Shannon Barnett bails on his commitment to David Castillo

According to Liz Mair, who cranked up her Herrera spin machine, rife with the ol' "Unnamed source" quotes that I could go around and make up on the spot as well, Shannon Barnett is using this call, which most likely cost next to nothing, as an excuse to bail on his presumably solemn commitment to endorse Castillo.

However, the robocall has caused other tempers to flare, too. It emerged today that the Castillo robocall has even prompted one former Castillo endorser—Shannon Barnett, a candidate running to replace Herrera in the Washington State House of Representatives— to drop his support altogether. According to Barnett (with whom I spoke earlier), Castillo spending money on the call constitutes a waste of campaign resources. Furthermore, Barnett says, it evidenced an unwillingness on Castillo’s part to stick to a key campaign pledge made months ago to Barnett. Per Barnett, Castillo promised to focus his campaign on talking about issues that unite Republican voters in the district. Hal Palmer, an advisor to Barnett, added that he was “appalled at the distorted attack on Jaime Herrera.”

The problem with Barnett's little snit is this:

Since he gave his now worthless word to support Castillo... and since he has no chance to win election in the 18th... then doesn't that make Barnett's entire campaign a waste of money?

And, by the way... is there some reason Barnett failed to mention that the second Herrera announced, he became one of her Winged Monkeys as well? Or is it more a matter that he told Liz, but she just kind of left it out? Yup, Barnett was one of those lowlifes who gave what's called a "dual endorsement." Odd that Liz didn't know that, isn't it?

And the best way to "unite the voters" would be for this worthless waste of skin to withdraw. Because I will support ANYONE but her... and that means if she manages to survive through to the general, anything I have that I can give will go to whoever else makes it in the top 2, regardless of party.

Because supporting either a Herrera or a Barnett does nothing to solve our problems in government.

As for Palmer, maybe he can provide a single instance in the call where Castillo either lied... or "distorted?"

He can't, of course, because there was nothing remotely inaccurate, distorted or exaggerated in the call.

Once Herrera announced, Barnett, who has been slavishly devoted to Ridgefield Barbie, couldn't wait to dump his "committment" to Castillo. This kind of thing was just the excuse he was looking for, because the issue of campaign expenditures, and at a few cents per call (what... maybe 2 cents each?) this was anything BUT a "waste of campaign resources."

As a result of the buffoons handling and supporting Herrera, hundreds, if not thousands more people know much more about her and her clueless supporters. And how could that have been a waste?

Because, in the end, as Kathy McDonald put it:

According to Kathy McDonald, a well-known Republican consultant from the third district unaffiliated with either campaign, “It looks like David Castillo is calling a spade a spade. The facts are Jaime was back in DC for a fundraiser, the fact is Jaime took money from the SEIU; the fact is she went before the legislative session was over. If she had waited 2 weeks until session was over this fundraiser would be a mute[sic] point.”

At the end of the day, that's the whole point of this moronic faux outrage aimed at Castillo.

Where these idiots are pissed isn't because Castillo's call lied, or distorted or exaggerated.

It's that Castillo would DARE to point out these TRUTHS to the people of the 3rd Congressional District who think this cardboard cut out of an empty suit is either Republican, or worthy to be elected to Congress.

How dare Castillo, they think in their heart of hearts.

Jaime Herrera is The One! She's been ANOINTED! Why, no less a personage than Slade has touched her on the shoulder to a choir of heavenly angels!

Except Herrera is nobody special. And that this episode would make Barnett bail on his word shows that he, too, is unfit for elective office... just like the gas bag he's supported all along.

Cross posted at Clark County Politics.

So... here's the robocall driving Herrera's Winged Monkeys over the edge.

Someone far wiser than I indicated that we should know the truth, because it would set us free.

HERE is what went out yesterday that has the Herrera troll's panties in such a bunch that a week after reading their pap, you'll still have to eat prunes and oatmeal.



Here's what sucks for Herrera and her clown posse: every word of the announcement is true.

Every word.

The call says:

Hi, this is Susan and I want to share with you a few facts about State Representative Jaime Herrera.

OK. That's what it says. That's what it does.

Representative Herrera thinks it's OK to take campaign money from the liberal labor union SEIU.

So, what does the PDC have to say about this?

HHHmmmm....

SEIU 925 PAC 2008/08/03 $500.00 Seattle

So, clearly, she's taken campaign money in an obvious pay for play dodge, but that allegation is true.

Today, she's in Washington DC raising money from special interests while Governor Gregoire is raising your taxes right here in our Washington.

And when this call went out, she was, come to think of it, burying her entire head into the special interest money trough set up by her string-puller-in-chief, one Cathy McMorris Rogers.

And now, Herrera wants to run for Congress to represent you, but she can't even find the time to stay in Olympia when we need her.

So, when this went out, was she in Olympia doing the job we sent her there to do?

Or was she on her way to, at, or coming back from picking up these special interest checks?

Call Jaime Herrera at 1.800.562.6000 and tell her she should be here in Olympia to take the people's business more seriously.

And, well, she SHOULD be there. Can even those in the Herrera cult defend her decision to ditch us during session instead of waiting a couple of weeks to go worship at the alter of the special interests that own this card board cut out?

This call is paid for by Castillo for Congress.

Well, that explains it. When people like Keath Huff are claiming that the call was full of lies, yet fails to prove any of it, I have to go to the audio tape.

And Keath Huff, you are a liar.

And the rest Herrera's Winged Monkeys? You clowns need to get a life or get into rehab... or both.

Because the tape speaks for itself.

And every word of it is true.

Idiots.

Cross posted at Clark County Politics.

Where Keith Huff and the Ridgefield Barbie trolls blow it: Herrera's voting record is fake.

Man, but the Herrera trolls are buzzing.

Keath Huff, a failed legislative candidate in the 19th, appeals to his fellow "conservatives" as a result of some robo call or another that I've heard a lot ABOUT, but have neither heard nor seen in text.

Apparently, someone did a robocall, truthfully pointing out that Herrera bailed on us and her job to fly to DC to bury that nose of hers in the special interest money trough, doing another "Martha Coakley" even BEFORE the election. I guess when special interests own you, early ownership means more.

The call also, apparently, pointed to Herrera's support of SEIU and SEIU's endorsements of her.

Certainly, this week, Herrera and her Winged Monkeys discovered that the truth genuinely hurts.

But it's still the truth.

Now, Keath is one of those drowning in Herrera's Kool Aid. I have yet to understand why anyone would support someone who's political depth begins and ends in her cheerleader outfit.

She's lied; she has no experience; she's never worked in the private sector, never owned or operated a business, wasted $500 of our money for meals on a 3 day boondoggle trip to Spokane (How the hell do you blow $479 on meals in 3 days, when taxpayers are paying for it and you are, allegedly, just feeding one person?) is a "friend to organized labor" and supports SEIU legislation. In short, she's a female Brian Baird.

