Dino Rossi's campaign sent out a press release today announcing that the coming Evergreen Progress PAC ad campaign against their guy is expected to begin tomorrow with a round of TV ads. While making that announcement, they make an interesting point: conflict of interest again abounds for Christine Gregoire.
Specifically, $495,000 $545,000 of the PAC's $1.1+ million kitty is from the SEIU Washington State Council. Concurrently, Gregoire's administration is tasked with completing negotiations for pay and benefits on four contracts affecting SEIU members by October 1 of this year:
1) Home health care workers - SEIU 775
2) In home child care workers - SEIU 925
3) Nurses in state institutions - SEIU 1199
4) Classified staff in higher Ed institutions (PSE/SEIU)
The Washington Federation of State Employees has also contributed another $200,000 to the PAC in the midst of their own contract negotiations with the state.
The impression of a conflict of interest is obvious. More so on the heels of the Seattle P-I and the Seattle Times digging into the strong appearance of connections between high dollar contributions and public policy.
Now, I'll argue until I'm blue in the face that maximum individual contributions of a couple thousand bucks to a multi-million dollar campaign are small potatoes. A fair argument can even be made the six figure donations to state parties and PACs doesn't mean the interest group or entity in question will actually secure their favored public policy in the future - a disconnect that happens more often than campaign finance reform zealots recognize or care to admit.
But, the sum of the news coverage in question and the large-scale involvement of public sector unions with current business before state government is an obvious optical problem. Moreover, whatever the truth of such political machinations - which is inevitably challenging to divine in full - this does not pass a smell test with the general public.
In a year where being perceived as part of the status quo is most definitely not a good thing, a growing narrative of public policy favors for big ticket campaign cash is not exactly ideal.
If you wanted to place any bet on what a Republican Governor's Association ad campaign against Gregoire might focus in later this year, this whole topic might not be a bad horse to pick.
UPDATE: link added.
Posted by Eric Earling at June 26, 2008 09:33 PM | Email ThisTypical. Love that double standard that's so endemic amongst conservatives.
Posted by: demo kid on June 26, 2008 11:07 PMRossi MIGHT get elected. He MIGHT give the BIAW some payback for their support.
Queen Chrissy the Liar IS our governor; she IS in negotiations with these scum, and she WILL pay them off for their support, PRECISELY like she paid off the tribes to the tune of $140 million taxpayer dollars for THEIR support.
Your situational ethics, like that of that criminal running this state, are despicable.
Posted by: Hinton on June 26, 2008 11:30 PMSEIU REQUIRES all members to pay dues that are used against them if they disagree with SEIU policies.
The pathetic comparison by the corrupt Democrats does not pass the straight face test.
Christine Gregoire - GOVERNOR FOR SALE!
Posted by: zDawg on June 26, 2008 11:31 PMAt least the BIAW doesn't resort to violence in order to get it's way. SEIU does... and for the record, I'm an involuntary SEIU member (see #4 in Eric's post above).
And zDawg is right. BIAW members voluntarily join. I was made an SEIU member against my will, and my position was unionized a couple of years after I was hired without me ever getting a chance to vote or have a say.
Posted by: Mike H on June 27, 2008 12:02 AMYou've hit on something very troubling. While the Governor must collectively bargain with SEIU, the fact they are contributing over $500,000 to her re-election effort -- while engaged in negotiations for four different labor contracts -- certainly smells. At the very least it calls into question how much the Governor will truly negotiate on behalf of the best interests of the state as opposed to SEIU's best interests. Can't serve two masters, after all.
A private law firm would build a firewall to prevent any conflicts of interest. Has the Governor done so?
I'll also note that the law requires any agreement reached must be certified by the Governor's budget director as "financially feasible" for the state. I'm not sure any increase in compensation is financially feasible for the state, given the projected $2.5 billion deficit facing the next legislature, but I suspect somehow Gregoire's budget director will certify the SEIU contracts.
Posted by: Donovan on June 27, 2008 12:04 AMIt's like Lieutenant Renaud in "Casablanca:" "I am shocked, SHOCKED, to find that policy decisions that benefit certain people result in those people supporting the elected officials who supported those policies."
