befitting a defender of the status-quo, it fails to make significant cuts in government programs and spending. It merely delays, rather than prevents increases in state employee pension contributions. It gobbles up surpluses in targeted state accounts. It funds smaller class sizes when there's no solid evidence that helps academic achievement. It fails to address billions in corporate tax breaks, a source of recovered revenue if ever there was one. And Gregoire's proposed increase in cigarette taxes will likely lead to more out-of-state, Internet and mail order sales of cigarettes, more use of fake cigarette tax stamps, and a shortfall in anticipated new revenues from that source. The reimposition of an estate tax after a court rejected it betrays a "soak the rich" mindset inimical to downsizing state government.

Gregoire admits it's not a sustainable budget, but insiders are eyeing an even bigger tax hike. The $203 million in proposed new taxes is an obvious door-opener for about double that amount after the budget works its way through the legislature, as one of House Speaker Frank Chopp's work colleagues at the Fremont Public Association noted.

...Gregoire's proposal may just be the starting point, said Tony Lee, who lobbies for the Fremont Public Association for programs for children and low-income people. He said it would be easier for lawmakers to raise $400 million in taxes as long as Gregoire is halfway there.
What seems most obvious is that whatever budget the legislature and governor agree upon, avoidance of tough decisions will build voter support of the performance audit initiative I-900. At some point Democrats and Republicans in Olympia will have to stand up to the public employee unions living high on the hog, and corporations using subtle blackmail ("we'll leave the state") to win tax exemptions.

[Tedster]

Doug I was going to say "you're not surprized are you" but I know you're not and just keeping us informed, thanks.

Ted :D

[Randygh]

I heard the Queen yesterday afternoon on the radio. She was touting her proposed budget with no new major taxes, or tax increases in the sales and B & O taxes. She did say she wants to increase school expenditure and teacher pay with the additional revenue generated by her proposed 20 cents per cigarette pack tax increase. I agree with Doug, she is setting the stage for new taxes or elevated tax rates, possibly in next year's supplemental budget. She is also trying to present the image of a fiscal, moderate liberal (oxymoron!) because there is the possiblility of another election this fall. If Queen G has to campaign to maintain her throne, she doesn't want the Reps to point out how she significantly raised taxes for everyone as would be with a sales tax and B & O tax increase.

[Go Aweigh2452]

exactly Ted... I am not surprised but like seeing the comments from Randygh and others since Randy is from the "other side" of WA state and has some great insight on some of this stuff and some others know a thing about this or that.

I am also only try to inform as to what is happening in Oly... I find it very revealing at times how much lobbying is done and how much $$$$ of our tax dollars are mis-spent... kinda ****es me off but not much we can do about it... yet... maybe in a year or 4?

As far a smaller classs sizes... she says they should be smaller and Locke ran on that too but never funded it... Personally, I like big classes and 30 is just fine for me...(my classroom woul not hold more than 30 anyway)... big classes make for very lively conversations and I get to slow down the lecture mode and evolve into the fire mode... IE... add fuel to an already combustible class and they really have fun learning... Small classes don't really get so involved...

I can see Mike doing this stuff and he'd have a blast...really!

[3788sam]

I for one love the fact that you guys keep me so informed!

[Tedster]

Please don't get me I'm glad Doug post these updates, since some of us may not listen to the other side of the media. And even then it is a whole other slant. Ted :D

[Go Aweigh2452]

Gregoire's unsustainable budget

Bob Williams has been reading the state budget for decades. He says Gregoire's proposed budget (released Monday) is "the worst he's ever seen."

Maybe it's because she wants to increase funding for her own office, Commissions on Horse Racing, African-American Affairs, Hispanic Affairs, Asian-American Affairs, and Minority and Women's Business, and decrease funding for the state auditor's office.

Or maybe it's because she wants to ignore voter-approved spending limits and raise taxes.

Ignoring Intent of Voter-Approved Spending Limit
To reach the $25.8 billion record level of spending, Gregoire exploits a loophole in the I-601 voter-approved spending limit. The loophole allows for increasing the spending limit by making fund transfers from dedicated accounts to the general fund. Additional budget expenditures (such as a supplemental budget) also increase the spending limit.

By requesting a $219 million 2005 supplemental budget and making $244 million in fund transfers in her 2005-07 budget proposal, Gregoire greatly expands the voter-approved I-601 spending limit from $25.1 billion to $25.9 billion ($810 million increase). With only three months remaining in fiscal year 2005, the governor is claiming that the $219 million in expenditures she is requesting are emergencies that can't wait until the next budget (July 1, 2005). However, the governor hopes to transfer $45 million from the general fund to the Health Services Account in her supplemental budget. She then plans to transfer $86 million from the Health Services Account to the general fund for her 2005-07 budget. This budget slight of hand enables her to artificially increase the I-601 spending limit.

Under the law, if taxes or expenditures in excess of the I-601 spending limit are proposed, a vote of the people is required to approve the increase. By increasing the I-601 spending limit by $810 million—the governor is denying the people their right under the law to vote on her tax and expenditures increases.

Get the details here:

http://effwa.org/highlighters/v15_n9.php

[Go Aweigh2452]

'Family life' classes urged for schools
State bill focuses on teaching students about relationships

By JESSICA BLANCHARD
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER

There are reading, 'riting and 'rithmetic, but proponents of a bill working its way through the Legislature say it's time to focus on a fourth "R" in education -- relationships.

The House earlier this month passed a bill that would encourage public high schools to offer "family-preservation" classes on building loving relationships, resolving conflicts, being responsible parents and managing money.

The goal, supporters say, is to help students learn the value of strong, enduring relationships and reinforce the importance of families as the basic unit of society -- lessons many teens may not be learning at home.

"It's a neglected area of our educational system," said Rep. Dave Quall, D-Mount Vernon, the bill's chief sponsor.

