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Posted on 10/27/2007 9:47:37 PM PDT by Libloather
Dems' letter raises ethics question
By Ralph Thomas
Seattle Times Olympia bureau
Thursday, October 25, 2007 - Page updated at 01:05 AM
OLYMPIA — Several Democratic legislators may have violated state ethics laws when they signed a letter scolding a private nonprofit mental-health-care provider for using "hostile" and "anti-union" bargaining tactics in recent contract talks.
The letter, which was sent this month to the director of Olympia-based Behavioral Health Resources (BHR), was written on official Washington state Legislature letterhead.
The Legislative Ethics Board has ruled recently that it is illegal for lawmakers to use public resources to advocate for one side in a private dispute.
Kirkland resident Scott St. Clair filed a complaint with the board this week accusing his senator, freshman Eric Oemig, of using his legislative clout to meddle in a private matter.
Other lawmakers are likely to get dragged into the controversy. Oemig was one of six Democratic senators who signed the letter. The others were Sens. Adam Kline, Ed Murray and Jeanne Kohl-Welles of Seattle, Rodney Tom of Bellevue and Chris Marr of Spokane.
A second letter — with the same text but not written on official letterhead — was signed by 28 Democratic House members.
Oemig acknowledges signing the letter with other senators, but said his recollection is that the version he signed was not on official letterhead. Kline also confirmed signing the letter, but said he did not recall what type of letterhead it had.
The letters were done at the behest of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 1199, which at the time was in the midst of a bitter contract fight with BHR. The two sides have since reached an agreement.
(Excerpt) Read more at seattletimes.nwsource.com ...
At least it is in writing...
They’re libs - the law will never stick to them.
Will anything come of this? Certainly doubt it. Normal procedure for democrats.
Add me, here in lovely Longview, Washington, to your ping list, please.
...and it made the press!
The Teflon Party. Nothing ever sticks.
I don't recall ....
Isn’t this the political equivilent of sending two thugs to a business to warn - “You’ve got a nice place here. Be real shame if something were to happen to it.”
Democrats abusing power...nothing new there.
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