Free Republic

John McCain will be nominated this week as the Republican candidate for president. He likely will ride effortlessly through the party's national convention in St. Paul, MN. But in Washington state, McCain will share the ballot this fall with Republicans trying to distance themselves from the national party and doing little to link arms with the McCain campaign. Dino Rossi, a Republican who lists his party preference as "GOP Party," is doing his best to bask in Barack Obama's message of change as he tries to unseat Democratic Gov. Christine Gregoire. Rossi talks so much about Obama on the campaign...

As Election Day draws closer, the governor’s race in Washington, a replay of the 2004 contest, keeps getting more competitive. Incumbent Democratic Governor Christine Gregoire now leads by just four percentage points. A month ago, she was up by six points over Republican challenger Dino Rossi. Two months ago, the incumbent held a seven-point lead and the month before that, Governor Gregoire enjoyed aneleven-point lead. The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey in the state shows Gregoire attracting 47% of the vote while Rossie earns 43%. This is the second straight month that Greogoire’s support has stayed below the 50% mark....

Gov. Chris Gregoire did Monday what families and businesses have been doing for months: She ordered cuts in travel and buying gasoline, a hiring freeze and a lid on major purchases for most state agencies. The effort is expected to save $90 million, making up for an unexpected $60 million drop in revenue in June. The lost income came from a slowdown in the housing market and lower business taxes than expected. "I am asking each of you to step up your efforts to increase savings. I ask that you be creative and take action now," Gregoire said in a...

OLYMPIA, Wash. - Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire is taking it as a compliment: She was turned away from a bar in the state capital because she couldn't prove she's of legal age to drink.

Washington state GOP hits Michelle Obama I am glad I am not the only one who thinks Michelle Obama is fair game for saying the outrageous things she has said. In anticipation of her meeting with liberal Washington Governor Chris Gregoire, the state GOP produced this video. http://www.youtube.com/swf/l.swf?video_id=zOcU-BP0T4c&rel=1&eurl=http%3A//www.typepad.com/t/app/weblog/post&iurl=http%3A//i.ytimg.com/vi/zOcU-BP0T4c/default.jpg&t=OEgsToPDskIJonIElc-TAm7UrL1cJB8M&fs=1&hl=en

Money poured in for a recount in Christine Gregoire's close race against Dino Rossi. Those supporters — including unions and a tribal-gambling group — have benefited during the governor's first termOLYMPIA — In late 2004, when Christine Gregoire's bid to become governor was engulfed in legal challenges, the state Democratic Party sent out a plea for help. The checks started rolling in almost immediately — $250,000 from the state's largest public-employee union, $50,000 from a tribal-gambling group, $25,000 from the state's main teachers union. Major national political groups also weighed in. That money, more so than the millions Gregoire received...

Governor says deal curbs the growth of Indian gamblingOLYMPIA -- Gov. Chris Gregoire is benefiting from more than $650,000 in campaign contributions from Indian tribes that hit the jackpot in 2005 when she killed a gambling compact potentially worth more than $140 million a year to the state. Unlike 22 other states that collect millions from revenue sharing agreements for tribal gambling, Washington gets no money from tribal casinos under the compact that Gregoire renegotiated with the Spokane Tribe. Gregoire backed away from the 2005 agreement that included revenue sharing in an attempt to keep gambling from expanding too quickly...

The re-election prospects for Washington Governor Christine Gregoire (D) have improved significantly over the past two months. The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Washington voters shows Gregoire leading her Republican challenger, Dino Rossi, by eleven percentage points. It’s Gregoire 52% Rossi 41%. In late March, Gregoire was up by just a statistically insignificant single percentage point. In February, Rossi had a one point advantage. Four years ago, the 2004 election between the same two candidates was one of the closest elections in the state’s history.

A surprise U.S. Supreme Court decision upholding Washington’s voter-approved Top 2 primary system was hailed by Secretary of State Sam Reed today as a huge victory for average voters over the political parties. “Wow!” Reed said when he heard of the court’s decision from The Associated Press. “That’s terrific! It means the people of the state of Washington are going to be able to control who gets elected through this process.” The first running of the new primary will be Aug. 19. But state Democratic Party Chairman Dwight Pelz said the decision complicates Washington elections, and that the party will...