So, Keath tells us:

"This phone call, with its blatantly false accusations, came from a politician, that much is for sure."

You mean like the whine of a column you did in response?

If the "phone call" is so bad... then where is it? Why not just put it up there and let us decide?

And then, Keath goes on to lie himself with this tidbit:

To be clear… The false allegation that Jaime is an absentee legislator is FALSE.
The record is clear. Check out her voting record, which is available at washingtonvotes.org

When your supporters are reduced to lying (and this is a lie, Keath. Frankly, I thought better of you) that is a very bad sign.

The ONLY thing washingtonvotes.org does is record votes.

Usually, that's enough. But in THIS case, it doesn't record WHO VOTED FOR YOU IN YOUR PLACE.

No one disputes that votes are recorded. Where Jaime is a slimeball is the question of who was voting for her while she wasn't there..,. and why she would bail on us to go to a special interest DC fundraiser.

And according Rep. Deb Wallace, the finger pushing the button was not from your hand.

Failing to provide either a recording or the text within the call and then telling us not to believe it is one of the most moronic ploys I've ever seen.

Provide specifics. And don't lie.

Like you, Keath, lied in response to the accurate allegation that Herrera IS an "absentee legislator" since she bailed on us to go stick her nose in a money trough in Washington DC THIS WEEK instead of staying here to represent US.

Good God. There was only a few days left in session. I can't believe how moronic McMorris and Slade are that they'd Coakley this deal instead of waiting for session to end.

And, you're not in the 18th, are you, Keath? So I guess a little thing like that wouldn't bother someone like you.... would it?

In all the years I've been following politics, I have never seen so many clowns lose their minds over a skirt as this.

Never. In fact, Huff's column shilling for the cardboard cut out was very much like an attack of epilepsy, leaving us to draw a blank at the words and ask "what the hell is he babbling about?"

Thanks so much to Eric for bringing this to my attention. All of your efforts to keep me informed of this kind of corruption are appreciated.

Cross posted at Clark County Politics.
.

Yet another blog weighs in: Herrera is "Washington State's SEIU Bought Republican"

It's not just Lew Waters and I sounding the clarion call that Ridgefield Barbie votes more like a stealth leftist than an alleged Republican.

This week, Herrera/McMorris-Rogers/Vanderstoep's campaign has been leaking more buzz then a toddler who's already endured 90 minutes of Avatar.

As the word finally gets out, more and more are viewing our local cardboard cut out of a state representative/congressmember wannabe with something other than the anointment she so desperately believes is hers.

Herrera has no more business as a state representative, or a member of congress, then she does practicing brain surgery. Getting coffee for McMorris for a couple of years does no qualify her or anyone else to be in congress. Utilizing a corrupted appointment process to get the rep's job in the first place; running and co-sponsoring SEIU (Read: ACORN) legislation; having others vote in your absence so you SEEM to be there when, instead, you're making fund raising calls rather than representing US; admitting in her appointment process that she would be a "friend to organized labor," and then lying to everyone by proclaiming there wasn't "a job in the world" she'd "rather have," all of these things pile up on a girl.

Other conservatives are seeing the light: this has arguably been the worst week, hopefully one of many, that the empty suit from Ridgefield has endured since her keepers cut her loose on a previously unsuspecting public.

But now, the word is getting out. Now, all of a sudden, the strings wrapped around her by McMorris-Rogers and Vanderstoep are beginning to unravel. The latest example?

Rightcha here, hot off the Publius' Forum:

"Washington State’s SEIU Bought Republican"

February 26, 2010 Filed Under Barack Obama, Budget, Business, Congress, Elections, Free Trade, GOP, Government, Government, Corruption, Health, Jobs, Liberals, Public Employees Unions, Republicans, SEIU, Taxes, Warner Todd Huston, Washington

-By Warner Todd Huston

On February 24, Moe Lane posted a short piece alerting one and all to the fact that one of the Republican candidates for Washington State’s 3rd Congressional District is a favorite of the hard-core lefties in the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) — one of Obama’s favorite Big Labors cohorts. Mr. Lane, though, was sure that Jaime Herrera “regrets that endorsement now.” Unfortunately, I am not so sanguine because Herrera has been far more compliant with Big Labor’s goals than is evident from what Lane might have thought was a mere wayward endorsement.

There is a reason, it appears, that the SEIU endorsed Herrera. As a Republican she seems to be far more one of them than one of us at least as far as Big Labor’s needs go!

Moe Lane cited the Clark County Politics blog on the SEIU’s endorsement, but if you don’t want to believe the CCPblog — admittedly a right leaning site — here is a Progressive Voters Guide for Washington and here is the Voters Guide for Equal Rights Washington, both left-wing groups that show SEIU support for Herrera. On top of that here is SEIU Local 1199 NW’s endorsement page which also announces its endorsement of Herrera.

Mush, Much, more:

Frankly this is a tremendous bit of research that proves the leftist infestation in Ridgefield Barbie is much stronger than I suspected. And why vote for a fake democrat when the real thing is available?

Who knows? Maybe democrat State Representative Jim Moeller (D-49) will hold a fundraiser... for Herrera, since they've got so much in common.

The wheels are loosening on her little wagon. Hopefully, if we keep the pressure on and continue to spread the word, those wheels will come off altogether.

Cross posted at Clark County Politics.

Why is it that Herrera tells the truth in DC, but lies about her experience with McMorris here?

The POLITICO puff piece done on Ridgefield Barbie made mention of the position she held as a McMorris "policy assistant."

Now then... why is that?

We've been bombarded by her and her keepers that she was some kind of "Senior Legislative Aide." So, why is it that she's suddenly downgraded to "policy assistant" when the inside baseball types of DC read about her back there?

It's because she's a liar. It's because she needs to puff up her paper-thin resume'. It's because she needs to somehow impress people with her complete lack of any experience that makes her a viable candidate or Congress.

And if those in DC saw the words "Senior Legislative Aide" attached to her, they'd know in an instant what I already know:

That never happened.

Herrera was payed the princely sum of roughly $3300 per month for her extraordinary coffee making skills. "Senior" anythings in DC generally make much more then that.

But exaggeration is but one of Ridgefield Barbie's faults. Add it to her support of organized labor and her shilling for SEIU, and you've got...

... a democrat.

Cross posted on Clark County Politics.

Yesterday was a terrible day for Ridgefield Barbie: RedStates asks: Jaime Herrera (R CAND, WA-03): Stealth SEIU Supporter ...

Yeah, yesterday was a tough day on the empty suit running in the 3rd Congressional.

She's on a red eye flight as I write this, heading to DC to slurp at that special interest cash trough her keepers have lined up for her; selling her out even before the election, which, when you think about it, isn't usually the way it's done.

