U.S. Attorney John McKay was on the John Carlson show yesterday, insisting up and down that he could neither confirm nor deny whether there was a federal investigation into the King County election scandal.
It's odd then that the U.S. Attorney in Spokane has confirmed that the FBI has opened an inquiry into a possible "public corruption" case involving Mayor James West.
Not that what Mayor West is accused of doing in his office is in any way excusable, but election fraud strikes me as an even more serious form of public corruption. The public deserves to be reassured that the Feds are on the case, or if they're not, then we deserve to be told why they're not.
Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at May 10, 2005 11:34 PM | Email ThisChange the gay thing around to hetero, well then he's just Bill Clinton. Heck he could go on to be governor or president by their standards. But since he's gay- well that's a huge scandal.
FAKES.
Posted by: Andy on May 11, 2005 12:02 AMhttp://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2005/5/10/232336.shtml
Why be so coy about the chance of an investigation here?
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Posted by: abe on May 11, 2005 06:14 AMSo far, all we've seen is some sloppy administration in KingCo. But hey, we've now seen some pretty sloppy admin in a whole lot of other counties too. Fraud? No, just human error.
Sorry guys, the game is almost over. Hope you enjoyed it. We sure did.
Posted by: Unkl Witz on May 11, 2005 06:15 AMKinda like the US Navy, ask if a nuc is on a dinghy or a Trident the stock answer is, "I can neither confirm or deny the presence of special weapon on this vessel."
If there were no investigation I think McKay would have been a little more forthcoming. IMHO.
Posted by: JCM on May 11, 2005 06:43 AMAs has been pointed out here many times before, the laws were written in such a way that encourages fraud in many cases, but keeps the burden of proof of a conspiracy at almost ridiculus levels. Unless someone comes forward and says "I was involved in a conspiracy", then there isn't proof according to our election laws.
As we saw by our legislature, they're not going to change that either. Too many close races to decide.
Posted by: Ken on May 11, 2005 06:57 AMThank God we have Stefan to keep us focused.
Posted by: Ken on May 11, 2005 06:59 AMYes, I have enjoyed it. "It" being the efforts to combat an entrenched and corrupt political machine.
I find it humorous (in a pathetic sort of way) that so few on the opposite side of the fence want to clean up anything, the thinking (if one could call it that) being "Well, as long as I am profiting from it, why should I change?".
Then there are others, such as yourself, that defy logic (and common sense) and proclaim, "There's nothing wrong here!" "Well, OK, there's some wrong going on here, but it isn't as bad as you suggest", "Yea, yea, things are really screwed up, but you guys are the ones that did it".
Yes, swizzle-stick, I am enjoying watching the worm turn.
And it’s also true that what passes for “bravery” these days is often a screed about the opposition, not going against the “conventional wisdom” and actually digging for a story. We’ll likely wait a long time for that cub reporter emerging from the assignment of penetrating the dark underbelly of KCEs and revealing it’s shocking secrets.
Since when do honest people look at a series of troubling evidence and declare “there’s nothing here,” rather than investigate further?
When the history of this period in WA state history is written, this lack of depth and honesty on the part of the msm will surely figure prominently, along with the rise of the bloggers, et al to fill the vacuum created by the msm quitting the field.
And Scott C…nice name, btw…we don’t know that the feds have not begun an investigation, only that they won’t say that they have. It could easily be true that they have not surfaced, simply for the purpose of not warning the boss hoggs of KC to duck. ‘course if they don’t investigate when an investigation is appropriate, I’ll be hotter than a hornet. Or all over it like ugly on a hogg.
Pathetic.
Posted by: Tom Franklin on May 11, 2005 12:43 PMThink about this for a moment....
If The US Attorney had simply said he "could not confirm" whether there was a federal investigation ...I would be concerned.....BUT - he threw in that he also could not *deny* knowledge of a federal investigation......
Why else would he say he could not deny it?
Now, you have to wonder.....why the feds would not be forthcoming with their investigation....? Why hasn't it been blasted to the media? Why is West going down in flames so quickly and the KC elections doesn't appear to be an interest to the feds?
The West story has been investigated by some team of journalists for over 2 years.....Do you really think these journalists didn't bring their findings to the Feds? Like maybe 2 years ago? Do you really believe the Feds are just now acting on the West case? This is how they operate. They perform much of their preliminary investigation in a stealth manner - under the radar - unless somebody blows something up or kills somebody or robs a bank...
I find it very reassuring that the US Attorney made that statement on the Carlson show!
And they call us "feel good" liberals....
How's the "foreign sounding names" project going??
Posted by: Unkl Witz on May 11, 2005 10:41 PMThey do?
Who are *They* anyway?
There is nothing *good* about a liberal. Liberal's share a rather oppressive ideology. Liberals embrace communism with a socialist twist...(that is - if you can truly separate the two...) Liberals oppress the people's will - they oppress individual freedoms, they oppress honesty and reward dishonesty. Liberals were called *Bleeding Hearts* in the past - but only until their true agenda was revealed....Now - the nation is becoming aware of the social destruction that has plagued us under the guise of *for the children* by the liberals!
Liberal's saw they were being exposed and tried to change their name to *Progressives*! Hah! Still a duck....
How on earth could *they* call liberals a *feel good*......anything?
Are the Feds investigating King County? I simply cannot deny the possibility! Neither can you!
DeadMan is also right. Thumb in the leaking dike. Fix the darn thing. Get us on national TV for doing something RIGHT for a change. Anyone with the 'olive pits' to do that in the N.W.?
Posted by: Jimmie-howya-doin on May 12, 2005 12:55 AMIf so, when you are defrauded on your purchase of your new bullet blender on TV, you will scream like a banshee to the atty general and any other consumer group who will hear your nails on the chalkboard.
Elections (and election screw-up's) are a tad more important than your relative value system. Dismiss this issue in your 'equal world.' To you, massive voting incompetence is equal to a hangnail. What, me worry?
I think you mean they provide information that is more pleasing to your ideology than the MSM, accuracy appears to be in the ear of the beholder.
Jimmie:
You might want to write your posts a little earlier in the day, before you've had that third martini. Perhaps then we could make some sense of them.
Posted by: Unkl Witz on May 12, 2005 05:04 PMSay--you hurt my feelings with that hate speech--You must be olive-o-phobic (a new Seattle law.)
No, I haven't followed I-200 in my house to see if I 'hired' more diverse olives than green olives.
You belong on the Seattle city council. Flick you off my shoulder, fly.
Posted by: Jimmie-howya-doin on May 12, 2005 08:21 PMJust hate to see all this demonization of libs, we're human just like you.... ya know, kids, bills, hate pay taxes, etc. We just don't worship rich Republicans like you do. Nothing personal, just a different point of view.
Posted by: Unkl Witz on May 12, 2005 08:36 PMIn the spirit of Stefan's hard work, this site, other great participants and your comments, I'll shake hands. (fingers crossed behind back)
I don't worship Republicans. Nor do I demonize libs (unless attacked.) I'm independent. Voted for both sides and split tickets for years. The person & his/her actions are my yardstick.
Not 'demonization'--I just despise the waste & games in ANY party or government. We can't do it for long in business, so I expect the same test.
We can disagree like gentlemen. Just remember that when you poke your finger in a cage, it may get nipped. There is no honor in being a doormat--nor a hoodwinked taxpayer. That's where my bile comes from.
Posted by: Jimmie-howya-doin on May 13, 2005 10:27 AM