He may have boasted of his big family, his political rise and his legislative triumphs, but speaking Tuesday night before hundreds of Clark County building industry professionals, Dino Rossi was all businessman."I came from a world of no salary, no benefits; you don't work, you don't eat - I understand the free enterprise system," the Republican gubernatorial candidate said at the Vancouver event, to laughter and applause. "And I sign the front side of paychecks."Rossi, a former commercial real estate broker and state senator who lives in Sammamish, is five months into what he expects to be a rematch against...

One feature of the four-year political struggle between Gov. Chris Gregoire and almost-Gov. Dino Rossi has been an abundance of suspect and self-serving opinion surveys. At last comes a poll, albeit with a few weeks under its belt, that surprised its takers. Washington Conservation Voters hired Grove Insight, Portland's top pollster, in November to see if Evergreen State voters are ready to walk the talk against global warming. WCV threw in a series of questions that were NOT mentioned in the Jan. 22 news release announcing poll results. The key finding: The Gregoire-Rossi race is dead even. In a trial...

OLYMPIA-- With or without Seattle's approval, the state will tear down the earthquake-damaged Alaskan Way Viaduct in 2012, Gov. Chris Gregoire said Thursday. "It's coming down in 2012. I'm taking it down -- the middle," she said, referring to the elevated portion of the span that runs roughly from Battery Street Tunnel to Pioneer Square, which has been the most vexing and controversial piece of the transportation puzzle. "That's the timeline. I'm not going to fudge on it. And if we don't have some alternative by then, boy are we going to have a mess on our hands because it's...

~EXCERPT~ (CNN) — Barack Obama has won the backing of Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire, one day before that state is set to hold its Democratic primary. The Washington Democrat, who won the office in 2004 after a hand recount favored her by only 129 votes, said she found it difficult to choose between Obama and Hillary Clinton, but was ultimately drawn to the Illinois senator's charisma and leadership skills. **snip** Washington Sens. Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray have endorsed Clinton's White House bid.

OLYMPIA -- For Gov. Chris Gregoire, apparently less is more. Heading into a bruising re-election battle with budget hawk Dino Rossi, the Democratic governor is adopting a high-profile penny-pinching role, saying that in these uncertain times, Olympia should sock away most of the state's $1.4 billion surplus. Although Gregoire can't rival Rossi in the fiscal conservatism department -- and would alienate her liberal base if she tried -- she views the 2008 legislative session as a prime opportunity to show voters that she's frugal and can restrain spending by her fellow Democrats. It's true that Gregoire is willing to leave...

Top political experts have identified the Washington governor's race as one of the three most competitive in the country in 2008 — after Missouri and Indiana, where Republican governors are defending their jobs. If it seems completely twilight-zone weird that Washington's race is so tight, it is odder still when you realize that our state enjoys one of the nation's most bustling economies. Boeing is humming. Microsoft is strong. Unemployment is low. And yet Democratic Gov. Christine Gregoire, who normally would bask in this reflected glory, appears vulnerable against her former and future opponent, Republican Dino Rossi. A recent survey...

Three of seven defendants in the biggest voter-registration fraud scheme in Washington history have pleaded guilty and one has been sentenced, prosecutors said Monday. The defendants were all temporary employees of ACORN, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, when they allegedly filled out and submitted more than 1,800 fictitious voter-registration cards during a 2006 registration drive in King and Pierce counties. No votes were cast in the names of the phony voters. Prosecutors said the defendants committed fraud in order to keep their jobs without actually registering voters. King County election workers brought the fraud to the attention...

Republican Dino Rossi, who lost the country's closest race for governor in 2004, said Thursday he'll seek a rematch with Democratic Gov. Chris Gregoire next year. Rossi announced his closely watched decision in separate interviews with KOMO News and The Associated Press and planned campaign kickoff events in Issaquah, the heart of his old legislative district, and in Spokane. "It's time for fresh air in Olympia," he said. "I'm ready. I'm very excited about the prospect of changing this state." Rossi, the former state Senate budget chairman and a real estate investor, said he's running as an agent for change...