THIS is what you're running a campaign on? Well, keep it up, I say. I'm loving it.
It seems to me that the net result of all of this is to tag Dino Rossi as a guy who is in the bag of the BIAW, which has some pretty extremist positions on things and has already gone all gutter in this campaign - in repeat eyerolling radio ads that are obvious political spin at its worst.
Better to start with the idea that people are smarter than all of this.
All this stuff is a drag on both candidates, but it hurts Rossi more because it identifies him with politics as usual just as he's trying to define himself as a change agent.
The BIAW is not doing anybody any favors with its recent small time stunts.
Posted by: jan on June 27, 2008 06:25 AMThe right-wing attack against Governor Gregoire is worse than hypocritical. It's an appeal to ignorance. It's telling the voters "You're so dumb you'll believe anything we tell you," even when it's manifest bovine excrement, and the voters know it.
It's a strategy designed to appeal to low-information voters, to "rile up the gomers." Well, here's a clue. We're not gomers, and we're not buying it anymore.
I can understand ivan, but some of these other newcomers? They sound like our old friends, the Ronulans.
I'll go toe-to-toe discussing the good the BIAW has done for the State. It wasn't the Rs getting a backbone in the past, but it was the support of the independent businessman, it contractors and independent workers who forced some needed change and logic in the State legislature.
Evil? No, I don't think so, unless you are power mad and enjoy your monopoly in this State and don't want the applecart upset.
Posted by: swatter on June 27, 2008 07:46 AMThat way, it is very clear if someone is trying to "buy" a politician and no one can have their money taken from them involuntarily and given to a cause they don't support (i.e. many WEA members are actually conservative).
I'm not a big McCain fan but if he proposed something like this, I could consider him. And I think that any state or local candidate (Rossi) who got on board would benefit as well. Most people I know are disgusted by politics as usual and would welcome anyone who would actually work to restore some semblence of integrity....like I said, it's probably too simplistic and the power brokers would stop it in its tracks but I'd love to see the fireworks just for kicks!
Posted by: suzihomemaker on June 27, 2008 08:05 AMThe recent Tribal gambling incidence is one such incident in a long string of incidences, over the decades, violating Executive power at public expense. Does anyone believe that the so call Tribal "contribution" was not a political payoff (bribe) resulting in huge benefits for the tribes at extraordinary public costs, one of which is lost tax revenues.
One may be sure that negotiations with SEUI will result in a similar fate.
Activities of both of these groups, SEUI and Tribal Gambling, are directly impacted by the State of Washington personally managed by the Governor. The same may not be said of the BIAW as the State (Governor) does not directly (personally) manage (negotiate) contractual relationships. To say it another way; unlike Gambling and Union Negotiation, there are no State monopolistic powers that directly control the activities of the BIAW members that the Governor directs or controls on a personal basis.
What is amazing to me is the willingness of Gregoire's supporters to defend her outrageous actions.
All forms of support from unions for political candidates are a direct quid pro pro for access, influence, and favorable treatment. These unions own,or at least rent, most politicians who accept their support. There is nothing more corrupt than this relationship. Hypocritically, politicians who are on the union dole deny that unions are even a special interest. SEIU, WEA and their affiliates are among the worst offenders.
The political playing field can be leveled only by eliminating all forms of legal constraints on financial and in-kind support for political candidates. This must be coupled with specific, enforceable requirements, subject to severe penalties for violations, that require every person or entity, who makes in-kind or monetary support must fully disclose the actual amount or value of all support, and the identities of everyone that directly or indirectly is involved in each contribution.
Full disclosure is the only constitutional means of letting voters know who is financing candidates for office and/or their political parties. Disclosure by parties is essential because they mask support of candidates with partisan issues advertising and hyping.
All limitations on any form of campaign financing unlawfully constrain free speech and are easily politicized. Let the voters decide which supporters are worthy or suspect with full knowledge of who are involved.
Posted by: Paddy on June 27, 2008 03:06 PM