Schools tend to focus on academics (REALLY? Well, it is in our charter...duh!!) and assume parents will pass on basic skills and values to their children, but that's not always the case, he said.

"Every opportunity we have to expose people to values that respect each other and build a strategy for dissolving conflicts -- I think that's a good thing," Quall said.

The bill, which passed out of the Senate's Early Learning, K-12 & Higher Education Committee last week, originally mandated that districts adopt a family-preservation curriculum. But sponsors dropped that requirement to help secure passage. The revised bill now simply urges districts to adopt the curriculum.

Proponents say a focus on preparing students for life after high school -- teaching them how to juggle work and home life more effectively and modeling good parenting skills -- can strengthen the social fabric and lower the divorce rate.

"Those kind of skills are good all-around," said Larry Kvamme, a Tacoma activist who authored the bill.
(We already teach "Personal Relationships", "Explore Relationships" and "Explore Childhood" among other parenting skills...)

This is just a smooth coverup folks... Here is the real agenda...

" 'Family preservation' -- what the heck is that?" asked Rep. Steve Kirby, D-Tacoma, one of four representatives to vote against the bill, ESHB1252.

Kirby worries that high schools that create the curriculum could wind up alienating some students by promoting the traditional family structure -- a mother, a father and their children -- over other types of families, such as those headed by a single parent or a gay couple.


But no need to worry cause the legislature won't fund this law either... Strange how all public schools are deleting extra curricular and elective courses because the legislature won't fund them all... In fact our school is going from a 4x4 block (8 periods) to a 6 period day to save money (IE delete electives. Of course the tax payer won't see a drop in their taxes collected so where does the money go that would have gone to the electives? You guessed it... bigger district staff and other stuff!)

[heymagic]

86 more uncounted votes votes found...in King County...imagine that !! They knew over a week ago and didn't disclose 'til yesterday, that is tremendously confidence inspiring. I would fire every SOB in KC elections including the janitor .

[Go Aweigh2452]

Well they thought it was 89... but they had a recount and the real newly found ballots is ... 93

The latest on the new 48 er, I mean 87 er, I mean 93 Magical Mystery Ballots

King County issued a press release over the weekend reporting that the total number of recently discovered untabulated absentee ballots is 93. Intriguingly, these new ballots would be expected to add to Rossi's lead.

Although the release doesn't explicitly state that these were all found in opened (=validated and credited) outer envelopes, the wording strongly implies that fact.

Accordingly the voters should have all been credited, so (assuming that these ballots weren't simply planted) the discrepancy between absentee ballots counted and identified voters who could have cast those ballots now climbs to 881!

[heymagic]

If it wasn't so infuriating it would almost be funny. The "hub"of the state, the what's happin now county....CG's shoe-in , gonna win at any cost, we'll keep counting 'til I'm happy county. No wonder the traffic sucks up there, they don't know if they're coming or going...

A VOTE FOR ROSSI IS A VOTE FOR....well we don't know, a couple more weeks and there will be no official Rossi votes to count. They've all been marked over with white out or MIA....SeaFair doesn't have the only pirates in the state :argh

[Go Aweigh2452]

WENATCHEE — The trial in the governor's election lawsuit is scheduled to begin May 23 and last two weeks.

Chelan County Superior Court Judge John Bridges set the date today, denying a request by the state Democratic Party to wait six months before starting the trial.

"I am attempting to be as sensitive as I can to everyone's desires as to when we have this trial," Bridges said during a hearing. "But there comes a point when the court has to say, 'This is when it's going to be,' and I think the point is today."

Republican gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi has sued to overturn the November election, saying illegal votes and numerous errors by election workers resulted in an illegitimate victory for Democrat Christine Gregoire. Rossi won two statewide counts after the Nov. 2 general election, but following a hand recount Gregoire was declared the winner by a margin of 129.


Copyright © 2005 The Seattle Times Company

[Tedster]

Well Doug, at least now we get a chance to force a re-election. I heard if he rules in favor of that it will then go to the Superior Court, and they are expected to rule in favor of Judge Bridges, so we might still get lucky.
I also heard that there are no guarantees that old Crissy will get the nod as the Demo's choice. Oh boy here we go! Ted :D

[Tedster]

:D :D

Well... after Pierce County announced they found a "small number" of UNCOUNTED votes last week... and then King County found 93 UNCOUNTED vote shortly afterwards... and then they botched the special election absentee ballots (heads rolled for that).... something better be done.

I'm to the point, I don't care as much who gets elected... but I think this last election was completly flawed and reeks of impropriety.

[3788sam]

The manual vote count needs to be 100% or its wrong and should have been corrected before anyone was certified, even if it meants delaying the swearing in!
With all the problems and suits coming out now I wonder if it will hurt or help voter turn out? :(

I think we'll see record turn outs.

[Go Aweigh2452]

Drive A Mile In My Car, Jenny

In the face of widespread irregularities, Democrats want illegal votes found through Dino Rossi's contested gubernatorial election lawsuit to be deducted from Rossi or current Governor Christine Gregoire based on an impossible-to-administer, after-the-fact determination regarding for which candidate each illegal ballot was actually cast. Realistically, both sides understand other methods are likely to be used instead. With that in mind, attorney Jenny Durkan, who's representing Gregoire's side, has made an amazing suggestion. That illegal votes should be subtracted from candidate totals based not (sensibly) on what precincts the votes came from, and how those precincts voted overall in the gubernatorial election; but instead (absurdly), on demographic data indicating for whom identified illegal voters were likely to have voted. This data should include, Durkan posited, what kind of car each voter in question drives, what magazines they read, and even whether they've had dealings with Gregoire. (The presumption being, what? If they have, they're MORE or LESS likely to have voted for her?). The mind boggles.