OLYMPIA — Republican lawmakers are protesting a proposal by Gov. Christine Gregoire and Democratic lawmakers to expand state-funded health coverage for children of illegal immigrants. "They're not even citizens," said Rep. Bill Hinkle of Cle Elum, the ranking Republican on the House Health Care and Wellness Committee. Hinkle said it doesn't make sense to cover illegal immigrants when there are so many other shortcomings in the state's health-care system. "This just drives folks back home nuts," he said. But the move is drawing widespread praise from hospitals, doctors and children's advocates. "In our opinion, every child should have medical coverage...

W ashington Gov. Chris Gregoire recently announced she'll be dialing for big dollar contributions to her favorite political action committee to influence the course of this fall's Supreme Court elections. She has raised over $100,000 to date with some individual contributions in the $20,000-$30,000 range, all well above the $1,400 individual contribution limits to a candidate. Contrast this with Gov. Gregoire's May 1, 2006, Law Day speech to a dinner hosted by the Trial Lawyers. There she proclaimed judges should not be for sale and that large contributions to judicial campaigns threaten an independent judiciary. This comes from a governor...

Cantwell (D) 46% McGavick (R) 40%

OLYMPIA, Wash. -- Gov. Chris Gregoire sent an invoice of nearly $50 million to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales Monday, saying the federal government needs to reimburse the state for the cost of housing criminal illegal immigrants. Gregoire said that even though it's the federal government's responsibility to incarcerate illegal immigrants who have committed crimes, the state has been doing it for years. From July 2004 to June 2005, Gregoire said the state paid more than $27 million to house 995 prisoners. The Department of Justice has only reimbursed the state $1.7 million, and still owes $25.3 million. She's seeking an...

YAKIMA, WASH. -- Mexican President Vicente Fox arrived in Yakima Wednesday afternoon for a two-day tour of the Evergreen State during which he'll meet with migrant farmworkers and talk immigration, trade and education issues with Governor Christine Gregoire. Fox and his wife were greeted when they arrived in Yakima Wednesday afternoon by Governor Christine Gregoire and her husband, Mike. Two children from Yakima -- nine-year-old Victoria Morales and her four-year-old brother, Marques -- presented the Foxes with flowers. President Fox gave the governor a kiss on the cheek and circled around their SUV to open its door for her as...

U.S. senator wants to know why Medicaid funded sex operations By Alicia Mundy Seattle Times Washington bureau WASHINGTON — The head of the Senate Finance Committee wants Gov. Christine Gregoire to explain why the state's Medicaid system is paying for erectile implants, sex-change operations and breast enlargements. Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, said, in a letter sent Thursday to Gregoire, that he has asked the inspector general of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to look at what he considers dubious expenses discovered in the state's 2004 audit. Grassley, who led the charge in Congress against Medicaid payments for...

Democratic Governor Christine Gregoire, increasingly concerned that tax-break fever has gripped the Legislature, warned that she'll use her veto pen if necessary. "Granting a tax break is spending money," Gregoire told a news conference. "We have got to kill this notion that income and wealth belong to those who earn it. Wealth and income belong to the state. It is up to the people’s representatives to spend this money wisely. Granting tax refunds is not wise.” Gregoire said the government needs all the money it can get. “Giving money back to taxpayers would be a colossal blunder,” said Gregoire. “Once...

Warning: Winning a superbowl maybe hazordous to your Gov. Pittsburgh Tribune-Review One look at what the elected officials have wagered on their state's Super Bowl representative provides the answer. If the Steelers triumph over the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XL a week from today, Gregoire will send Rendell a bushel of Washington apples, some Seattle clam chowder and an apple and apricot candy known as applets and cotlets in the Pacific Northwest. Should the Seahawks win, Rendell will provide Gregoire what can only be described as an artery-clogging array of victuals. We can only imagine the horror on

The Washington State supreme Court will be hearing my petition to recall Washington Governor Christine Gregoire - Supreme Court case No. 77345-9; around the end of February. hopefully, I got all the HTML correct so it is readable Here is the body of the Appellate Brief A. ASSIGNMENTS OF ERROR 1. The trial erred by not finding Charge 1 to be factually and legally sufficient. 2. The trial court erred by not finding Charge 2 to be factually and legally sufficient 3. The trial court erred by not finding Charge 3 to be factually and legally sufficient. 4. The trial...

