Last fall we wrote a number of posts about the attempt of the Building Industry Association of Washington’s attempt to buy their self anointed candidates seats on the Washington State Supreme Court. They were unsuccessful.
Today we were honored to receive a David Neiwert Award given by the Northwest Progressive Institute to progressive bloggers. Click on the link to see awards given to other bloggers. Our award was for “Most Valuable Explanatory Reporting “for our series of articles on the Washington State Supreme Court races in September and November 2006.
“The regional blogosphere continues to grow at a rapid pace, and in 2006, the Northwest netroots community was fortunate to be joined by an experienced activist who is a veteran of many past campaigns for progressive policy solutions. Steve Zemke, who in 2003 founded MajorityRules.org, launched a new blog early in 2006 and found a key niche covering issues not receiving prominent exposure in other blogs. Most significantly, in the summer of 2006, Steve maintained a consistent and unyielding focus on judicial races targeted by the right wing Building Industry Association of Washington. He profiled the incumbent justices and judges under attack, urged readers to donate to help their campaigns, dissected campaign expenditure reports from the Public Disclosure Commission, and explained how judicial races work (if there are only two candidates running in the primary, the election is decided in the primary and only one candidate goes on to the general). The right wing effort to pack the courts was ultimately a failure and we commend Steve for his efforts to mobilize the community and inform the public.”
A Question of Character – Groen Kicks Justice Alexander and Washington Voters in Groin 7/12/2006
Two of Three Washington State Supreme Court Races to be Decided in Primary 8/1/2006
Time to Change Washington’s Law on Judicial Races 8/17/2006
Walking for the Building Industry Association of Washington 8/18/2006
Record $1.3 Million Spent so far to Elect Groen to Washington State Supreme Court 9/11/2006
Groen Supporters Violate Public Disclosure in their intent to Deceive and Hide who They Are 9/12/2006
Majority Rules Blog Files Public Disclosure Commission Complaint Against Groen Supporters 9/14/2006
Text of Complaint Filed Against Groen Supporters by Majority Rules Blog 9/14/2006
BIAW and Cronies Out to Slaughter Alexander, Anoint Groen to Supreme Court 9/14/2006
Early Primary Results Give Justice Alexander Slight Lead 9/19/2006
Contributions to Washington’s PAC’s Need to be Limited 9/20/2006
Vote for Susan Owens for Washington State Supreme Court 11/04/2006
Post Script to Washington State Supreme Court Races – April 2007
Washington State dodged the heavy artillery attack by the BIAW in Sept and Nov. 2006 but because of that the lessons seem to be forgotten already.
The Washington State Public Disclosure Commission choose to ignore the complaints filed by MajorityRulesBlog and others. The Washington State Legislature heard bills sponsored by Washington Public Campaigns to provide public financing for Judicial races as well as all statewide races but choose to let the bills die. Tightening up spending by PAC’s that allow avoidance of campaign spending limits placed on candidate committees also saw no action by the Washington State Legislature.
Unfortunately we can expect a repeat of unlimited spending by special interest PAC’s, like those put together by the Building Industry Association of Washington, in the next judicial election cycle.
Washington Public Campaigns would be wise to run their legislation as an initiative to the people considering that Washington State Legislators seem more intent on preserving special interest PAC campaign spending than on controlling it because they are frequently the beneficiaries of the current system of such spending.
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