But that begs the issue.

Little Miss Muffet's SEIU stance is spraining eye brows in more and more of the blogosphere. The latest example is RedState:

Jaime Herrera (R CAND, WA-03): Stealth SEIU Supporter?

Posted by Moe Lane (Profile)

Wednesday, February 24th at 10:20PM EST

25 Comments

Come, I will conceal nothing from you: I am growing quickly disinclined to get dragged into primary political battles for the 2010 election. This is partially because I’m getting to a position where I know some of the folks involved in the campaigns (which is why I’m counting the days until the California primaries are over), and partially because it’s going to be a free-for-all for some of these seats (part of the problem with having so many Democratic seats up for grabs). So, it’ll take a bit to get me to note something in particular about a GOP primary candidate.

A 2008 SEIU endorsement will do. I’m not as ready as that poster is to tie WA-03 Republican candidate Jaime Herrera to ACORN, but taking money from the Purple People Beaters is quite bad enough (see here and here for corroboration that State Rep. Herrera did in fact get endorsed by SEIU). Mind you, I’m perfectly ready to believe that she regrets that endorsement now, too - but now would also be a good time for her to indicate said regrets. Put another way: at the moment Herrera is talking about Big Labor, which is great… but as a state legislator she courted Big Labor, which makes at least an explanation germane. And when you have an unexplained disconnect between current rhetoric and past rhetoric, it looks bad if it gets out.

And it will get out. Somebody will always be happy to pass someone else a quiet word.

Moe Lane

Crossposted to Moe Lane.

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Category: jaime herrera, seiu, wa-03

Yup.... it's not looking good for the cardboard cut out who has actually lived in the 3rd District (or hell, even the district she is SUPPOSED to be representing!) for a grand total of 2 years.... out of the last 13.

Not good at all.

Cross posted on Clark County Politics.

POLITICO: Herrera's useful tools?

So, yeah... McMorris's people "placed" a blurb in POLITICO, a heretofore reasonably respectable website, waxing eloquent about Ridgefield Barbie.

The problem is this kind of writing, which apparently regurgitated a McMorris press release, is misleading on a variety of levels, and the worthlessness of the article for purposes of information is best summed up from this quote of it:

Herrera, who is running in the GOP primary against another minority candidate, financial analyst David Castillo, served as a policy assistant to Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) before being appointed to a vacancy to the state House in 2007. She’s in Washington this week meeting with party officials to discuss her campaign.

Now, anyone reading this fiction would actually think "party officials" gave a rat's patootee about her campaign. (Although it is of note that in DC, she's reduced to "policy assistant" from "senior legislative assistant." But more on that later.)

But what she's REALLY back there for, of course, was to bury her entire head into the special-interest money trough her keepers set up for her.... much like Martha Coakley, the leftist Scott Brown defeated in Massachusetts. And the idea that she is there for more then the requisite time needed to pick up the checks, left on the political dresser, so to speak, to be picked up on the way out, is a not even clever effort to puff the cardboard cutout into something she's not.

So, yeah, to the extent she bailed on her constituents in the middle of session; a rather frequent occurrence according to Rep. Deb Wallace; and to the extent these lemmings happen to show up, she might talk to them.

But the fact is that this is precisely the same kind of political prostitution so many engage in mere moments after they're elected. Unfortunately for us, that's what she was BEFORE she was elected... and as her constituent, I know we are all worse off for it.

Meanwhile, for me, at least, POLITICO will have zero credibility since they've freshly joined the "useful tool" category of Kos or Huffington Post.

Cross-posted on Clark County Politics.

So, uh, Jaime... you want a little cheese with that whine?

.
Will, golly-gosh gee-willickers. Jaime's got her panties in a bunch, big time. She sent out this pathetic effort to "explain" what's happened... since she just got her head handed to her in a basket in the Columbian.

Dear Friends,

Rep. Deb Wallace, a Democrat, has withdrawn from the race for Congress in the 3rd District but on her way out wants to throw some mud at me.

Wallace alleges that I have been away from the House floor “for hours at a time” during votes this year. That is false. I have one of the best voting attendance records in Olympia. In three years I’ve only missed a total of 10 out of 1863 possible floor votes. All of the votes I missed took place before this year, and all were excused absences -- I missed a few votes the day my car broke down on I-5 and the others on the day I attended my grandmother’s funeral.

Every single legislator is called off the floor from time to time for meetings. This happens most often when constituents arrive at the Capitol hoping to meet their legislators. When that happens, it is a longstanding House practice for the legislator to instruct their seatmate how they intend to vote, and allow the seatmate to push the legislator’s voting button while the legislator spends a few minutes with their constituents. I have done this, as has Rep. Wallace and virtually every legislator who has served in the House in at least the past few decades, but this does not equal “hours” away from the floor.

I am very active on this session as Assistant Floor Leader. In that role my duties include moving around the floor to work with legislators who are about to speak, and stepping into the wings of the chamber for leadership meetings. At those times I am not sitting in my seat but I am deeply involved in the legislative process.

I stand behind my voting record, which is available at washingtonvotes.org, and I stand behind my hard work and service to the people of my legislative district.

This is one of the first, but it won’t be the last untruth that is told about me this year. I’m ready for this fight. The goal of restoring America and representing the people of Southwest Washington is too important a goal to be sidetracked by this kind of nonsense.

Thank you for reading this message.

Sincerely,

Jaime Herrera

First of all, don't believe for a second that Herrera actually wrote this.

Second, she's a proven liar. So why believe her now?

See, Ridgefield Barbie's problem is that it ain't mud if it's true.

And it is true.

That Wallace, in Herrera's pinhead mind, doesn't have "proof" is meaningless.

What kind of "proof" would suffice to convince Herrera that her illegal activities an blowing off the people of the 18th District is, in fact, what actually happened?

It's easy to say that someone can't "prove" an allegation. But the fact that there's no "proof" that God exists doesn't deter me from having faith that it's so.

The lamest aspect of this lame defence is that Herrera CONTINUES to defend her "voting record."

What she doesn't seem to understand is that this isn't ABOUT her "voting record." This is about SOMEBODY ELSE VOTING FOR HER IN HER ABSENCE.

When you are not there... and someone else votes for you... then guess what? It shows that you WERE there... even when you WEREN'T.

So this smokescreen, dog and pony show is just that, and it completely fails to address the issues at hand... which is that Herrera didn't vote... somebody else voted FOR her... and the voting machine neither knows or cares who that was/is; it will still show it was YOU, Herrera, even when we know it wasn't.

Is this a coincidental failure?

I think not.

And that said, Barbie, this "voting record" that you're so hot to "defend?" It seems to include a co-sponsorship of an SEIU bill that will FORCE child care workers into unions... and put child care costs out of reach for many... unless, of course, you and the rest of your leftist clowns in the Legislature jack up the child care subsidies that WE pay... but you would NEVER do something like that...