[Randygh]

Mike--Unless you've heard something different than me, three King County election officials were put on paid administrative leave yesterday or Tuesday. This was a recent occurance since the "new" uncounted votes were found. I wonder if paid administrative leave counts against their accrued vacation time. If they are civil service I doubt if they will be fired, probably just go through remedial training.

[3788sam]

I've see it all now! They will be telling me my voting intentions by my shoe size next!

[Go Aweigh2452]

and those same three were moved to that position due to problems before... go figure... turns out that the deadocrats knew about the 93 ballots before they certified the election... heads may FINALLY roll now.

I'd like to see someone get caught red handed and get some jail time out of it. There HAS to be something out of sorts going on. What a mess this is. :(

[heymagic]

I suspect that a lot of people may not vote due to the obvious waste of time results....I think the supportes of both camps will be pretty fierce in the campainging though. With the impending gas tax hike I thin CG has shoot herself in the foot somewhat. With the election "fraud" I think the Dems have shot themselves in the ass somewhat. Rossi has been quiet, gentlemanly, respectable...all to his credit. It'll be interesting in the least, and King County has a lot of credibilty to find...

[Tedster]

Wow, that all coming from a guy that normally is not a fan of the Republicans. Gene I think you do have hope indeed. Ted :D :P :D

[Roel Jansen]

Ted,

That's what a real democrat is.

Whether it'sagainst or in your favour if it's wrong it's wrong!

I followed this which much interest. We had some times that voting computers didn't work well when introduced.
Automaticly a re-vote was held manually and in our system that can't go wrong.
When we vote we get voting cards. with a number and your name on it. also the place where you must vote in our case an eldery home nearby. Entering there is a voting committee about 4 people. One has a list with your name and number. You hand your card to another person and he calls your number only. That other person seeks your number and than calls out your name and the other person says it's correct. On the list you get a mark. Than you get your voting voucher. Two others are counting the vouchers given to voters only. After the election the boxes are opened and the votes collected. Than it is controlled by the 4 persons of the comittee that these collected votes are correct.

But I will say that there should be a reelection in this case. Just to restore the little trust we have if politics are concerned, although I have.
Hope court will decide that way for you.

[heymagic]

Never been a party guy Tedster, it's all about the candidate. I disagree with many of the national Republican parties views however...too much infringement on individual rights. Bush would be a Bozo in either camp, Kerry would be a weak sister as a Republican also. CG is a sneaky, conniving , arrogant beyotch...irregardless of party affiliation. She wants to be boss, Rossi wants to be a leader.

[Go Aweigh2452]

That was the wrong ballot to "misplace"

Thanks to Stefan's trusty voter database http://www.soundpolitics.com/voterlookup.html, most Washingtonians can quickly check to see if their ballot was counted in the last election, a resource that King County itself has not provided directly.

Lt. Bryan Suits, recently home from combat in Iraq, used it to discover that his general election absentee ballot was not counted. Actually, what he saw in the database search result was a hash mark... curious, he called King County elections, who confirmed that although his vote was counted in the primary, he was not credited with voting in the November election.

You ask: "Well, maybe it didn't arrive in time?" Not so. To ensure that it was counted, he had sent the completed absentee ballot to his wife (a police officer, by the way) who made sure it was in the postal system well in advance of election day.

Remember the 93 ballots discovered on April Fool's Day? Lt. Suits believes he voted in an Issaquah precinct from which two of these ballots were found. Hmm. [Update: he has determined his was not one of these. Still, King County won't tell him what happened to his, and won't tabulate those new ballots.]

Oh, incidentally, Bryan is back at his job as a talk show host on KVI 570, nightly 6-9 pm. During his time in Iraq, he gave boots-on-the-ground reports to KVI, Fox News, Tony Snow's radio show, BBC, and other media. Of all people to disenfranchise... they picked the wrong soldier. And his wife knows a thing or two about law enforcement: Suits was active duty military-- his vote was mishandled by the elections department, and he has an unimpeachable witness to that fact.

This is now a federal matter, and the FBI can act on it.

That's the first call he's going to place today (7 April).

King County just reaped yet another whirlwind.

VERY cool.

Great link btw Doug. Now my question is... Why can't the government do the same thing? I should be able to cast my vote online. I should be able to see my vote be counted (it was btw) and that should become a part of public record. Great job by that guy.

Gene; I couldn't agree more with you. I probably side more with the Republican side more because of my military upbringing and the defense issues at stake, but don't much enjoy being labelled as a "party member" either. I vote in both sides. Actually after meeting our local representation, I voted a nearly 100% democratic ticket. I've never met either the Governor (or Gregroire) but I like how Rossi has carried himself through this.

Roel; I live in a county that is one of only two in the state to be completly electronic. There's no chance of voting twice at all. And yet... how did they decide to recount? PRINT each ballot... and then count by hand. Our system here is completely broken and borders on criminal.

[Tedster]

Well at least you are in Rossi's camp, Gene! Ted :D

[Go Aweigh2452]

Well, just for the record... believe it or not... I too vote democrat and republican, libertarian or anyone else that looks good... I split pretty much down the middle with the exception of President the last few elections. Carter was the last democrat I voted for Pres...

This may make Gene's day... I voted for Patty first time she ran as Senator but after she decided to vote straight democratic line, I soured on her...

[heymagic]

Troll Alert....!!! :shock: someone has logged on and is pretending to be Doug !!! :lol: :lol: Sadly I think Carter is a much better ex-president than president. He seems to now be a great statesman and ambassador.

Personally I'm always amazed and somewhat put off by people who only vote a party line, irregardless of candidates or issues. Even more so by the ones who claim they vote XXXX because their dad did or grandad etc. Shows a lack of concern and reasoning to me. They can't or won't use their brain to analyze a decision they use tradition....

I think hell is freezing over or something...

EVERYONE is agreeing on politics? AND... it seems they agreed all along on some topics as it is... :D

[3788sam]

Well if hell is not freezing over it's probably at least flooding today!