EVERETT - A statewide computer sweep of voter registration records in Washington found 11,500 voters listed as dead by the state Health Department. The sweep this month also found 36,000 voters who appear to be registered in two counties. The manager of the new $6 million database project, Pam Floyd, says the names have been flagged for further scrutiny. Snohomish County immediately canceled the voter registrations for the more than 1,400 dead people. The state has 3.5 million registered voters. Monthly sweeps are planned for duplicate and deceased voters. In March, officials plan to create the first comprehensive list of...

Joni Balter looks at the latest KING5/SurveyUSA poll which shows off Mrs. Gregoire's chronically low approval ratings. Balter writes off Gregoire's unpopularity as an (unjustified) "perception problem". Balter understatedly acknowledges, but doesn't fully comprehend Gregoire's "whiff of illegitimacy". The latest Strategic Visions poll of Washington registered voters has some instructive details -- Continue reading "Mrs. Gregoire's legitimacy problem" 1. Do you approve or disapprove of Governor Christine Gregoire's job performance? Approve 37% Disapprove 55% 6. If the Election for Governor in 2008 was between the Democrat Christine Gregoire and the Republican, Dino Rossi, whom would you vote for? Dino Rossi...

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — A state legislator is unhappy that some seasonal greenery in Olympia has been designated the "Capitol Holiday Kids' Tree." Gov. Christine Gregoire should declare the 30-foot noble fir in the Legislative Building a Christmas tree and post "Merry Christmas" signs nearby, Rep. John Ahern, R-Spokane, said Wednesday on talk radio, urging listeners to call the governor's office. The current display shows a lack of respect for Christian tradition, Ahern said. "We're a Judeo-Christian nation. Of course we should have 'Merry Christmas' on signs there," he said. "Our Constitution guarantees us freedom of religion, not freedom from...

I ordered a transcript of a court hearing from the court reporter. Based on conversations with the court reporter, it is obvious that he is not going to give the actual verbatim transcript of what was actually said in court. He claims he transcribed the nearing from a digital recording. He is also refusing to provide me with a cipy of the digital recording, obviously because there will be some substantive differences betwenn the digital recording and his transcript. He claims that I am not entitled to a copy of the digital recording on which the transcript is based. He...

OLYMPIA—The Evergreen Freedom Foundation (EFF) applauds Governor Christine Gregoire’s emergency relief efforts on behalf of the state, demonstrating that in the aftermath of hurricane Katrina, we are Americans first, Washingtonians second. “Public health and safety go to the heart of government’s purpose and justify the governor’s commitment of state resources to aid in relief efforts,” said Jason Mercier, Senior Budget Analyst for EFF. “Along with the official response from the state, now is the time for Washingtonians to show once again their generosity by donating aid to Katrina’s victims.” The near total breakdown of government in New Orleans now being...

A petition to recall washington governor Christine Gregoire will be heard in the Thurston County Superior Courtroom of Judge Richard D. Hicks on Friday, June 24, 2005, at 9:00 am. Here its the proposed ballot synopsis prepared by the attorney General: BALLOT SYNOPSIS The statement of charges alleges that Christine Gregoire, as Washington State governor has committed the following acts: 1. Violated her oath of office by knowingly failing to take action to stop illegal and unconstitutional practices of the Washington State Supreme Court creating the position of "supreme court commissioner" and obstruction justice in cases exposing official and judicial...

Voters irked ballots didn't count By Keith Ervin Seattle Times staff reporter List of affected voters Todd Stansbury, a Marine stationed in California between tours of duty in Iraq, flew home in October to cast his absentee ballot. But he and his parents, Bellevue residents Ken and Wendy Stansbury, now know that their votes weren't counted in the election that put Christine Gregoire into the governor's mansion with a 129-vote margin. King County election officials yesterday released the names of 96 voters whose valid absentee ballots were mistakenly left in their original envelopes. The uncounted ballots were discovered between March...