Would you?

Face it, Barbie. You've screwed up. You're an idiot wrapped in a moron. And your selective memory doesn't help.

You have bailed on your constituents, of which I am one. Your should have resigned when you got the moronic idea that YOU should be OUR representative in Congress.

And your string-pulling keepers should have picked someone else with the common sense of a board fence to try to ram down our throats instead of a waste of skin like you.

And how's that special interest fund raiser in DC going? You know, the one you're leaving us behind to jet over to DC for?

Cross posted at Clark County Politics.
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Wallace brings it on: Herrera HAS missed votes that others have taken for her.

As I pointed out below, State Representative Deb Wallace has alleged that Jaime "Ridgefield Barbie" Herrera has missed dozens of floor votes in favor of fundraising for her congressional campaign, while others in the GOP caucus vote for her.

Herrera, a cardboard cut out and an embarrassment of a so-called "representative," is best known for being parachuted into the 18th District by Cathy "Jennifer Dunn Wannabe" McMorris, corrupting the appointment process to replace then State Representative Richard Curtis.

Wallace tells us what many Olympia insiders already knew: Herrera SHOULD have resigned her seat to go after the 3rd Congressional so that the people of the 18th District (of which I am one) would at least have a hope for something approaching decent representation, unlike the trash Herrera brings with her idea of mailing it in.

Kudos go to The Columbian in this instance (motives notwithstanding) Clearly, Herrera deserved Russell's endorsement since they have so much in common, integrity-wise.

Wallace slams Herrera absences, prompting angry response

By Kathie Durbin
Columbian Staff Writer

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Rep. Deb Wallace is accusing Rep. Jaime Herrera of shirking her duties by being absent from the House floor “for hours on end” during key votes over the last few weeks in order to campaign — a charge Herrera flatly denies.

Wallace, D-Vancouver, first made the accusation Saturday at a neighborhood meeting at which she announced she was bowing out of the 3rd Congressional District race.

She repeated it in an interview with The Columbian on Monday, saying Herrera is asking other Republicans to cast votes for her while she is absent from the floor.

“Either she is in the building fundraising, which is illegal, or she is off campus and she has not been excused,” Wallace said.

Herrera, R-Camas, angrily denied that she was absent in order to campaign.

“Deb has no credibility, she has no proof,” Herrera said.

She said that as deputy floor leader for the House Republican caucus, she was busy last week organizing testimony in opposition to suspending Initiative 960, a voter-approved measure that requires a two-thirds vote of each chamber to raise taxes.

“I have missed 10 votes in my entire time as a legislator here,” she said. “I haven’t missed any votes (by being) off the floor this session. I’ve been on the House floor fighting for I-960. As a floor leader, part of my responsibility is to manage the floor
debate.”

Another part of her job is to meet with constituents, Herrera said. “This last week, we were on the House floor the whole time. I met with faculty from Clark College. If a constituent comes from Southwest Washington, I will meet with them.”

At her request, three people who met with Herrera off the House floor on Feb. 10, 16 and 18 contacted The Columbian to confirm those meetings.

Wallace insists she knows what she saw with her own eyes.

“I was on the House floor hours a day last week before the cutoff” for passage of bills, Wallace said. “When I look across, I’m looking at Jaime Herrera’s empty desk. I’m looking across and watching people vote for her for hours on end. I’m seeing them go into to caucus and come out and still vote for her. This has been going on all session. When there are key votes, she is there.”

“This is not the kind of integrity that is right for our district,” Wallace said. “I’m offended by this.”

It’s common in the House chambers, where members vote electronically, for seat mates to cast votes for each other if a member is in the wings or in the caucus room. No rule prevents the practice. The vote by proxy is not recorded as “absent” or
“excused,” and there is no way to document who actually pushed the button.

Wallace said she has asked others to cast votes for her occasionally, and other House members do so when, for example, they leave the floor for meals.

“This is a far different situation,” she said. “This is an integrity issue.”

House Republican leader Richard DeBolt said members of the leadership in both parties typically spend time off the floor during floor sessions.

“The House speaker is never on the floor,” DeBolt said. “I’m not on the floor all the time. Leadership has to track amendments, talk to members. The other day the whole leadership was right off the floor in the wings working on I-960.”

DeBolt said he had not noticed any change in Herrera’s attendance this session.

“If (members) leave the campus, they are supposed to excuse themselves,” DeBolt added. “We have a hard and fast rule about that.”

Herrera was scheduled to take a red-eye flight to Washington, D.C., on Wednesday night for a campaign fundraising event Thursday. She said she would be gone less than 24 hours and would miss no committee or floor votes.

Kathie Durbin: 360-735-4523 or kathie.durbin@columbian.com.

Clearly, someone like Herrera, possessed by special, out of district interests as she admittedly is, would have no trouble lying about this, particularly since she knows that to tell the truth would actually end her deservedly endable political "career."

Cross posted at Clark County Politics.

The answer to the 9 am question.

Well, of COURSE Ms. Herrera was in Seattle attending another fund raiser arranged for her by those fine folks corrupting the 3rd Congressional race with special interest money... since she can't raise any on her own... instead of doing her job in Olympia.

You know... the job you're blowing off your oath to avoid doing?

See, Jaime... you should have resigned to go after your hobby. That way, you wouldn't have the embarrassment of supporting SEIU legislation that would effectively end low cost day care for those who need it the most; you wouldn't be dealing with the fall out of illegally having others vote in your place so you won't show up as absent; and maybe, just maybe, you might actually earn this gig on your own.

You won't, of course, because in doing the only job you could ever imagine having, you are doing a piss poor job of doing what you're SUPPOSED to do: representing us. Here. In THIS district.

In Olympia. Not in Seattle or Washington, DC fund raisers.

You put the "um" in scum... and you shouldn't be elected crossing guard.

Cross posted on Clark County Politics.

Just out of curiosity, Jaime, where were you at 9 am this morning?

Instead of working at the Legislature?

You know.... where you were elected to work?

It's bad enough that you couldn't wait until the end of session to bail on us.... and it's certainly bad enough that you have to dump us to go to DC for your filthy lucre of special interest money even before the election DURING session.... and it's bad enough that someone on the floor of the house is voting for you now in your absences... It's even bad enough that you seem to believe Jon "No Traction" Russell's endorsement is actually worth something....

But where were you at 9 am this morning? And why? Inquiring minds want to know.

Cross posted at Clark County Politics.

Jaime Herrera must resign.... immediately.

I've frequently wondered how it is that I could be represented by someone like Herrera. Ridgefield Barbie, who tossed Don Benton under the first available bus with her untrue and moronic "Well, Benton voted for it" whine on Lew Waters effort as a result of her idiotic co-sponsorship and vote for SHB 1329, the SEIU child care worker collective bargaining bill.