[heymagic]

Nuthin like a crisis to bring people together...and with CG in office I think we have a crisis.... :argh :D

[Tedster]

Yup this state is going to get very expensive to live in if she doesn't either get booted or controled. Have you heard about her new road tax for the repair of the Viaduct and 520, good grief!? Ted :roll:

[Go Aweigh2452]

Total absentee ballots counted in the manual recount: 565,014
- Total voters credited as voting absentee: 564,206*
= Ballot - Credit Discrepancy: 808
- Address Confidentiality Program and federal write-in voters: 320
+ Voters credited, but ballots rejected after validation and not counted (identified in Mail Ballot Report): 292
+ Recently discovered ballots of voters credited, ballots not counted: 93
= 873

Look on Christine "Model Election" Gregoire's face when the movers strap her to the handcart and pull her out of the Governor's Mansion: Priceless.

[Randygh]

I wonder if there is a high school civics class teacher out in the hinderlands that can answer this question.

I have a strong feeling there will be another governor's race this fall. If the queen is unseated, what happens to this session's budget that will be passed and signed by the queen? For example, if the legislature passes and the queen signs the 20 cent/pack cig. tax bill, will the new governor (Rossi) be able to submit a new bill in next winter's supplemental session that if passed by the chambers would roll back the tax? I don't know if budgets can be rewritten for one year in a supplemental session.

Thanks for any info.

[Go Aweigh2452]

King County finds another ballot!

No, really:

Another uncounted absentee ballot has been discovered in KIng County, as Washington Secretary of State Sam Reed is talking with King County officials about a possible state review of county election operations.

Four elections workers have already been suspended for uncounted ballots and Thursday, as replacement workers were going through boxes, they found yet another ballot that was never opened. That makes a total 94 ballots that were never tabulated.

That raises the total of magical mystery absentee ballots to 874.

Priceless!!!

[Randygh]

Here's a quote that is worth remembering if we have a new gubernatorial election this fall.

"The hogs are at the trough and the sacred cows are grazing in the pasture." --Senator Mark Schoesler, 9th Legislative District.



Dont' forge, the Dems have majorities in both houses and the throne. Proposed new state budget spending is up 11%, highest increase in recent sessions. The last general session (2 yrs ago) budget was up by 3%. That budget was written by Dino Rossi (head of Senate Budget Committee when the Reps had a 1 seat majority in that chamber).

[heymagic]

IF we get another election...and IF Rossio gets elected he may well have an uncomfortable couple years in power. At the next general election though....the Dems may well be facing a mountain that is unclimbable. I would think the tarnished election will be a dead chicken hanging around their collective necks ( if you grew up arounds dogs and chickens you know what that means).

[Go Aweigh2452]

was that a pink chicken?

[heymagic]

:sign5: ....bad Doug !! :D :D ...I thought we would duck that issue here... :argh

[heymagic]

I heard this morning that there are a couple three "panels" investigating KC election problems. Also mentioned that Ron Sims didn't want Sam Reed investigating King County.

[Go Aweigh2452]

yeah, that is why he selected a new panel to investigate the election. Any bets they take their sweet time, at least past the next election so Sims doesn't get bit? Funny he was comparing his panel to the 9/11 commission. The only problem I see with that is that the 9/11 commission was made up of experts... in Sims case, its made up of good ole buddies... hmmmm... must be fishing season... I smell something funny...

oh yeah...

The "non-partisan" "independent" review team is led by one Cheryl Scott, a major league bigwig campaign contributor. Oddly enough, Scott has given about 90% of her contributions to Democrats, including Ron Sims and Christine Gregoire.

anyone else smell it too???

Gene, you quake me up! :duckie:

[Go Aweigh2452]

Voters can see where Democrats stand on election reform

Legislation passed today fails to resolve issues about voter eligibility, handling of ballots

Rep. Toby Nixon said the flawed election legislation passed early this morning in the House of Representatives falls short of what’s needed to properly address public concerns about Washington’s election system and restore voter trust.

“We should be making changes this session – not next session, but now – to prevent a repeat of the general election fiasco,” Nixon said. “The bills passed today reflect the governor’s ridiculous claim that the 2004 general election was a ‘model’. If they become law, the door will remain open to embarrassments like we saw in King County.
“Every vote should have a voter, and no eligible voters should be disenfranchised because their votes are canceled out by votes from illegal voters. Apparently that’s too much to ask,” Nixon continued.

A majority of House Democrats voted to push their rewrites of Senate Bill 5499 and Senate Bill 5743 through during the late-night session. Nixon said Democrat changes made at the committee level turned the bills upside down, replacing many meaningful provisions with language that fails to resolve a myriad of concerns about voter registration and the handling of ballots.

“It is in everyone's interest to insure that qualified voters are not disenfranchised. It is in all of our interest to restore trust in the election system. And that is why I am dismayed and disappointed that we could not reach agreement on the reasonable, common-sense reforms we proposed today." Nixon said.

“The Democrat chair of the House State Government Operations and Accountability said publicly that she expects major election reforms to be implemented over the next two or three years,” added Nixon, who is lead Republican member of that committee. “Why the delay, when the legislation we need is available today? Do the Democrats think waiting is being accountable to the voters? And if these bills are their idea of ‘major reforms,’ watch out.”

Republicans offered a series of amendments to each bill, hoping to return safeguards aimed at restoring integrity to the elections system. The amendments included one that simply asked the House to endorse the idea that illegal votes dilute the impact of legal votes, and another which described requiring positive identification and proof of citizenship as paramount to a fair and reliable election. Most were rejected.

[Randygh]

So the house and senate have passed a bill that rolls back I-601. Rather than requiring a supermajority vote of both chambers to increase existing taxes or create new taxes, now, after the queen signs the bill into law, only a simple majority from both houses will be required.

