Sound Politics: With Allies like these, who needs enemies?

October 22, 2009

With Allies like these, who needs enemies?

More news of Constantine's scheming for ferry district votes has surfaced. And kudos to the Seattle Times for reporting on it!

The article quotes Republican councilmembers Kathy Lambert and Reagan Dunn saying they were pressured into voting for the ferry district in exchange for Constantine's vote on a flood district and other measures. Didn't happen, according to Constantine, who says the two are making it up because they are supporters of Hutchison. Fair enough, Dow. But what about your so called allies on the council, Julia Patterson and Larry Phillips? They both say they believe Lambert's account. Are they full of it too? I think not and kudos to them for doing the right thing and speaking up about it.

Posted by MarkGriswold at October 22, 2009 09:16 AM | Email This

Comments

1. I think one important distinction that has been missed in all of these stories of Dow pressuring colleagues is that Reagan Dunn was the only member *not* to vote for the stupid ferry district. It passed 8-1. When his colleagues tried to pressure him, he instead went and got a legal opinion showing the illegality of such behavior, and forced a separate vote of each tax, allowing him to not support such a waste of time and money that the ferry district was. Glad he's my representative.

Posted by: Tahoma83 on October 22, 2009 10:05 AM

2. A bit of shennanigans at the King 5 website. They had a story on the PDC investigation of Susan Hutchinson. Had one line at the end saying Constantine was also being invetigated, but no details like Susans. They got called on it in the comments and added more detail about the complaints about Constantine, but didn't note they made an update and of course the story title still only mentions Hutchinson.

Posted by: Mike336 on October 22, 2009 10:07 AM

3. Forgot the link. Unlike fantasy boy I like to back up my statements with facts.
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_102109POB-susan-hutchison-investigation-TP.23bc761e0.html

Posted by: Mike336 on October 22, 2009 10:11 AM

4. Josh Feit, though he strangely gave this story a "D", put up the emails and some of the background.

SeattlePI.com also has up some of the emails.

Amazing that even though Dow's been caught in a bold faced lie, his strategy is still to just deny, deny, deny.

Posted by: seasaw on October 22, 2009 10:46 AM

5. This may be off topic, but is it legal to tack a campaign sign onto a traffic signpost? I have seen two of Dow Constantine's signs stapled to the posts for traffic-regulating signs in the vicinity of Woodmont Elementary School in Des Moines. This just doesn't seem right.

Posted by: Marilyn on October 22, 2009 02:53 PM

6. Marylin, as far as I know, posting yard signs (or anything else for that matter) on public property without a permit is illegal in most jurisdictions. Then again, until a few years ago so was calling a woman a "hussy" in this state (no joke, they repealed it in 2004).

I think posting something on a traffic sign is pushing the limit for safety reasons but until the government starts rigorously enforcing the no yard sign rule I have no problem with candidates putting yard signs up on public thoroughfares (I do hope they take them down after the election of course).

Posted by: MarkGriswold on October 22, 2009 03:24 PM

7. Attaching campaign signs to a sign post, or any other public property (fences, railings, etc) is illegal. This is what they have their own stakes.

Putting a campaign sign in a public right of way is not illegal unless it creates a public safety problem.

What is illegal is removing, damaging, or destroying campaign signs. You put a republican sign up in most of the greater Seattle area and it will be "messed with" in some way nearly every where.

There are area's where the Democrats actually do sweeps to remove signs. In fact on democrat (Deb Eddy) was caught with a living room full of republican signs.

Remember, freedom of speech only applies to liberals.

Posted by: Truth Detector on October 23, 2009 05:53 AM

8. The ferry district tax is such a crock. Figures Dow(!) was a supporter.

And what's with these ads talking about how Hutchinson opposes abortion? Stupid liberals think abortion is a campaign issue for county executive?

Posted by: Palouse on October 23, 2009 01:13 PM