Obviously, Herrera, who lied to county commissioners so blithely when she batted her baby browns and told them "there is not a job in the world I would rather have" cannot represent us and run for Congress full time.

So.... how was she doing it? How was she spending all that time on the floor when she needed to be working the phones with her "prepared-by-Vanderstoep and McMorris-Rogers" list?

Well, the answer is this:

She's not. Rep. Deb Wallace indicates that someone ELSE is voting for her.

So, here's the deal, Jaime: you can resign now and withdraw from the Congressional race, or face the wrong end of an Ethics investigation that you cannot politically survive.

Your call.

Cross Posted on Clark County Politics.

Jaiem Herrera must resign.... immediately.

I've frequently wondered how it is that I could be represented by someone like Herrera. Ridgefield Barbie, who tossed Don Benton under the first available bus with her moronic "Well, Benton voted for it" whine on Lew Waters effort as a result of her idiotic co-0sponsorship and vote for SHB 1329, the SEIU child care worker collective bargaining bill.

Obviously, Herrera, who lied to county commissioners so blithely when she batted her baby browns and told them "there is not a job in the world I would rather have" cannot represent us and run for Congress full time.

So.... how was she doing it? How was she spending all that time on the floor when she needed to be working the phones with her "prepared-by-Vanderstoep and McMorris-Rogers" list?

Well, the answer is this:

She's not. Someone ELSE is voting for her.

So, here's the deal, Jaime: you can resign now and withdraw from the Congressional race, or face the wrong end of an Ethics investigation that you cannot politically survive.

Your call.

Cross Posted on Clark County Politics.

All this posturing on I-960. You've got to wonder wonder why Herrera screwed us on the SEIU bill.

The senior intern-turned appointed state representative is, no doubt, shooting off her mouth on the floor at a mile a minute so she can come out and tell us how hard "She" fought to keep it in place.

Of course, she was strangely absent when it came to getting it in front of the people in the first place, but hey, given everything that's happened with Ridgefield Barbie, no one could ever claim she's not a rank opportunist.

The problem is that no matter what she blabs now, it won't wash away the stain of selling us all out by co-sponsoring and voting for that neo-communist bill pushing child care costs far out of the reach of those who need it the most.

So, she screws the most needy in our society by increasing both the cost of day care and the size of the leftist unions that brought us to this sorry state of affairs in the first place.

And now, she's cranking out the rhetoric and the verbiage, no doubt to get it all up on YouTube as fast as possible to polish her non-existent conservative cred.

It doesn't matter what you said tonight, Herrera.

Because, when it mattered, you said the wrong thing at the wrong time and helped the enemies of our economy strike another blow against those who needed the help the most.

And nothing you said tonight will change any of that.

Cross posted At Clark County Politics.

So, yesterday's exercise in democracy: the local GOP caucuses.

I haven't been to the caucuses for 4 years, so it was with some interest that I went to see the going's on... and to look at public response to the current scenario confronting us. I thought, "There should be a huge turn out, given the horrific job the democrats are doing at every level."

There wasn't.

About 40 people showed up. 3 or 4 precincts had no one at all. My precinct was represented by, well, me and my wife; which also describes 2 or 3 others. One precinct had 12 people show up.

I was hoping for more as an indicator. I was disappointed.

No candidates showed up. One person spoke for Ann Rivers, candidate in the 18th District House race; one for Craig Williams, candidate for US Senate. (As a brief aside, the guy who spoke for Ann spoke off-the-cuff for 45 seconds or so, the woman who spoke for Williams read a massive amount of text off of a web page from a netbook. It was mind-numbing, and bizarre to talk about maybe 20 different subjects at the same time; very difficult to remember any of it.)

A letter was read from State Senator Don Benton (R-17) thanking everyone there for taking the time to show up and asking folks to check out his website. Another letter was read from Jaime Herrera, a typical written-for-her yawner.


Only two candidates had literature there: Ann Rivers and Shannon Barnett... who still doesn't seem to have a campaign web site up. (How's that working out for you, Shannon?)(At least this time, he was smart enough not to mention Herrera.)

Barnett used a cute dodge to scam a list: he put out a "survey" that he'll ignore, except to get names and address off of those who actually believe the results of the surveys mattered.

No other candidates showed up; no other candidates had literature; and no other candidates had any campaign representatives.

We did a part where candidate stuff was done (speakers and the like) a part where resolutions were done (a resolution was passed demanding a vote on this ungodly bridge/loot rail waste among others) and then each precinct voted for county convention delegates.

That was pretty much the whole deal; a rather eloquent exercise in democracy.

Now, some might be just the tiniest bit confused at my multiple protestations on this blog that I am no longer a part of the GOP. If so, then why did I go to their caucuses, and why go to their convention?

Information.

No, I'm not a spy. But *I* need information, so *I* can tell what's going on.

Now, as a convention delegate, I expect all the candidates will be sending me stuff. And from that "stuff," I can glean bits of information, critiquing those running to oust the democrats who've managed to so cluelessly fly this country into the ground.

I mean, Herrera's already sent me a fund raising letter. And in her rather bizarre letter, read at the caucus, she mentioned her worthless endorsement by Slade, continued to pound away at her "Senior Legislative Aide" lie, and her spin about "raising the most money in the last 15 days" of the reporting period was as worthless as she is.

So, it's reasonable to expect that a forest's worth of pulp will be coming my way.... and at the same time, I can start a push from the ground up to get our commissioners to run the county wide advisory vote that should have been done years ago.... so we can finally drive a stake through the heart of the idiotic nonsense that is the waste of $100,000,000 (so far) on a bridge we don't need, and loot rail we don't want.

It was interesting to interact with others as concerned as I am over the damage the left is causing to this country. But it was not the overwhelming response I anticipated.

One has to wonder.... why? The dissatisfaction with leftist government is palpable. If the GOP can find a way to tap into that rage, then 94 will look like a fender-bender for the left in comparison.

But if they can't get past the abysmal failures of GOP congressional control... if they can't find a way to convince the people that THIS time, they MEAN it when they say "smaller, more efficient government.... then nothing will happen.

Cross posted on Clark County Politics.

GWB weighs in on Slade's Herrera endorsement.

Cross Posted at Clark County Politics.

Herrera continues to lie on both the experience and money issues

Jaime Herrera. She's SUCH a kidder.

She actually sent ME a fund raising letter. Can you BELIEVE it?

I ripped it open, positively EAGER to see what pearls of wisdom were written for her so she wouldn't sound like a cardboard cut out. (Anyone actually believing SHE wrote this bilge, or had anything to say about it, for that matter, please burn your voter registration card.)

And what to my wondering eyes appear?

