The "Northwest Progressive Institute" blog reports on Mrs. Gregoire's talk at last night's fundraiser for Darcy Burner
The Governor [sic] ended her remarks by announcing a surprise, instant auction to raise money for Darcy Burner. She offered a dinner for two at the Governor's Mansion in December and kicked off the bidding at $100. The winning bid ended up being nearly $4,000.Interesting. That could be a violation of state ethics laws on "Use of persons, money, or property for private gain" and "Use of public resources for political campaigns".
Richard Pope has filed an ethics complaint.
I have a call into Mrs. Gregoire's office for comment.
Now she's auctioning off dinners at the Governor's mansion, meals and accomodations paid for by state taxpayers, and benefitting a Democrat running for US Congress. Sorry Chris, but there are not only PDC prohibitions on doing this but FEDERAL ELECTION LAWS as well. And to think she was Attorney General of our state for how long? Give me a break. Give us Dino Rossi!
Posted by: Banshee on September 15, 2006 03:42 PMDarcy is so doomed. You just can't make this stuff up.
Posted by: Jeff B. on September 15, 2006 04:06 PM"Richard sucks,..."
followed by:
"Grow up."
Posted by: rickyragg on September 15, 2006 04:08 PMDear illegitimate queen chrissy, how do you have time for commercials, ferry psa's, dictating to pharmacists, buying judges and whoring the mansion in between all those 'trade missions'?
Posted by: Cheryl on September 15, 2006 04:15 PMBut seriously, despite your lack of credibility in anything Gregoire-related, this sounds like an outrageous ethics violation. I look forward to hearing Gregoire's side of the story.
Posted by: Bruce on September 15, 2006 04:43 PM{/eye roll}... I suspect you'll be waiting a very long time for the queen to explain herself... she is the queen you know and her actions dare not be questioned.
Definition: A wanna be liberal canidate that burns up thousands of out of state liberal dollars on a wasted campaign.
Posted by: TrueSoldier on September 15, 2006 05:19 PMIf nothing else this shows and incredible lack of judgment on Gregoire's part. How could she not envision that this would be the topic of conservative scorn?
I am friends with a person who spent a lot of time with Gregoire in an official capacity. That person said that she is a difficult person, not very friendly and apt to make awkward judgement calls. Now I see what my friend meant.
Are these people truely this ignorant of the laws they are sworn to uphold?
And she was our top legal official in this state for how many years?
My guess is that dinner is going to cost the democratic party alot more than the $4000 it is taking in.
We'll be watching this one!
Posted by: gs on September 15, 2006 06:46 PMAs the inventor of the internet, divinity school dropout, law school flunk out, pampered daddy's boy, Vietnam "vet" escorted by personal security detail, "Love Story" inspiration, new age "global warming" wannabe scientist and scaremonger, documented serial exaggerator, earth tone wearing beta male Algore says,
"No controlling legal authority!"
Posted by: Obi-Wan on September 15, 2006 08:01 PMi'd love to contribute big $$ to have the queen push me fast as hell in a shopping cart (from her official commercial) like the ghetto kids did, down some busy street; whaa-hoo! down a steep Seattle hill!
then, when I hit a late-model BMW SUV broadside, she takes off running & laughing like hell & I'm the only dufus arrested & booked.
BUT--my friends tape it all & put it on the internet; it "leaks" & plays during Oct & NOV voting season; like a "Bobbe light"--hit & run, sans booze
Posted by: jimmie-howya-doin on September 15, 2006 08:12 PMThe PDC will decline to investigate. Local "media" will decline to report. It will all blow over.
Reminds me of how one mob family in NYC used to transfer money. They had this little old lady in her 70's carry about $70,000 in cash from Point A to Point B, several blocks away. She was unarmed. She carried the cash in a paper shopping bag. It was the same route every week. Everyone knew who she was, and what she was carrying. No one ever touched her.
And that was the point. They could have had a couple of thick-necked goons do it, each loaded down with half a dozen pistols under his jacket, but they didn't, because that wouldn't have reinforced the point they wanted to make: "We're the mafia. And we just wanted you to remember that."
I think of that whenever King Ron and Queen Christine pull cr*p like this in broad daylight.
Posted by: TB on September 15, 2006 08:21 PMThe supposedly applicable (not really) law was cited @ 19. So tell me gs, exactly what "agency" of the state government does the Governor's mansion belong to? None! Which items on that list would a donor be making use of? None! Did you really believe that Richard Pope's third-rate legal mind was sharper than Governor Gregoire's?
Oh one more thing, when Reichert's friend the President came and spent $400,000 in taxpayer dollars to fly to Seattle with three planes and then cost local taxpayers an additional $100,000 in police and traffic redirection, he raised less than $300K for Reichert. Was that story printed in the conservative-dominated media? Of course not!
Posted by: Sorry Charlie on September 15, 2006 08:32 PM(2) This section shall not apply to the following activities:
...
(c) Activities that are part of the normal and regular conduct of the office or agency;
An example of such at the Governor's Mansion might be... um... I don't know... dinner! Ha ha, eat that losers!
Gregoire is a such a pitiful soul. I really feel sorry for her. She wants to be liked, she wants to be seen as a competent, compassionate leader. Instead, she is the jealous queen from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
Posted by: Organization Man on September 15, 2006 10:01 PM"Hey gs, thanks for editing the following out of the law that you cited:
(2) This section shall not apply to the following activities:
...
(c) Activities that are part of the normal and regular conduct of the office or agency;"
Since when are activities surrounding this Offering up of the mansion as a Political Contribution normal and regular conduct of the office or agency?
Only in Queen Gregoire's World!
Darcys "people" have gotten way out in front of this issue. In todays paper they said that they wouldn't accept any of the $4,000 from the unidentified contributor "should the PDC rule it was inappropriate". Nice to know that Darcy can think for herself, HA. Maybe she's taking her lead from the Patty Murray school of Abramoff Tribal Donations refund policy.
Posted by: Huh? on September 16, 2006 08:42 AMwinner wins 1 can beans and 1 pack hot dogs; must eat them cold & ponder about our WA servicemen & women fighting for OUR freedom in some hellhole abroad who are probably eating c-rations;
then, take the remaining $$$ next day and go to a vet's hospital in WA and buy some treats for the sick--maybe a book, maybe something to cheer an injured vet/soldier; a simple "thank you" gesture
THAT would blow MY pants off and make ME elect an official who did that--political party notwithstanding! anybody up for it?
Posted by: jimmie-howya-doin on September 16, 2006 04:18 PM