I'm glad I don't smoke or drink because there will be significant increases in "sin taxes." I doubt if sin taxes will reduce the number of smokers, probably just increase business for reservation smoke shops. Although I hate to be around cigarette smoke, looks to me like smokers are getting :sex: .

[Go Aweigh2452]

personally, I think the queen knows she is on the way out and wants to get as much budgeted before she leaves so that all her stuff gets more money and everything else she dislikes goes without $$$. Like the Audit office is getting cut when we have no idea where the transportation money goes. The public is asking for an audit and now the queen can say, there is not enough money to do an audit. How convenient is that??? And... Leaves the next govenor with nothing to work with except a one time majorly over spent budget.

[Tedster]

Yup sounds just like the queen and her trolls. The only good of it is that she has to take scurge of being booted out. Ted :D

[Go Aweigh2452]

Gas Tax vote is probably today... If you want to say something to your legislature... go here to find them and their email address and let them know you support/don't support a gas tax and or you may want to mention that an audit trail would be nice on how the transportation department spends our money...http://www.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/Default.aspx

FYI, over $800 million is earmarked for the light rail project out of this gas tax. (thats roughly 2-3% of the users getting over 25% of the gas tax dollars).

[Go Aweigh2452]

Congratulations Queen... you have changed Initiative 601 which was voted for by the people to try to control Olympias' spending. The Queen has changed 601 so that only a simple majority is required to increase/raise taxes...instead of a super majority which the people voted for back in 93... thank you...

BRIEFLY
Initiative 601, adopted by the voters in 1993 and codified as RCW 43.135, made several important statutory changes affecting state fiscal policy. The initiative established a general fund expenditure limit, imposed restrictions on the legislature’s ability to raise taxes and fees, provided for reserve funds, and further restrained the ability of the legislature to transfer program costs to local governments.

and the fun is just begining... :argh

BTW, A simple majority makes it easier to pass higher taxes this year without help from minority Republicans.

Republicans, to no one's surprise, blasted the change and every GOP member on the committee voted against Substitute Senate Bill 6078, which didn't come up for a vote until after 8 p.m.

[Tedster]

Wow, that certainly does not surprize me one bit! Ted :roll:

[3788sam]

Wednesday, April 20, 2005

By GREGORY ROBERTS
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER

Without ballots cast by felons, dead voters and non-citizens, Democratic Gov. Christine Gregoire would have lost the 2004 election to Republican Dino Rossi by about 100 votes, according to a statistical report cited by the GOP in its legal challenge to Gregoire's victory.

But it's uncertain if the courts will buy the statistical arguments, which are a key to the GOP effort to overturn Gregoire's 129-vote win. Democrats say state law doesn't allow such arguments.

The analysis was part of recent legal filings by the Republicans listing the votes they intend to attack as improper in the election trial, which starts May 23 in Chelan County Superior Court.

Gregoire squeaked out her victory after a hand recount of more than 2.8 million votes cast.

The GOP filings mention several categories of allegedly improper votes in the election, including:

# 946 ballots cast by felons, who are barred from voting by the state constitution unless their civil rights have been restored. Of those, 726 came from King County.

# 53 ballots cast in the names of dead voters, including 39 in King County.

# 22 ballots from voters who voted twice in Washington state, and five from voters who voted in Washington and another state.

# Two absentee ballots from Chehalis that were filled out by someone other than the registered voter who received them.

# Two ballots from Seattle cast by non-citizens, who are ineligible to vote.

# 317 provisional ballots that were tabulated without the required verification of voter status. All but a handful are from King County.

The filing refers to 348 provisional ballots that King County election officials specifically have identified as votes improperly counted without verification. The filing says that information about the voters who cast those ballots isn't available. County election officials have said the actual total of improperly counted provisionals is close to 660.

In the data they provided their statisticians for analysis, the Republicans included 92 of those provisional ballots -- the number King County officials have said were cast by voters who could not be found later on registration lists.

Two political science professors -- Jonathan Katz of the California Institute of Technology and Anthony Gill of the University of Washington -- broke down the data for the GOP.

Both subtracted improper votes from the candidates in proportion to the overall vote each received. When possible, precinct returns were used to establish the pattern; otherwise, county results set the percentages. For example, if Gregoire received 60 percent of a vote in Precinct A and Rossi 40 percent, and there were 100 improper votes from that precinct, Gregoire's total would be reduced by 60 votes and Rossi's by 40.

In most cases, the number of improper votes traceable to a single precinct is very small -- often, as few as one. In that case, using the same percentages, Gregoire would lose 0.6 votes and Rossi 0.4.

Katz analyzed 1,053 allegedly improper votes statewide and concluded that eliminating them from the count would yield a roughly 100-vote margin for Rossi. (The total of improper votes in Katz's report is less than the total of claimed by the GOP in separate documents.)

Gill focused on votes from felons that could be tied to individual precincts. Subjecting the 879 votes in his data base to the statistical analysis would produce a Rossi edge of 191.38 votes, Gill said.

In pretrial rulings, Judge John Bridges has said it won't be enough for Rossi to show the number of improper votes exceeded Gregoire's margin of victory. According to state law and previous court cases, the GOP will have to demonstrate that Gregoire owes her win to illegal votes, Bridges said.

Because improper ballots can't be separated from legal ones once the votes are cast and counted, the Republicans hope to meet the standard by applying the statistical analysis.

"We're confident that the judge is going to agree with us that this is the way to do it," state GOP Chairman Chris Vance said yesterday.

But Democratic lawyer David McDonald said Washington state law does not allow that approach.

Bobbie Egan, a spokeswoman for the King County election department, said prosecutors had referred fewer than 10 cases involving ballots from dead voters to the sheriff's office for investigation. The number on the GOP list could be larger because of bookkeeping errors, she said.

Election officials have revoked the registrations of 247 felons, Egan said, and 300 more may be challenged by prosecutors later this month.