The usual drama queen BS; that the future of western civilization rests entirely with her election to this seat.

It doesn't of course, but like her work experience fairy tales, she has to make you believe it, so you'll unscrew at the right elbow and send her a check.

The usual, to-be-expected, gross exaggeration about her job with the puppet master behind her parachuting in her to snatch the pre-arranged 18th District seat is in there. You know, continuing to call herself a "Senior Legislative Aide" because that sounds SO much more impressive than a mere "legislative assistant." You remember, like she called herself before her campaign keepers jacked her title up?

Another hoot was she tells us that she's running because "we urgently need new leadership in Washington." Hell, she's just been back in town for 20 minutes or so, and has yet to show any leadership HERE! Well, except for that whiney little fit in caucus about telling them to "stay out" of the race in the 18th... for all the good THAT did her.

And what makes our resident empty suit think that she'll be anything more in DC than she is here? To wit, a back-bencher, SEIU-supporting turn coat?

And then this hoot, in BOLDFACE, no less:

"My pledge to you is that I will place more value on saving your money then spending it."

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Herrera, you made me spit up all over my keyboard on that one.

This, from the woman who managed to fry her way through almost $500 for 3 days worth of meals on a boondoggle trip from DC back to Spokane?

And YOU are placing value on MY money? Since when?

And your support of this SEIU bill that, if enacted, will shut out our most needy from their desperately needed child care so THEY CAN WORK.

And Jaime, that McMorris's shills back in DC managed to get your name buried in a paragraph, buried in an article... doesn't by any means indicate that you're ready for anything, except, perhaps, a run at junior class vice president.

And do yourself a favor. Go through you fund raiser data base, and get my name off your list.

Otherwise, every time you send out this tripe, we'll get to play this again.

Cross posted at Clark County Politics.

Liz Mair lets us know: Herrera has already started the process to sell us out in DC.

Hard on the heals of an abysmal fundraising report, Cathy McMorris Rogers and Slade Gorton (who most likely wouldn't know Jaime Herrera if she bit him, but who endorsed her because, well, Vander Steop asked him to) are stepping in directly to bail Ridgefield Barbie Jaime Herrera out.

Yes, she's already started the process of indebtedness to the special interests in DC by flying in ton pick up a bunch of checks; a feat she couldn't pull off here, apparently, because, well,she doesn't seem to have all that much support around here.

So, local political ace and blogger Liz Mair provides the vignette below:

McMorris Rodgers, Gorton hosting DC fundraiser for Herrera
February 9th, 2010 12:12 ET
In my inbox this morning is an email announcing that on February 25, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers and former Sen. Slade Gorton will be hosting a fundraising breakfast here in DC for Jaime Herrera-- one of the big names competing to succeed Rep. Brian Baird in representing Washington's third district in Congress.

The breakfast will take place on the Hill from 8-9AM. Herrera should walk away from it with a bit of money to line the campaign coffers: Attendees are being asked to cut a check for $250 (if an individual) or $1,000 (if a PAC).

I wouldn't be terribly surprised to see David Castillo knock Herrera for raising money in DC (he's already poked her for seeking support from folks outside the third district). I also fully anticipate the DCCC will blast her for taking PAC contributions (because Democrats never, ever do that).

Personally, I don't think anyone's going to fault Herrera's former boss (McMorris Rodgers), who is of course also from the Evergreen State, for wanting to help her out-- and McMorris Rodgers, like most federal-level elected officials, is in DC on Thursday mornings. Furthermore, I maintain that Slade Gorton's backing is going to be very helpful to Herrera-- as will any money she takes away from this event.

It looks like I'm just not "anyone."

Herrera is, to my lasting shame, my state representative. As I knew she would be when McMorris parachuted her in here with a scam deal involving a certain county commissioner, she has been worthless in representing us. And, by the way? I'm no part of the Castillo campaign.

I will always resent McMorris-Rogers for screwing around over here on the other side of the state in ways that have impacted me directly. But sending us such a pitiful, empty suit to represent me is absolutely unforgivable.

So yes.... I DO fault her for interfering, much like I fault Gorton for endorsing someone he didn't know and had never heard of.

But then, Slade is no longer a Senator... he, too, has become a lobbyist. And what does that tell you?

Cross posted on Clark County Politics.

The Family Policy Institute weighs in on Jaime Herrera's betrayal.

As I pointed out here, Jaime Herrera co-sponsored and then twice voted for a nefarious, SEIU-supported piece of work that will, effectively, make it practically impossible for low-income parents to get child care for their children while they work; and at the same time, enables further union and democrat-supporting expansion of anti-Republican forces through HB 1329.

Well, the Family Policy Council joins me in my consternation.

WA Legislature Threatens Women’s Choice

Monday, February 8, 2010

WA Legislature Threatens Women’s Choice

Monday Minute

Thoughts from the Executive Director

In 2007, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) approached child care centers (not home day care centers) in Washington about joining the union. After learning that the union would not disclose how much membership was going to cost or specify the benefits that the centers would receive, they declined.

For those of you who run businesses, you understand that if someone doesn’t want the services you offer you need to figure out a way to improve what you’re offering. For those of you who love freedom, you might think that you as an individual should have the right to refuse someone else’s service. However, unions are not businesses nor do they apparently respect the rights of women to choose whether or not union representation is best for them. Therefore, they did what you and I can never do.

They went to their friends in the legislature who take lots and lots of their money for campaigns and asked the legislature to force daycare centers to reap the blessings of union membership—whether they like it or not.

What resulted was House Bill 1329, which has already passed the House of Representatives and has moved to the Senate for consideration. Although unclear, it appears that this bill would compel all child care centers to become part of a union if one person from 30% of the centers says they want to join. Therefore, if there were 100 centers with 5,000 employees, 30 signatures (one from 30 different centers) could compel all 5,000 employees to become union members.

As if the threshold wasn’t low enough, the bill requires the state to disclose the names and addresses of day care employees to the unions. Disclosure of personal information to entities outside the government is currently illegal and Washington State has already been sued for doing precisely what this bill mandates. But why worry about things like privacy when there are political favors to give.

To sweeten the pot, the bill makes no guarantees about services that will be offered nor does it tell workers how much of their paycheck will be taken to pay for the union membership. That small detail is to be worked out in negotiations where Governor Gregoire will represent the interest of child care workers against the union. For those of you who don’t follow Washington State politics closely, that would like finding out Al Capone has been appointed to represent you in your negotiations with the mob.

The proponents of the bill are very excited about what union involvement will do for the quality of education in these centers. If enacted, we should all hope the unionization of child care will produce better results for child care than the Washington Education Association has produced for general education. But the early results are not promising.

In-home child care centers were forced into unions in 2007. Workers in those centers are reportedly underwhelmed by what they receive for their mandatory monthly contributions. In committee, no attempt was even made to show that the quality of care in those centers was improved.