To Dawn Morrell State Legislator, Puyallup I began writing to you in early December about problems with the Governor's election. You waited more than a month until after you had certified and inaugurated Christine before condescending to respond. Your form response claimed that the legislative role in certification was merely clerical. In the hour and a half that I spent discussing this with Jim Kastama (Democrat State Senator, Puyallup) he completely disavowed any support for such a limited legislative role. No reasonable reading of the State Constitution or understanding of constitutional principles can support your contention. The reason for the...

A small, weekend item in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer was missed by many, yet it's another example of a dubious trend: liberal Democrats switching between journalism and partisan political positions..... (AND) Election Decision Live Blogging GOP Loses First Round In Gubernatorial Challenge...

A state judge has upheld the election of Washington Governor Christine Gregoire. In turning back the Republican challenge to the Democrat, Judge John Bridges says there was no evidence of fraud in last fall's election. The judge did find there were more than 1,600 illegal votes, but he says it's up to voters to fix errors in the state's election system. Republicans have said they will appeal to the state Supreme Court.

WENATCHEE, Wash. - The political fate of Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire hangs in the balance this weekend while a small-town judge decides whether her paper-thin victory was valid. During two weeks of trial, Republicans argued election errors, illegal votes and fraud stole the election from GOP candidate Dino Rossi. Democrats countered that the errors were innocent mistakes and said Republicans lacked enough evidence to justify tossing a governor out of office. Chelan County Superior Court Judge John Bridges will announce his decision Monday. The stakes could not be higher for Gregoire, who has pursued her agenda in the Capitol as...

WENATCHEE, Wash. - Both sides delivered closing arguments Friday in Washington state's disputed governor's race, with Republican lawyers insisting the results must be thrown out to restore public faith in the system and Democrats asking a judge to uphold Gov. Christine Gregoire's 129-vote victory. On Monday, Chelan County Superior Court Judge John Bridges will decide who's right — and who is rightfully governor of Washington state. During the trial, Republicans argued election errors, illegal votes and fraud stole the election from GOP candidate Dino Rossi. Democrats countered the errors were innocent mistakes and said Republicans lacked enough evidence to justify...

WENATCHEE, Wash. (AP) - A judge said he would rule Monday on whether the 2004 gubernatorial election should be nullified. Chelan County Superior Court Judge John Bridges' announcement came Thursday, as Democrats were nearing the end of their defense of the disputed election, which Democrat Christine Gregoire won by just 129 votes. Republicans challenging Gregoire's victory have focused on errors in the Democratic stronghold of King County, the state's most populous and home to about a third of the total votes statewide. They contend the errors indicate fraud and want the election overturned to allow a new contest between Gregoire...

WENATCHEE, Wash. - The state elections director testified Tuesday that he believes the problems in Washington's incredibly close 2004 gubernatorial election were innocent mistakes. "I saw inadvertent mistakes and errors of human beings who were working their hearts out," said Nick Handy, who was appointed to the post. He said he disagrees with his boss, Secretary of State Sam Reed, a Republican, who has called the problems in heavily Democratic King County "appalling." Handy testified as a trial to determine whether the results of the election should be thrown out entered its second week. Democrats are trying to defend the...

WENATCHEE, Wash. - A judge Friday refused to throw out a Republican challenge to the election of Democratic Gov. Christine Gregoire, saying voters deserve a full accounting of how the balloting was conducted. The Democrats asked for a dismissal after the Republicans rested their case following four days of testimony aimed at proving that errors, illegal votes and fraud combined to deprive GOP candidate Dino Rossi of victory last fall. The Republicans are asking Superior Court Judge John Bridges to nullify Gregoire's 129-vote victory and open the way for Rossi to be declared the winner or a new election held....

WENATCHEE — The King County elections employee who first admitted to producing a falsified ballot report will be the Republicans' leadoff witness today as they try to show the county bungled the vote count so badly that the governor's election should be overturned. Nicole Way, the county's absentee-ballot supervisor, was subpoenaed to appear today. Republicans have high hopes for her testimony, saying she will begin to draw a link between the false report and higher-level elections officials, including elections Superintendent Bill Huennekens. She is on suspension from her job as the county investigates uncounted absentee ballots found long after the...

