Sound Politics: Sims Leaving King County ... Really?

February 02, 2009

Sims Leaving King County ... Really?

Joni Balter reports it's true, Ron Sims is going to be the #2 man at the Department of Housing and Urban Development in Washington, D.C.

Her epitaph of him seems like it was written for someone else though. I think she subconsciously knew it, however, as she wrote "he violated accepted Northwest process for challenging group-think." Did she intend to say he challenged group-think? Is she really insulting the Northwest by saying people here normally don't?

And then she adds, "In the end, I thought it took real guts to stand up and say, on second thought, he opposed the plan. Voters agreed with him." Yeah, it takes real guts to change your mind to do something the voters agree with.

Ron Sims is one of the worst politicians we've got in this area. He will say and do anything to get ahead, as Balter shows us. He only keeps winning because he controls the Democratic party establishment in King County so no other Democrat bothers to oppose him, and no other party has a serious chance of winning.

Indeed, the "Top Two" primary is a serious threat to his re-election chances -- a moderate Democrat could easily come in second place in a primary, and win in the general -- and might be part of why he's getting out now.

Posted by pudge at February 02, 2009 09:07 AM | Email This

Comments

1. He's in, he's out. Which one is it. LOL

Heck go work for Obama. One more crook couldn't hurt. Can you say Daschle and un-paid taxes.

Posted by: Medic/Vet on February 2, 2009 09:25 AM

2. Now let's hope we can get rid of Huff on Tuesday and make this week a two-fer!

My wife and I voted and dropped off our ballots at one of the drop-boxes this morning. Two votes for Irons.

Posted by: The Tim on February 2, 2009 09:40 AM

3. Dave Ross (KIRO) just announced on his show that Mr Simms will be taking a post of Deputy to HUD in the Obama administration. To be officially announced in 15-Min.

Posted by: Duffman on February 2, 2009 09:41 AM

4. Good riddance. But to all property owners in the US who have any connection to public housing, brace yourself for a major assault on your property rights. Sims is myopic about the Constitution, and has no respect for that sort of civil rights.

Posted by: Insufficiently Sensitive on February 2, 2009 09:57 AM

5. Gee! So sleazy Sims is going to slither off to serve the pinko parasite as LEECH #2 at HUD...

I hope he does for HUD what he did for King county...ROFLMAO!

Posted by: juandos on February 2, 2009 10:02 AM

6. He's an incompetent, corrupt hack, so he'll fit right in with Obama's collection of tax cheats and pay-to-play crowd.

But better him in DC then in KC. Goodbye Sims!

Posted by: cliff on February 2, 2009 10:15 AM

7. Sadly, his departure is about 20 years too late.

Posted by: Hinton on February 2, 2009 10:37 AM

8. Now we don't have to listen to "We (don't) have a plan; a very, very good plan."

Posted by: Daisy on February 2, 2009 10:52 AM

9. Besides being a tax cheat Daschle is also basically a lobbyist, currently, for the health care industry even. Another broken Nobama campaign promise.

And Sims wasted 40 million in a computer program implementation scandal.

Posted by: ajday on February 2, 2009 11:10 AM

10. #8 is not me.

Posted by: Duffman on February 2, 2009 11:33 AM

11. Duffman, what once was #8 is now gone.

Posted by: pudge on February 2, 2009 11:37 AM

12. #10 Duffie.

Can we be sure it's really you? Tell us something about Billary, just to make sure.

Posted by: Medic/Vet on February 2, 2009 11:47 AM

13. MV: I am fairly convinced based on IP addresses.

Posted by: pudge on February 2, 2009 11:56 AM

14. Many thanks Pudge...appreciat it.

Posted by: Duffman on February 2, 2009 12:00 PM

15. Now that he has bespoiled this area and left in massively in debt, it is time to go mess up really big.

Posted by: pbj on February 2, 2009 12:05 PM

16. Does he have enough unpaid taxes to qualify for a position? The amount seems to increase with each appointment.

Posted by: MIKE336 on February 2, 2009 12:14 PM

17. "In doing so, he violated accepted Northwest process for challenging group-think and took a ton of flack for it. " ~ Joni Balter

She's joking right? Seattle isn't an example of a city that challenges "group-think", but rather a city that personifies it.

Posted by: Rick D. on February 2, 2009 12:19 PM

18. Mike @ 16..

That's actually funny you say that; at the WH press briefing this morning a reporter asked, "Is there a limit as to how much in unpaid taxes would be a deal breaker for the president?"

Gibbs couldnt answer it.

Posted by: Lauri on February 2, 2009 12:21 PM

19. Rick D.: that's the puzzling thing: what Sims did was not challenging groupthink either. Who exactly is it that is challenging groupthink, in Balter's mind?

Posted by: pudge on February 2, 2009 12:30 PM

20. Change you can believe in? Um, no.

Posted by: Michele on February 2, 2009 12:47 PM

21. Please, get Reagan Dunn to run. Larry Phillips is a nightmare. Really. If you all get behind Dunn you might have something there.

You won't be getting rid of Huff. It's just not in the cards... which are in her hands.

But you could mount a pretty good campaign with Dunn running against Phillips.

Posted by: Gentry Lange on February 2, 2009 12:47 PM

22. Dori Monson is discussing this topic on his show presently. He said should he be appointed as K.C. Exec on a temp basis until Nov (he would take a leave of absence) - he vows to clean up K.C. and make all of Simms' wrongs - right! :)

Posted by: Duffman on February 2, 2009 12:48 PM

23. Pudge,
No disagreement with you on this one. Our gain, is HUD's loss.

Posted by: tc on February 2, 2009 12:59 PM

24. No TC... this could be America's lost. Sim's did nothing for King County. I can only wonder what mess he can create at HUD. )-:

By the way, did you pay your taxes for the last few years? If not call Obama, he's has a job for you! LOL

Obama ratings are going to crash fast with all these fools he's bringing into his White House.

Didn't Nancy P say something about how "ethical" they would be.

Posted by: Medic/Vet on February 2, 2009 01:16 PM

25. Just remember folks.. From Obama's mouth.
No lobbyist, the next day has hires one. Now he's up to what 4. Now comes the tax cheats.

Some (Hope & Change)

Posted by: Medic/Vet on February 2, 2009 01:34 PM

26. medic, it is up to 17.

Posted by: swatter on February 2, 2009 02:26 PM

27. See two posts above this. Sims is already in with the Obama bunch.

Posted by: Scribe on February 2, 2009 02:49 PM

28. Good ridance Sims. I'm sick of all these lifers in office. Who knew Obama would actually help KC like this. What a gift!!!

OKAY, lets get Dunn in that seat. We so badly need fresh meat in this state.

Will Sims take his criminal son to DC with him?

Posted by: chardonnay on February 2, 2009 07:44 PM

29. "Caretaker" Executive? Are we to understand that the County basic legal document does not provide for a dead or resigned Executive?

Posted by: JB on February 3, 2009 09:22 AM