The bill would not only compel individuals to join a union over their objections, it would force church child care centers to participate as well. This is problematic because the large majority of churches are philosophically opposed to union positions.

Recently, the SEIU gathered 150 million dollars from their "members" to spend on political campaigns. $85 million was used to fund Democrat candidates.

The SEIU proudly supports gay marriage, abortion on demand and other social agendas that many individuals would object to based on religious conviction.

The National Education Association, who is also supportive of this bill, has taken similar positions.

Unions should be free to exist and they should be free to speak their minds. However, they should not be free to force people who do not want their services or agree with their agenda to be members.

As the freedom loving Thomas Jefferson once said “To compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves, is sinful and tyrannical.”

If you think this anti-choice measure is bad policy, we urge you to call the Legislative Hotline at 1-800-562-6000. This number will enable you to leave a message for your legislators even if you don’t know who they are by providing your address. If you would like to contact your legislators individually, you can find them by clicking here.

Please be respectful, but please be heard.

Posted by FPIW at 3:12 PM

Yup. Our local empty suit wasn't kidding when she said she'd be a "Friend to organized labor."

Yet another fake Republican running for office.

Swell.

Cross posted at Clark County Politics.

The unethical idiocy of the so-called "dual endorsement."

Endorsements, particularly in a primary, are an interesting aspect of elections and politics.

Some, like those of the local stain on journalism; the ethically, if not financially bankrupt paper, are worthless. Anyone following their perspective knows that when there's even a possibility that a leftist will win, the rag will endorse that leftist.

Others, like that of Ryan Hart, Clark County GOP Chair, are an inexcusable violation of the office they hold. Hart and those in similar circumstances should resign. Deanna Horton, Hart's democrat counterpart, is well aware of this and has refused to endorse in the primary.

Who knows for a certainty if any endorsement actually causes anyone to vote for, well, any one? But they are, presumably, nice to have. They are SUPPOSED to mean full support, and that the they are SUPPOSED to indicate that the candidate receiving them is enthusiastically supported by the person giving the endorsement.

SUPPOSED to.

Then there are those of the bizarre practice of the so-called "dual endorsement."

Typically, a situation like that evolves when a candidate gets the early endorsement, but then an opportunist comes along, not unlike our local cardboard cut out, Jaime Herrera.

Herrera worked the phones on double overtime, BEGGING those who had already given their word and support to other candidates to then cheapen that word... violate that word... by also, worthlessly, endorsing poor, little ol' her.

When I heard that Herrera was running around, urging others to abandon principle and integrity, I thought "well, good luck with that. Who would be so base and integrity-challenged69 to engage in that kind of unethical conduct? I mean, I'm not surprised Herrera would WANT someone to engage in that kind of thing. But I would be stunned if anyone actually did it."

So, I thought that was the end of it. But then, I thought, "you know what? Maybe I ought to check and see.... because, actually, you never know..."

So, I began to compare the endorsement lists of the congressional candidates.

We already know why Slade endorsed someone that otherwise wouldn't qualify to bring him a donut.

But what about the rest? Who else diluted their word and integrity by straddling the political fence?

Hhhhmmmm..... Ed Orcutt and Shannon Barnett.

Nah. That HAS to be a typo.

Why would EITHER of these two be so shallow as to renege on their commitments, just because an empty suit parachuted in to run for congress with the resume' of a box of Kleenex?

This is one of the reasons why I'm not so hot on the GOP as an organization.

The things they claim to be for are mere situational suggestions.

No one is held accountable. When the GOP was in charge at the federal level, "cutting spending" and "smaller government" were unknown concepts.

Now we can add questionable integrity and a lack of ethics.

Bully for us.

Cross posted at Clark County Politics.

So.... someone named "Mark" swung by and expressed his displeasure at my efforts here.

This note provides a great opportunity for a teaching point, so here it is:

Mark (76.105.246.134) said... 

 

I don't get why you try telling people to keep it civil - you don't. I'm appalled at how you continue to try to inven... or should I say "dig up" dirt on Jaime Herrera. And for what purpose? I don't know what Jaime ever did to you, but the only thing you ever seem to be revealing to us is how petty and vitriolic of a person you are. Give it a rest. Jaime has the best chance of winning this out of any other Republican in the race, and there are a lot of people out there who don't appreciate you trying to screw it up. No matter how much you dislike Jaime, she is definitely better than any of the Democrats in this race.

Here... let me help you with that.

Your failure to understand what's going on, while not surprising, does not preclude the fact that I believed your response to meet what I consider to be the standard of civility I require... except, of course, for the subtle wafting of testosterone that led to your moronic personal attack against me.

In simple terms, "civility" on this blog is described as no name calling or personal attacks.  But your response and your observation about me personally; which, by the way, does absolutely nothing to dispel any of my concerns; acts as a teaching point in this regard.

Who or what I am; what kind of "person" I am; what brand of coffee I drink or how fast my Camaro is in the 1/4 has absolutely NOTHING to do with this.

What I note in your response is that you provide precisely zilch to dispute anything I've said.  You add nothing to the discussion in terms of where I may be factually incorrect, or that my conclusions are wrong or in any way inaccurate.

You just don't happen to like what I write since for whatever the reason you've drank Herrera's kool aid and you support her.

Herrera should have precisely ZERO chance to win this because she has absolutely nothing in terms of experience that makes her worthy of becoming a member of Congress.  If her experience in McMorris-Roger's office qualifies her, then there are literally THOUSANDS of staffers, both past and present, even more qualified.

If it's the 20 minutes or so she's sat on her can in the 18th District, then there are about 140 legislators more qualified than she is.

Her resume' is paper thin.  She turns that "Republican" nonsense on and off like a switch, as her moronic co-sponsorship and vote for that horrific SEIU and Herrera sponsored child care worker collective bargaining bill clearly proves.

Her recent co-sponsoring and vote for that bill was NOT a "Republican" position.

I, for one, will be damned if I will vote for anyone merely because of their self-applied, convenient label, and if this empty-suited Barbie Doll makes it into the top two, I will, as a former state GOP Executive Director, endorse whoever else is running against her, because there are at least three democrats and one OTHER Republican FAR more qualified.

And as for "a lot of people out there who don't appreciate you trying to screw it up" being out there?

I could give a rat's ass.

ANYONE coming after me because I dare to exercise MY First Amendment right... a right I wore the uniform of the United States Army for 14 years to defend... will get it back in spades.

Here's a Memo, "Mark."  Don't even THINK about attempting to intimidate me.  Such an effort would become the intimidator's worst nightmare.  And the fact that you would even REMOTELY make a remark like that reflects directly on the moron you're so in love with that you'd get this stupid on a public blog.