[heymagic]

If an illegal vote counts when counted...why the hell go through all the BS to register voters?? Just have a free for all, the candidate that can stuff the most ballots wins, wait we have that already....

[Tedster]

Well that certainly sums it all up! Ted :D

[Go Aweigh2452]

Senate gives a green light to higher gas taxes

By DAVID AMMONS
AP POLITICAL WRITER

OLYMPIA, Wash. -- The Washington Senate on Wednesday voted to boost the gas tax by 9.5 cents a gallon over the next four years as part of a massive $8 billion plan to fix the state's crumbling, crowded transportation network.

The ambitious 16-year program would help finance "mega-projects" like replacing the rickety Alaskan Way Viaduct in Seattle and building a new state Route 520 bridge across Lake Washington. It also would provide cash for hundreds of highway and bridge projects, rail, ferries and other improvements.

Tolls, local taxes and weight fees on cars, light trucks and SUVs also are planned as the state continues to whittle away at a $50 billion backlog of projects, largely without federal help.

The fully implemented gas tax hike and weight fee would cost a motorist an additional $67 to $172 a year, depending on the size of the person's vehicle.

Here is the break out of the votes...

Yeas: 26 Nays: 22 Absent: 0 Excused: 1

Voting Yea: Senators Berkey, Brown, Deccio, Doumit, Fairley, Finkbeiner, Fraser, Haugen, Hewitt, Jacobsen, Keiser, Kline, Kohl-Welles, Mulliken, Poulsen, Prentice, Pridemore, Rasmussen, Rockefeller, Schmidt, Shin, Spanel, Swecker, Thibaudeau, Weinstein, and Zarelli.
Voting Nay: Senators Benson, Benton, Brandland, Carrell, Delvin, Eide, Esser, Franklin, Hargrove, Honeyford, Johnson, Kastama, McAuliffe, Morton, Oke, Parlette, Pflug, Regala, Roach, Schoesler, Sheldon, and Stevens.
Absent:
Excused: Senator McCaslin.

[Go Aweigh2452]

Deposition Week

This week is deposition week in the gubernatorial election contest. Dean Logan was deposed by the Republicans on Monday and the Democrats on Tuesday. Bill Huennekens turn is yesterday and today.

The Republicans are starting to talk about what came out. The punchline: Logan admitted to a number of serious shortcomings and outright violations in ballot processing, security and accounting. The RevoteWA.com group sent out an e-mail with this jaw-dropper:

Attorneys fighting for a ReVote just forced King County Elections officials to admit they printed individual ballots ‘on demand’ during the election. No tracking. No accounting. No record kept at all.
That just might explain where some of the hundreds of unaccounted-for absentee ballots came from.

Chris Vance was on the Mike Siegel Show this morning. He mentioned that the blank polling-place ballots, which are by procedure delivered to the poll inspectors days before the election, weren't counted as required to ensure that no ballots leaked out and leaked back into the AccuVote. Also, Logan apparently admitted under oath that King County violated state election rules and counted the provisional ballots before they finished counting the absentees.

and the plot thickens....
:argh

[Go Aweigh2452]

New budget bobs on sea of gravy

By Danny Westneat

It was when I stumbled across the $73,000 study of the merits of agricultural fairs that I realized drastic measures were in order.

It seems trivial in context of a $26 billion state budget. But it was late in my long slog through reading all 411 pages, and I snapped. I'd sighed over $469,000 for an ombudsman to settle fights at mobile-home parks.

I'd already recovered from the news we're spending $300,000 to market wine.

I'd tried to move past the idiocy of giving the man who presides over the state Senate, Lt. Gov. Brad Owen, a 37 percent budget boost so he can lobby the state Senate.

On page 258, though, I lost it. "Agricultural Fair Study, $73,000," it said. A bill report noted that county fairs have never had "their economic contributions quantified nor their social benefits evaluated."

There could be a reason for that. Like maybe it's a waste of time and money?

I went into my two-day odyssey through the budget expecting to like what I found.

State lawmakers this year actually had more money but not enough to maintain current services. They also wanted pay raises for teachers and money to reduce class sizes — both overdue, in my view.

They accomplished all this, they crowed this weekend, by holding the line on other government spending while raising cigarette and estate taxes.

It sounded to me like the budget I would have wanted.

It's not what we got.

Total spending bloated by nearly $3 billion, up 12 percent. Increases were huge in some areas. The insurance commissioner's budget rose 20 percent (new computers). State Patrol, up 16 percent (new crime labs). The Columbia River Gorge Commission, up 37 percent (new planners).

The Office of Minority and Women's Business Enterprises grew 58 percent (bigger workload due to new road projects).

Major new multimillion-dollar programs were established for the attorney general (consumer protection) and auditor (performance audits).

Not a single program was eliminated anywhere in the state, budget staffers say.

There's more: Lawmakers ordered two dozen new studies, including doozies such as how we can make money off the 2010 Olympics (which will be held in Canada). The primary agency that does studies for state government saw its budget shoot up 23 percent.

I'm no basher of key government services. Some of this stuff drives me crazy precisely because it's such gravy, far afield from what people expect government to do.

When you're trying to make a case that you should be trusted to raise taxes for schools and roads, it undermines everything you're saying.

Now Gov. Christine Gregoire will pore through the 411-page budget. I wonder how she'll react.

She ought to veto it. Or at least cross out parts of it with a red pen.

Gregoire said she was going to come to Olympia to "blow through the bureaucracy."

If she signs this budget, she'll only be puffing it up.

[Go Aweigh2452]

Like Mount St. Helens, the various county election departments keep spewing forth an endless stream of reports on errors and improprieties.

Pierce County Auditor Pat McCarthy admitted under oath yesterday that her department screwed up in November, leaving 50 uncounted ballots on the table. The fact that a partisan Democrat Auditor "forgot" to count a bunch of ballots in a county that went for Dino Rossi only helps Rossi's case.

