The grand experiment is over: Jon Russell's clinic appears to be no more.

It's difficult to say if the Columbia Gorge Medical Center was a legitimate effort or just a simpering campaign prop. That, unfortunately, is neither here nor there.

What it is is... this:

This is the front of what seems to be a closed facility in a picture taken this morning and provided to me by a source that will remain nameless.

Unfortunately, this going concern has, well, done went.

There wasn't a campaign stop or even that Russell didn't mention his undocumented "ownership" of this "clinic," or that he was going to open a second clinic at 192nd "in September."

It was a new approach to tackling the health care problems facing us. And it appears, like his failed congressional and state representative race, it was a failed approach.

Unfortunately, Russell found it necessary to tell the world in both published reports and campaign stops that his wife was a "physician." He also advertised her as a "doctor." According to the state, what she is, is, in reality, an advanced registered nurse practitioner.

But that does not make her a doctor or physician, and now they are both under investigation for misrepresenting her credentials.

It's sad, in a way. I've been around politics here locally for almost 25 years now, and I've never seen anyone want to be elected to something so badly that they would lies and exaggerate about issues like this, and a fake degree and the like to get elected.

My concern, however, isn't for Russell. Whatever difficulties he's facing now are of his own making. But his wife and his 3 small children? That's another issue.

On Jon Russell Watch, where the falsity of his many of his claims are documented (as they are on this blog, come to think of it) I was left an anonymous comment the other day that said this:

I understand this guy has sold his house in Washougal. Doesn't that city require it's leaders to live within the city limits? Also, his wife's clinic in Washougal is closing it's doors and neither of them are connected, in any way, to the Health Clinic in Grass Valley- 192nd Ave. John now works across the river as a part-time rent-a-cop. Wow! And this guy wanted to run for Congress??

What is it with this guy??

I honestly don't know. But it speaks to very difficult fiscal times for his family, and tremendous stressors that could have a bad end.

The problem here is that it didn't have to turn out this way. But no power, including political, is worth lying for, over and over and over, to achieve.

Maybe one day, Russell will learn that lesson and become the honorable man of integrity that he projected himself to be... but never came close to measuring up to.

Cross posted at Clark County Politics.