Tuesday, April 27, 2010

There's a problem when you lie, Jon, that goes beyond mere opinion or positions.

I freely admit that I oppose Jon Russell's election to much of anything.

Part of that opposition is based on personal knowledge and a history that goes back to 2004, when Russell was HROC liaison here locally.

The second time I talked to Jon Russell was over the phone at my then Battle Ground house; imagine my surprise when he asked me for Pam Brokaw's social security number.

I told him that I didn't have it. but more importantly, I wouldn't give it to him if I DID have it.

That's when I began to understand what kind of political type he was/is.

Over the years, I heard rumors that Russell wanted to run for office of some sort. He seemed to get a fix from his appointment to the Washougal City Council... but he's just been using that as a campaign prop.

The current, recent history of the Washougal city government is well known. Sellers, the finance director, the disappearing $100,000. Less well known was his gig trying to get the Port Levy passed (That failed 70-30)I pointed these things out, along with pointing out that Russell seems to be much more focused on getting another political gig somewhere else then he is getting these issues squared away and put to bed.

While I get that Jon was none too happy about my efforts there, imagine my surprise when Jon Russell claimed that I was a "paid contract employee" of Ann Rivers, also running for the seat Russell has finally settled on, given his abysmal performance running for Congress... thus explaining, in his mind, my strong opposition to his election.

There has never been such a relationship; I have not ever been a "paid contract employee of Ann Rivers." Ever.

Russell uses minutes from a public meeting wherein Ann and I were both listed as part of the same company, and she was listed as "president." From that, Russell pole-vaulted to a conclusion that I am hammering him like a nail because I'm getting paid to do it and because I'm biased.

Well, the Wiki definition of bias is this:

Bias is a term used to describe a tendency or preference towards a particular perspective, ideology, or result, when the tendency interferes with the ability to be impartial, unprejudiced, or objective.[1]. In other words, bias is generally seen as a 'one-sided' perspective. The term biased refers to a person or group who is judged to exhibit bias. It is used to describe an attitude, judgment, or behavior that is influenced by a prejudice. Bias can be unconscious or conscious in awareness. Labeling someone as biased in some regard implies that they need a greater or more flexible perspective in that area, or that they need to consider the context more deeply.
So. is the list of issues that have caused me to form my opinions about Russell based on bias? Are they based on "prejudice?" Or are they based on history... based on the information I have, and in some instances, have had for years?

When I ask these simple questions, are they driven by bias, or are they driven by unanswered concerns?

Here's the questions for Russell:

Am I telling the truth when I talk about your involvement in the campaign FOR one of the, if not THE biggest tax increases in local history for the Port, money their E.D. said they didn't even need?

Am I telling the truth when I say that you and two others were in charge of the Washougal credit card review when Sellers abused them so badly, to little or no known complaint from you until the lid blew off?

Am I telling the truth when I say that you were siting on the city council of Washougal while $100,000 vaporized?

Am I telling the truth when I say that as a city council member, YOU were involved in hiring a questionable finance director?

And am I telling the truth when I say that you, personally, are doing everything you can, which has included missing votes on city council, to get another gig and ditch the people who elected you, in the midst of your congressional campaign, to another term?
Russell can easily put this to bed. He can answer them, and freely explain where I've gotten it all wrong.

In fact, I will let him answer them HERE.... on THIS blog, unencumbered or edited in any way by me.

One of Jon's problems is an inability to focus on issues. I believe he's used his time in Washougal as a campaign prop. I believe that his tenure on the Washougal city council has been to produce a press release... like his campaign driven efforts to reduce property taxes one entire percent. He got a lot of traction out of that.

Running for re-election to the city council while in the midst of a congressional campaign just strikes me as wrong. Bailing out and looking for any other political job before the mess you were a part of is fixed just strikes me as wrong.

It may strike others differently.

Monday, April 19, 2010

Is Jon Russell violating the PDC reporting requirements?

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Here's a look at the latest PDC report in the 18th District; an abysmal effort for most.





But the most abysmal of all?

Jon Russell.

The numbers show that Russell failed to raise a dime.

They also show that he failed to spend a dime.

In short, Anthony Bittner, an intrepid young man of 17 years, has outperformed failed congressional candidate and Washougal city councilman John Russell?

How can that be? Whatever happened to his "army of 200 volunteers who are dedicated to the cause?"