King County, meanwhile, has identified 648 felons who voted in November. And counting!

[Go Aweigh2452]

The Democrats in Olympia are giving preferential treatment to government workers who happen to be union members:

the budget just passed by the Legislature is the first to include union contracts for pay and benefits, which go into effect July 1.

Workers without a union contract have to wait two months, until Sept. 1, for the same 3.2 percent across-the-board pay increase, the first since 2001.

It gets worse:
The Legislature appears to have opened the state up for an allegation of unfair labor practices, too. That's because the unions face several decertification votes in the near future, and the Legislature could be accused of influencing that vote by creating one pay increase for union members and a different pay increase schedule for nonunion members.
The article quotes a Democrat legislator who defends the practice of penalizing state employees who refuse to pay dues to the folks who bankroll the Democrats' campaigns -- Rep. Sam Hunt, go figure.

[Roel Jansen]

Doug,

I think those democrats are a pain in the a...for a lot of you.

Why not consider if you can't beat them join them!
Look at the benefits no more anger about Gregoire, Hillary, Bill Clinton,
Jane Fonda, you can also eat and dip your French fries in your favorite Ketchup again! And about your high gas prices you can blame the republican administration for it! :D :D :D :D :D

[heymagic]

I think King County is secretly taking bags of ballots and moving them to different counties...

[Randygh]

The Chelan County Courthouse is very busy today. KIRO is all set up with their remote broadcasting truck. Other stations are sure to follow. It's going to be interesting to hear what Judge Bridges has to say regarding the governor's illegitmate election. One of the local radio stations will give periodic updates. Stay tuned.....

[Randygh]

Judge Bridges just ruled that he will allow proportional analysis of disputed votes. This ruling was not welcomed by the dems and can be viewed as a big deal for the reps. Actually it is just one argument that will be used to convince the court the election was invalid. For latest in news stay tuned.........

[Tedster]

Thanks for keeping us informed in advance! Ted :D

[Go Aweigh2452]

Roel, who said we cannot beat them? Just takes time and we have that! As far as Hanoi Jane... She can kiss my A$s as I break wind... :oops:

[Go Aweigh2452]

Fraud

The Republicans are now alleging that outright fraud occurred in King County in the November 2004 election. The Democrats can't defend Ron Sims' indefensible Elections office, so, as usual, they're making stuff up:

"It seems like the Republicans are scrambling for a new theory," Democratic spokeswoman Amanda Fuchs said.
Actually, the theory that more ballots were counted than voters is Item #1 in the election contest petition filed on January 7th.

The reason that the Republicans can now raise the accusation to fraud is because they have more specific evidence. They've been walking through the King County Elections org chart, deposing just about everybody in a position of responsibility, and they're not finished yet.

Tomorrow should be an interesting day --

[heymagic]

Really a heck of coincidence that everything comes back King County and in CGs favor. I'll bet the lack of time to cover tracks will be their downfall. Too much had to happen on short notice to not leave a trail. Too many people involved that aren't trained sabotuers, can't cover up or lie effectively. Probably be a John Grisham novel next year.

Yeah... all they need is a suspicious suicide, maybe some pictures, some unfortunate accidents or connections to the Pakistani Mafia, and you'd have a pretty good plot for a book.

:shock:

[Randygh]

Just heard on the radio that a King County election officer signed off on a count of absentee ballots when in fact she knew there were significant errors in the counting. She acknowledged in a deposition that she falsely signed off the count when she knew in fact it was incorrect. The Reps. plan on introducing the deposition at the trial when it starts on Monday. I have a feeling the Reps. will present a preponderance of evidence that will result in a verdict that is beyond a reasonable doubt there was significant election error and a new trial will be ordered.

[Tedster]

Ya did you hear that she was immediately put on leave, go figure. Ted :D

[Randygh]

My "Re-elect Rossi" window decals look great on my cars. I'm hopeful Judge Bridges and ultimately the state Supreme Court will order a new election. Mike may have to gear up for mass production of the decals.

Glad they turned out OK Randy. I sold two on eBay this morning :)

[Lazy Flamingo]

We hear just about nothing here in New England about whats going
on there with this political thing .. :roll:
Will there be a re-vote for Gov. there ?

[Seapuppy]

it goes to the courts on monday...if it is determined that there was impropiety or improper accounting practices.....then there can be a call for a revote and the lt. gov. will run the state while christine G. moves out of the mansion.....I sincerly hope that happens and that all those fast gas tax increases and other bills that she signed into law are repealed and that the properly voted governor can take office......
Washington state doesn't hear about east coast news either..... :argh arrr

[Randygh]

The trial starts today and if I hear anything on the radio, I'll post promptly. I sure wish I could attend the proceedings to hear the legal arguments.

[Randygh]

The Republican opening statement by Dale Foreman sounded very strong. He said the Reps. will prove to the court that in King County Rossi votes in some precincts were counted but not included in the final tally and that the Queen's total included illegal votes. He stated King County intentionally committed errors to favor the Queen.

The Democratic response was yes, mistakes were made but those mistakes did not effect the outcome of the election. Pure, unadulterated, horsesh_t.!!

[heymagic]

I heard part of it on the TV, just simple errors that have always occured....makes sense to me :roll: ....this is gonna get good !!

[heymagic]

Saw bits and pieces today, gal from KC elections admitted falsifing docs....she looked pretty uncomfortable on the stand and not an accomplished liar. Missed the Dem X-exam though.

[Go Aweigh2452]

To recap last session (Friday, 27 May afternoon):

1) Bridges agrees to accept CFRs as evidence of felony convictions (unless proven otherwise, it seems)
2) Bridges denied motion to dismiss

On lunch break until 2:15pm, when Democrats will call various county auditors who are friends of Dean Logan to testify about what a nice young man he is.