Since Herrera VOTES like a democrat, we would be better served if the choice were between her and a democrat to vote for the real thing.

And that you would damn her with such faint praise, "No matter how much you dislike Jaime, she is definitely better than any of the Democrats in this race," as if there aren't any other Republicans far more worthy of consideration than THIS cardboard cut out speaks volumes.

Thank you so much for coming by, and please swing by again.  if you or anyone else has FACTUAL evidence that I am wrong, then I will be more than happy to present it here.

And, of course, always remember: You don't like what I have to say?

Then don't read it.  Simple, really.

Cross posted on Clark County Politics.

The dirty little secret behind Slade endorsing Jaime Herrera.

I've been in this business a long time. I've seen a lot and done even more.

So, I had to ask myself: How is it that Slade Gorton could possibly endorse an empty suit with a paper-thin resume' for any elective office?

Then it hit me. The answer was so simple.

Besides Cathy McMorris-Rogers, who is calling the shots for Jaime Herrera in this race?

Why, it's J. Vanderstoep... of a certain firm somewhere.

And what does that have to do with it?

Why, he was Slade Gorton's chief of staff.

And when one looks at the others in this firm, almost every one of them used to work for, you guessed it, Slade Gorton.

So, getting Slade Gorton to endorse someone he most likely has never heard of?

Piece of cake.

As for Zarelli endorsing her, that's even more of a mystery.

Zarelli is quoted as saying:

"Just as we do in Olympia , Washington D.C. faces huge deficits that must be
corrected before they cripple us for generations,” said Senator Joe Zarelli.
“Jaime Herrera has demonstrated her commitment to fiscal responsibility in the
Legislature. We need more people like her in Congress.”

Seriously?

Well, gee... that certainly explains why Zarelli looked so hard at running for this position himself, right? I mean, after all, if Herrera could do such a bang up job, why would he even consider it?

Were those few weeks she spent as a coffee-gettin' intern in Zarelli's office way back when all THAT impressive?

And how does voting for and co-sponsoring fringe-left SEIU-supported legislation allowing child care workers to get collective bargaining show any of that "demonstrated commitment to fiscal responsibility" he was babbling about?

Endorsements of substance based on facts and history have some worth in the over all scheme of things. These two con jobs are worthless... and they lessen the value of the words of those uttering them.

Cross posted at Clark County Politics.

A look at the 3rd Congressional money situation.

A fascinating report came out showing the strengths and weaknesses in terms of fund raising, the "mother's milk of politics," of those candidates running for the now abandoned seat of the WA03 for Congress.

That report was the most recent fund raiser results, which included the last Q of 2009. The numbers are from opensecrets.org.

It's no surprise that Denny Heck has taken the early and substantial lead in these numbers: he dropped a cool $100G of his own cash into the pot to get things rolling.

Like most in the party of class warfare, little is made of their personal wealth. There is little doubt that Heck will put together the biggest bankroll for this race, mostly because he not only can do that; but hell, the man is even capable of getting a state governor to violate the letter, if not the spirit and intent of the law prohibiting her from raising money or using government facilities to campaign for someone else during session.

It's got to be cool to have a governor in your pocket.

So, Heck has put together an impressive $215G...but an amount not quite so impressive when you realize that almost half of it came from one source: the candidate. Heck's fund raising base is an eclectic group, if by eclectic you mean lawyers, consultants and those high up in Washington State Government. They provided, by far, most of his donated cash.

Of particular note in Heck's fundraising realm is Strategies 360, a nice little band that has, through Ron Dotzauer (Of "Boinking Ms. Cantwell" fame) successfully enabled David Barnett to buy an election using money illegally laundered through Progressive Majority for Steve "I'll take it in unmarked bills" Stuart, our most senior county commissioner. Dotzhauer and those connected to him have dropped a paltry $14,000 or so of the $115G Heck has actually raised, all by themselves.

Nothing quite like that one stop shopping!

Next up is David Castillo, leading Republican candidate who was one of 3 slogging along in the trenches before the Queen of Opportunism jumped into the race... and his hard work shows with almost twice as much as his nearest competitor on the "R" side.... at $104G

The Republican Empty Suit, Jaime Herrera has struggled to raise money, when one considers she's the rough equivalent of a wind up toy: Stuff a key in her back, aim her in whatever direction you want, turn the key and the rest takes care of itself.

Normally, a $55G quarter would be rather impressive... until you see that the money in question comes primarily from a whole EIGHT donors.

Then?

Not so much.

Here's a hint, Jaime. When they hand you a list of pre-greased donors? Especially those who've never heard of you?

Make sure you dial "1" BEFORE the area code.... OK?

Jon Russell continues to fade. Herrera's opportunism cost Russell any chance he may have delusionaly felt he had... and now she's gonna suck all the money out of his room like a turbo-charged Hoover.

Jon's showing $28G, total, proving than his fundraising skills are on par with his political skills.... thus capping off an around $10G quarter.

Deb Wallace, according to the Columbian, has reported $23,000, but I can't find that on the FEC site.

The biggest surprise was the abysmal report submitted by democrat State Sen. Craig "we balanced this budget on the backs of the poor and the powerless, so I'm voting for it" Pridemore.

Because Pridemore has gerrymandered tax districts; rabidly supports the massive waste of billions of dollars known as the bridge and loot rail, and his special-favor for his buddy Steve "cold hard Barnett cash" Stuart, so he could keep $50,000 or so in campaign contributions for a bill Pridemore was running back in what.... 05; he has no chance, anyway. In fact, he and Deb Wallace are "dead men walking" because of their idiotic bridge shenanigans... their political corpses just haven't got the memo.

Pridemore's less than stellar $8,569 SHOULD be sending him a message.

David Hedrick checks in, almost matching the fund raising prowess of Pridemore with $7,216. That's not a bad number for a political neophyte in this kind of climate.

Local illegal alien cheerleader Maria Rodriguez-Salazar won't raise cab fare and is wasting every ones time acting like a candidate... a candidate who has, apparently, yet to even file FEC paperwork.

Is it early? Of course it is. And, unless you're a highly placed democrat, unaffected by the Obama recession, it will be increasingly difficult to find donors with disposable cash to play... thus adding politics to the list of the "Sports of Kings."

Heck will be difficult to beat on the leftist side. He's got the cash and the support of the democrat infrastructure, plus he's unsullied (for now) by the Pridemore/Wallace bridge idiocy.

Castillo is unquestionably the most qualified n the GOP side, followed by my pet Cavalier Spaniel Oliver, Russell, Herrera, and lastly, Hedrick.

Do overall qualifications matter?

They should. Look what happened when we elected an empty suit for president. So, why would we compound that error again?

Meanwhile, these numbers DO count. Even those where all you have to do to get the cash is pick up a check.

Right, Jaime?

Cross posted on Clark County Politics.