"200 volunteers?" And NO money?

And how can it be that this past Saturday, at the Patriot's Rally in Vancouver, Russell passed out state representative literature and had a state representative sign, 4 feet by 8 feet in diameter without any spending?

Now, I get that raising money would be particularly difficult for Russell, given his political problems and his documented political mercenary-ism, best illustrated by his efforts to run the huge Port Levy Tax campaign.

But NO money? NO expenditures?

Sounds fishy to me. I wonder if it will sound fishy to the PDC?

Monday, April 12, 2010

Reviewing the bidding in the 18th: Who's viable and who isn't?

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There are a wide variety of definitions for the two word phrase, "political viability." In reviewing the candidates announced so far in the 18th District, "viability" refers to even a possible likelihood that the candidate will ultimately be successful in their bid to become elected.

There are a number of indicators of viability. Money is a critical element; typically the one with the most money USUALLY wins (The only thing I've learned in this business for sure is that there's no such thing as a sure thing) and of course, name familiarity goes a long way to help.

Having a clue, a plan, a vision and knowledge as to how to achieve those ends is a pretty good indicator.

Understanding how government works, how to build coalitions, how to work across the aisle, how to compromise on goals but never on principle.

How to understand reality.

It's fairly clear that all the candidates in the 18th are having a difficult time raising money, save for one.

It's a fair question to ask what that means. Here's today's figures:


Name

Office

Pos

Pty

Contributions

Expenditures

Ind Sup

Ind Opp

BARNETT SHANNON (details)

State Representative

01

R

$12,077.39

$7,291.72

$00.00

$00.00

BITTNER ANTHONY (details)

State Representative

01

R

$00.00

$00.00

$00.00

$00.00

CARSON RICHARD (details)

State Representative

01

I

$477.50

$366.60

$00.00

$00.00

DEAN ROBERT (details)

State Representative

01

R

$3,150.19

$818.69

$00.00

$00.00

KAMPE DENNIS (details)

State Representative

01

D

$7,630.00

$1,375.11

$00.00

$00.00

RIVERS ANNA (details)

State Representative

01

R

$26,945.36

$15,695.96

$00.00

$00.00

RUSSELL JON (details)

State Representative

01

R

$00.00

$00.00

$00.00

$00.00

VICK BRANDON (details)

State Representative

01

R

$5,195.00

$2,986.08

$00.00

$00.00




















Some of these numbers are, well, curious. Did Jon Russell, best known for screwing up his congressional campaign while helping to turn Washougal into a train wreck (can we soon forget Stacee Sellers partying on city money... tens of thousands of dollars vaporizing... hiring the somewhat lacking city finance director... the thousands of dollars Russell personally made in running a campaign to implement a HUGE Port Levy increase? ) REALLY not raise or expend any money in his campaign?

I guess not. Otherwise, he would have reported it.... right?

Brandon Vick has brought in 15 donations in the 14 days between the 12th and the 26th for a total of $2450.

Rich Carson went short form, limiting himself to $5000 or less for the whole campaign, which means he can't raise money and he knows it; Anthony Bittner is an outstanding young man in every way, but apparently hasn't raised any money.

Shannon Barnett has put together $9,655. That's a VERY curious figure, given his past contacts as former Cowlitz GOP Chair, and his involvement with a contractors association along with his school board membership... why, you'd think that all these people would be falling all over themselves to donate to his campaign.

They're not.

Ann Rivers, on the other hand, has raised over twice that amount, at $20,655. A review of her PDC's show that she's getting a lot of support from both individuals and businesses in the district and in the area.

Some have whined about her money coming from out of the area, but those same people support Herrera, and they had no trouble with HER out of area money, and they had no problem with Herrera's decision to ditch us to go to an ENTIRELY special-interest fund raiser during session in Washington, DC.

The ability to raise money is an indicator of viability. The INability to raise money when you would think that past contacts and history with the community would lead to a groundswell of support is a truer indicator of a LACK of viability.

The ability to rise beyond rank partisanship is an indicator of viability, because it shows an understanding of the system and the practical reality that no man (or woman) is an island.

The ability to understand that while not everyone is going to share your view, they deserve representation as well and that means listening while you let the conversation continue.

Who among these candidates has those abilities?

I make no recommendation here. Draw your own conclusions.

Cross posted at Clark County Politics.
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