A few comments struck as particularly significant from Bridges' remarks when he denied the motion to dismiss: (1) "I can't imagine that the legislature [when writing the election contest statute] contemplated such as situation as we're faced with today" [meaning who would predict an election could be so badly f*cked up?], (2) "the parties don't agree what the law is" and it is "up to the court to decide" and (3) this case is largely about "what the citizens of the state of Washington expect when there is an election contest filed and what they deserve when a contest is filed"

That all suggests he will be prudently creative in his interpretation of the law to craft a solution that is more common sense than literal.

But he looks like he is trying to make it "bullet proof" so it passes the upcoming obvious Supreme court challenge...

[Go Aweigh2452]

You won't find this in the media...

In other news (and hardly a coincidence):

Washington's governor told a news conference in Seattle this morning that she will be taking her first trade mission later this month, going to France, Germany and the United Kingdom from June 13-17. Gov. Christine Gregoire said she will particularly focus on promoting three industries - aerospace, biotech and biomedical, and tourism.

Yep, her little "trade mission" conveniently coincides with her daughters graduation - I've wondered if we taxpayers are providing a little European trip as a graduation gift... and won't it be interesting what happens to this "trade mission" if Judge Bridges rules against the dems?

[Randygh]

I would like to see the Queen's itinerary and what corporations with whom she'll be meeting.

Perhaps she'll visit the vinters in France and try to convince them to sell Washington wines. Maybe she'll visit the modern shipyards in Roel's country and ask for a price break on construction of a couple ferries. Yep, I can just see the orders rolling from bankrupt eastern European nations for our state's soft white wheat. And best of all, I'm sure she'll convince the coutries that subsidize Airbus to reduce the subsidies to help level the playing field with Boeing. In four days, she'll introduce Europe to Washington like no other governor. Oops, can't forget that afternoon tea with the real Queen in Buckingham Palace.

What a crock huh? I wonder how many thousands it takes to send a Governor on a European vacation like that?

[3788sam]

Must some perk that officals get! Couple of months ago I read that some Lynnwood sewer officals went to france to see their new treatment plant. Like there's no place in the US to go and see!

They say they don't stink in France...

[heymagic]

If she takes any of that BS she's been slinging around here, she may not get through customs anyway.

[Randygh]

Between today's afternoon appointments, I've been listening to live closing arguments in the trial here in Wenatchee. The plaintiff (Reps.) put together a concise, convincing and to the point closing statement. Jenny Durkin speaking for the Dems has been yapping for 1 1/2 hours and I'd be amazed if she hasn't put Judge Bridges to sleep. Her rambling, monotone, hashing, rehashing and re-rehashing verbage is enough to anyone into a coma.

[Go Aweigh2452]

I was listening also and have to agree with Randy. The Dems were really repeating themselves about "honest" mistakes verses taking any blame for their incompetence... pointing to the lower echelon of workers even though they were being kept informed of the problems, they just rode it out... sickening...


This week's issue of the Seattle Weekly carries a ringing endorsement of vote fraud by Geov Parrish in Trial of the Century:

That's how Christine Gregoire became governor after the third counting, and that's where matters should have rested. All elections are imperfect. The winner is the person for whom the most votes are counted—not cast. The goal of beleaguered elections officials is to try to get the votes cast to match the votes counted, but when the difference is greater than the margin of victory, it's the tally that matters.

See? It doesn't matter what the voters want, only what the bureaucrats count. We should just drop our impossibly high standards and give "beleaguered" counters a break.

By Parrish's standard, even the most blatant fraud could be excused. Dead people voted? People voted twice? More ballots than voters? No problem -- they were counted, therefore they were legitimate. I wonder if he would be so generous if the counters were appointed by a Republican.

[Randygh]

Judge Bridges ruled in favor of the Democrats. :evil: The reason he did not throw out the Queen's election was because the Reps could not use proportional analysis as to which candidate the illegal votes counted. He acknowledged there were significant errors, but could not say the errors resulted in the wrong person being elected. I respect Judge Bridges, but he didn't have the kahunas to say the election should be struck down. He said it is up to the citizens of the state to strike down the election and not a judge. BS

[Tedster]

A very sad and disaapointing day indeed for the people in Washington that actually WORK for a living! Ted :cry:

Not so much disappointing, just time to move on I suppose.

I have to respect those appointed officials we have in place to make these sorts of decisions for us. He's a much better person than I am to make an informed decision on this.

While I don't agree with the outcome of this... it only reenforces the need for more to get out and cast their vote and how important it is to get some election reform in place. I think electronic balloting should be mandated statewide. We would have never gotten to this point if it were.

Electronic balloting, with a SINGLE PIN issued to each LEGAL Washington voter. Absentee voters should be able to cast theirs early enough electronically as well to make that sort of system work.

[heymagic]

Agree with Mike. Unfortunate conclusion, time for changes and a look forward 3 1/2 years from now . CG got lucky...not elected, but that's the old spilled milk deal. Either way the decision it would be appealed. The fact that she, and the election were certified makes it much harder to overturn. Such is life....

[Randygh]

I certainly hope the state Supreme Court will overrule Judge Bridges decision, but I doubt it will. The Queen will be a terrible Gov. for our state during the next 3 years. It is a good time to be a school teacher or union member and I bet we'll see an increased B & O tax come out of the next general session in 2007. Hopefully, in the next major general election the Reps can win a majority in the senate or house. With a dem. house and senate, the queen has easy going.

Well... Since he didn't rule either way, but chose to dismiss the petition (with prejudice) rather than make a decision, I doubt much ground will be turned in the Supreme Court. All of the conclusions I saw him draw were based pretty solidly on RCWs and precedence of previous cases. To overturn his decision would have sweeper consequences in many other areas.

I think he took an easier way out than he could, but accepting a courts decision is part of the game we play. I wish her the best of luck and wisdom in her tenure as Governor. In my book she truly has been elected now.

(not the vote I cast... but legally elected under our current state law as I see it)