Posted on 02/26/2007 9:05:12 AM PST by truth49
The Evergreen Freedom Foundation has long been a thorn in Democrats’ sides, one that several of the party’s members at the state Capitol aim to pluck out this year. How else to explain two bills pending in the state Legislature that are bald-faced attempts to head off possible legal victories by the conservative think tank?
The EFF, as it is wont to do, is duking it out with labor unions in court — and in at least one case, it looks like EFF will win.
The most recent case stems from the foundation’s public records request for documents exchanged between the state and unions during the collective bargaining agreement negotiations. The state was ready to turn over the records until the labor unions sued in King County court, alleging that the records were legally exempt from disclosure.
That’s the union’s story, and it’s sticking it to it. But Democrats apparently aren’t so convinced that existing law is enough. A group of them led by Rep. Brendan Williams of Olympia filed a bill to create a broad new exemption in state law for “records from any collective bargaining, labor negotiations, or grievance or mediation.”
Williams might want to send a copy of his bill over to Attorney General Rob McKenna, who is concerned that there are already more than 300 exceptions to the rule that state business is the public’s business. McKenna is asking the Legislature to establish a Sunshine Committee to suggest ways to pare the list.
But Democratic lawmakers haven’t stopped there in their attempts to prop up unions’ legal arguments. They’ve also jumped into the fray between EFF and the Washington Education Association over the use of union dues for political activities.
Back in 1992, the EFF got a citizen initiative passed that barred unions from spending dues on political activities (such as supporting Democratic candidates). The WEA has challenged the initiative’s constitutionality; the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule later this year and signs are that it will uphold the law.
So Rep. Joe McDermott of West Seattle is seeking to tweak the law before the Supreme Court can get around to weighing in. He’s sponsored a bill that would allow the unions to get around the member- authorization issue — and he’s attached an emergency clause to pre-empt anyone from filing a referendum challenging the legislation should it become law.
By trying to undercut the EFF and protect unions, lawmakers also would weaken public disclosure laws and subvert the will of voters. Perhaps the bills are what passes for just desserts in the political arena, but that doesn’t make them stink any less.
ping
This is typical of the dems in Wash. The WEA is corrupt, and the dems are their bridesmaids. The dems keep increasing the numbers of state employees(most, if not all are unionized)thereby increasing their vote margins.
IOW the Democrats are putting in a "Thug Supervision" Clause.
Members of the union are asked to sign a card "authorizing" the union dues to support candidates and the card signing is supervized and the name is connected to the vote.
Just like union vote helpings in national elections.
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