Sound Politics: No Joy in Mudville: Labor Council Email Not Criminal

March 17, 2009

No Joy in Mudville: Labor Council Email Not Criminal - UPDATED

The offending email that torpedoed must-have legislation for the Washington State Labor Council? Nothing criminal to see here.

Bummer, I was half-hoping Goldy would feel honor-bound to deliver on the scatological pledge made here, had it been the reverse.

For now, key Democrats are going to have some very grumpy activists and organized-labor types on their hands. That should make solving the budget mess easier.

UPDATE: War! Rep. Mike Sells compares Democratic leadership to the Evergreen Freedom Foundation and calls for an investigation of said leaders. Countdown to Frank Chopp exploding behind closed doors in 5...4...3...

Could someone make some popcorn?

Posted by Eric Earling at March 17, 2009 04:06 PM | Email This

Comments

1. Anyone seen Tom Pillow the union Rep for the Washingotn State Patrol lately? You know the one that rode the Gregoire re-election bus and tried to disrupt the Seattle Police Guild endorsement of Rossi last election. Is it any wonder that the State Patrol couldn't find anything wrong here?

Posted by: Huh? on March 17, 2009 04:29 PM

2. There is nothing more enjoyable than watching the Left eat its own.

Posted by: jimg on March 17, 2009 05:09 PM

3. The coverup has begun. Here is the statute the politically appointed head of the State Patrol elects to ignore. It's predeceasor was ruled to apply when the "benefit" was money used for a campaign.

RCW 9A.68.050
Trading in special influence.
(1) A person is guilty of trading in special influence if:

(a) He offers, confers, or agrees to confer any pecuniary benefit upon another person pursuant to an agreement or understanding that such other person will offer or confer a benefit upon a public servant or procure another to do so with intent thereby to secure or attempt to secure a particular result in a particular matter; or

(b) He requests, accepts, or agrees to accept any pecuniary benefit pursuant to an agreement or understanding that he will offer or confer a benefit upon a public servant or procure another to do so with intent thereby to secure or attempt to secure a particular result in a particular matter.

(2) Trading in special influence is a class C felony.

Posted by: Traknut on March 17, 2009 05:26 PM

4. Gee, I wonder who appointed the head of the WSP. No more job if you don't clear the "party"...

Posted by: JoeBandMember on March 17, 2009 05:58 PM

5. And the (D) leadership in Oly has in large part not even gotten to the ''main event'' 4 this Session yet; i.e.:
The $8B and growing budget deficit.

We're gonna need LOTS of popcorn munchies before this is all over.... Plus IMO odds of a Special Session keep growing; they could be at this 4 half the summer.

Posted by: Methow Ken on March 17, 2009 06:09 PM

6. @5,
Popcorn may be all we can afford after Washington**2
gets through with us!

Posted by: Fed Up on March 17, 2009 06:24 PM

7. Not to worry. The labor unions will continue to pour millions into the pockets of democrat politicans, and this will be but a footnote. They know they will eventually get what they want.

Posted by: Michele on March 17, 2009 06:44 PM

8. Michele.

Have you seen how much AIG gave to the top dem's... (Dodd & Obama)

"as the beat goes on" LOL

Posted by: Medic/Vet on March 18, 2009 06:08 AM

9. Sells must be in some kind of hot water, too, don't you think? As a leader of the Labor Council and all along promising the rest of the goons favorable legislation and then finding out that he was stabbed in the back (old wording for the new threw under the bus).

They must be pretty livid with him, too.

P.S. I didn't see too much wrong with the e-mail in the first place. Seemed quite a convenient excuse to kill the legislation.

Posted by: swatter on March 18, 2009 06:55 AM

10. Swatter, convenient excuse is spot on. But I'm sure there's a smoke filled room with plenty of wink-wink-nod-nod to make you dizzy.

Posted by: PC on March 18, 2009 07:10 AM

11. Not surprizing. I remember a bunch of Boeing Machinist Union thugs burning a man's home down when he (a newly hired employee who was still on probation) did not honor their picket line and went to work. Nothing happened but a slap on the wrist. The man lived in Wilkeson and was a victim of the State of Washington (as we all are) as much as those actually involved in the arson itself.

Posted by: JDH on March 18, 2009 07:58 AM

12. So let me get this straight, you are sad that there were no crimes committed? You should be ashamed, hoping a crime was committed.

As to Michele, lets also check how much money was given the R's in the last 8 years, this mess in AIG is bi-partisan, open your eyes!

Posted by: Jay on March 18, 2009 07:58 AM

13. Jay......

I posted the AIG mess.

The top two people who got big AIG bucks were both Dem's (Dodd & Obama) and if you really get down to brass tax.Check on how much money AIG has been giving the dem's... 3x the amount to dem's than the rep's.
(bi-partisan) my butt

Posted by: Medic/Vet on March 18, 2009 08:21 AM

14. Nice of Jay Brand of the Island County Democrats to chime in defending bribery. I know situational ethics is a specialty of local Dems, but you would have to be willfully blind to say the demand of pay for performance from a public official who also negotiates contracts with the union in question is anything but corrupt.

Posted by: Huh? on March 18, 2009 09:19 AM

15. You should be ashamed, hoping a crime was committed. - jay

And you should feel like a dupe because your legislative leadership sold you out.

Posted by: jimg on March 18, 2009 10:08 AM

16. Hey Jay.
Can you and Barney Frank please explain the bonuses that both Freddy & Fran are getting ready to pay their top dogs...
AIG is bad.... but fred & fran is ok.

YOU fools!
PS... how much money did F&F give to the dem's.. (-:

Posted by: Medic/Vet on March 18, 2009 11:37 AM

17. Curious......

The WSP is a law enforcement organization. By definition, LEOs enforce the law, not determine whether it has been broken. That function is reserved for the relevant governmental attorney's office.

Why isn't the State Attorney General being heard from on this?

Posted by: ewaggin on March 18, 2009 12:54 PM