Judge Allows New GOP Allegations of Fraud in Washington Governor's RaceBy Rebecca Cook Associated Press Writer Published: May 24, 2005 WENATCHEE, Wash. (AP) - A top King County elections official on Tuesday denied knowing about an absentee ballot report allegedly falsified by county workers while counting ballots in the 2004 governor's election. Elections Superintendent Bill Huennekens, testifying in a challenge to Washington state's 2004 gubernatorial election, said the Democratic-leaning county that includes Seattle had absentee ballots but added: "I don't know that we have an exact number." He also acknowledged the report did not include 96 unopened, uncounted ballots that...

p>Union membership has its benefits, including a crime-free life. So says Paul Berendt, chairman of the Washington state Democrat Party, who was quoted on May 23 by the New York Times: “The Republican base has always been nonunion, white, blue-collar males, and that’s who the felons are in the state of Washington.” Perhaps this explains recent actions by the Washington Legislature and Governor Christine Gregoire. By funding a contract that forces tens of thousands of state employees to pay union dues, the Democrat-controlled legislature may have been attempting to push more workers toward a crime-free lifestyle. Delaying the pay raise...

WENATCHEE, Wash. - The judge hearing a challenge to Washington state's 2004 gubernatorial election agreed Tuesday to let Republicans introduce evidence that Democratic-leaning King County recorded several hundred more votes than it could account for. Republicans allege errors and possible fraud in the county, which includes Seattle, helped Democrats steal the election for Christine Gregoire, who beat Republican Dino Rossi by 129 votes out of 2.9 million cast. "The evidence is overwhelming that there was unbelievable neglect in King County and, we believe, outright fraud by high-ranking King County officials," GOP attorney Dale Foreman said Monday. Democrats had tried to...

The trial to determine whether Christine Gregoire stole the governor's election last November began today at 9am Pacific time. (I can save everyone a lot of time . . . SHE DID! . . . . but for some reason the lawyers insist on playing their silly games. My link is to TVW (essentially local C-SPAN), which is broadcasting the trial live on regional cable, and streaming on their website. More coverage is available here on NWCN as well. This is a landmark trial, as it looks to expose massive 'Rat corruption and voter fraud.

WENATCHEE, Wash. (AP) -- Even though Democratic Gov. Christine Gregoire has been in office for months now, the legal battle over how she got there is still far from over. Republican Dino Rossi is challenging Gregoire's 2004 victory in the closest statewide election in national history, alleging widespread problems including illegal votes cast by felons and dead people. The challenge was to go to trial Monday. Chelan County Superior Court Judge John Bridges moved the case to the county auditorium to accommodate the scores of attorneys, reporters, politicians and spectators who planned to attend. Rossi, a former state senator and...

It was a great meeting with several Washington FReepers today. Over pizza at the Pizza Factory in Burlington, we were conspiring to do damage to the DemocRATS in general and Hillary and Gregoire in particular. Thanks for the company and conversation -- no excuses (and her son, who did not participate in the conspiracy), JDoutrider, Hank Rearden, baynative, and Doodle2(sp?) (Mrs. baynative). Hillary and Christine, the criminal activity can last only so long. For Hillary, her demise will be Peter Paul's civil trial and the documentary on the Hollywood fundraiser. For Christine, her demise will be the trial that begins...

King County's absentee-ballot supervisor has testified that she collaborated with her boss when she filled out a report that falsely showed all ballots were accounted for in the November election. Nicole Way said in a deposition Friday that she and assistant elections superintendent Garth Fell agreed to the misleading report because officials didn't know how many absentee ballots were returned by voters. Way is the first employee to link an upper-level manager with a practice that failed to meet state ballot-auditing regulations. ~snip~ Way said she and Fell agreed that adding together the number of ballots accepted and rejected was...

More and more reports are emerging of the extent to which Democrats were willing to go to try to influence the 2004 election. Well, their tactics worked in Washington State. Our Republican candidate for Governor, Dino Rossi, actually won the election. Then he won the recount. Then Democrat-controlled King County "found" 566 new votes just in time for the second recount, enough to overturn the results of Election Day and the first recount. The new result? Dino Rossi "lost" by 129 votes. But consider the following facts in Washington state; 943 felons illegally voted 49 dead people voted 3 people...