Jon Russell's Lie of the Day: Russell's cowardice and lies continue: Disavows ANY blame for ANYTHING in Washougal.

It's clear that Russell is a political coward: his failure to provide a direct link to this blog speaks volumes, so that those unfortunate enough to stumble onto his effort can't come in and read it for themselves.

In short, Russell apparently believes his blog readers to be too stupid to make up their own minds.

In today's episode, Russell, who neglects to mention that he was chair of the Washougal City Council Finance Committee, and therefore responsible for the review of EVERY financial aspect and expenditure of the city, spews the following:

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Washougal Mayors Scandal

Question
Was Jon partly or fully to blame for the financial scandal that brought down the former Mayor?

Background
This is an accusation was made by Clark County Politics Blog (The Ann Rivers Campaign Attack Blog). The Blog Author Kelly Hinton is Ann Rivers long time political consultant.

Answer
No. As City Councilman, Jon was there when former Mayor Stacee Sellers was under investigation about the missing $100,000 of income to the city. He assisted the State Auditor by signing off on search inquiries into multiple bank accounts associated with the former Mayor. He successfully led the charge to have her removed from office when there was no doubt that she had falsified documents detailing the revenue from the events she had put on for the city. The former Mayor reimbursed the city for her lavish trip to Las Vegas before the expense report ever crossed Jon's desk.

Jon has made great strides in Washougal since our former Mayors’ departure: he has cut property taxes, implemented a new whistle blower protection policy, passed E-verify to keep tax payer contracts from going to illegal aliens, and deregulated small businesses to help them create jobs.

Proving once again that their is no lie Russell won't tell...

This is an accusation was made by Clark County Politics Blog (The Ann Rivers Campaign Attack Blog). The Blog Author Kelly Hinton is Ann Rivers long time political consultant.

Russell, of course, fails to mention (because he's very big on leaving facts out along with lying about his education and his wife being a doctor) that I was using CCP to pound him like a nail while he was doing so a terrible job of running for Congress. So, while it serves some purpose to lie about what my blog is, or who I am, it's more in keeping with his complete lack of integrity, well established by his previously mentioned lies.

Previously, Russell lied about me by calling me "a 'paid contract employee' of Ann Rivers.

Now, he's lying about me being Rivers' "consultant."

While Russell has paid two people for consulting... poorly.... Ann hasn't paid me a thing.

I am hammering on Russell because he has proven himself a liar. I am hammering on Russell because he refuses to take responsibility for ANYTHING, as amply illustrated by his worthless effort here. I am hammering on Russell because he portrays himself as a conservative, while failing to mention that he made thousands in his effort to jam the largest local tax increase down the throats of the people in the Port District by working FOR the Port in THEIR efforts to jack up OUR taxes.

I'm looking forward to his excuse for THAT little mercenary effort.

So, he lied when he called me Rivers' paid contract employee. And as much as I appreciate the promotion to "long time political consultant", the fact is that Rivers is an excellent consultant in her own right. She doesn't need MY help to beat Russell like a rented mule.

Let's be clear here: Because Russell engaged in low-life activity like asking me for Pam Brokaw's social security number shortly after his arrival here to screw up SW Washington for the House; because he lies with alacrity, because he exaggerates at an unbelievable rate, because he continues to violate the Public Disclosure laws of this state... I would be writing this blog... this way... if I had never heard of Ann Rivers... just like I was thumping his grape before Russell finally figured out how bad he was getting his butt kicked and switched to his fall back position when he announced for the 18th District, yet another little fact, like so many OTHER facts... that Russell chooses to ignore.

Getting to his moronic response to the question at issue as he continues to destroy trust in government:

No. As City Councilman, Jon was there when former Mayor Stacee Sellers was under investigation about the missing $100,000 of income to the city

As Chair of the city finance committee, it was Russell's voluntarily assumed DUTY to stay on top of the money.

Did he? Where is it? HE DOESN'T KNOW.

Incompetence isn't a really great campaign plank, Jon. Really.

He assisted the State Auditor by signing off on search inquiries into multiple bank accounts associated with the former Mayor.

WOW! That must have taken DAYS of hard work.... imagine, someone like Jon ACTUALLY SIGNING FORMS!!!

Unbelievable. Make sure you put that on your slim jim.

He successfully led the charge to have her removed from office when there was no doubt that she had falsified documents detailing the revenue from the events she had put on for the city.

Gee. My recollection is that Sellers resigned.

ANOTHER lie, Jon? How is it that you lie so much on a site called "fact check the web?"

Kinda scummy, really.

And that's the whole point of Russell's unfitness for ANY elective office.

In THIS post, he lies and exaggerates over what HE, Russell, has done... while striving to completely avoid any responsibility for anything that happened.

Russell is the classic, old-style pol. No lie he won't tell... no credit he won't take.

The former Mayor reimbursed the city for her lavish trip to Las Vegas before the expense report ever crossed Jon's desk.

ANOTHER LIE?

This is what RUSSELL HIMSELF SAID in an article by the Columbian:

Here's what the Columbian buried today about Russell's little meat hooks being buried in this particular pie:

The people responsible for that oversight are members of the city council. Three council members — Russell, Lou Peterson and Paul Greenlee — make up the finance committee tasked with approving city employees' and officials' receipts and spending.

The expenditures are first submitted to the finance department, and then go to the mayor for approval, Russell said. Each week, the mayor sends the finance committee members e-mails with the accounts payable receipts and statements for their review and approval, he (Russell) said. Sometimes the statements have details of specific charges, sometimes they only include the employee's name and how much they are to be reimbursed, Russell said. Unless the committee members ask to see the details of those reimbursements, oftentimes they don't know the specifics. And many times expenditures are approved as long as they fall within the amount included in the annual budget, he said.

Russell said he does not recall whether he saw details of the Las Vegas trip expenditures.

"It's not at all a perfect system," Russell said.

The committee members do not meet to discuss the expenditures; that practice ended several years ago in favor of council workshops, he said. Instead, members are told to go to Sellers with questions, Russell said.

"We have been told by the mayor not to talk to department heads to get answers, that everything has to go through her," he said.

The use of city money to purchase alcohol was questioned by the committee and reviewed earlier this summer by the city council. Sellers was notified that the practice was prohibited by city policy and she reimbursed the city for the cost of alcohol charges, Russell said. City officials were not available to comment on the amount of the reimbursement.

"She was under the impression for some reason that it was permissible," he said.

So, Russell KNEW about the booze... but then claims he DIDN'T RECALL whether he "SAW SPECIFIC DETAILS OF THE LAS VEGAS TRIP EXPENDITURES?"

Russell, HIMSELF, according to the newspaper, SAID HE DOES NOT RECALL WHETHER HE SAW THE DETAILS OF THE LAS VEGAS TRIP EXPENDITURES.

It's not JUST that Russell lies... but that he does it so badly.

So, Jon... here ya go. Keeping you off message has been easy because you give me so much raw material to work with.

Jon has made great strides in Washougal since our former Mayors’ departure: he has cut property taxes, implemented a new whistle blower protection policy, passed E-verify to keep tax payer contracts from going to illegal aliens, and deregulated small businesses to help them create jobs.

See, it's this kind of idiocy that provides just another element of the many into the flawed make up of a megalomaniac who thinks he's actually accomplished anything.

The "strides" this clown has made is to continue to use the people and government of Washougal as a campaign prop.

Sellers made Russell pee his pants. Russell had ample opportunity to put a stop to all of this, and instead, what did he do? Did he go public? Did he contact the AG?

No. He did nothing.

Look, Jon... I get that I smacked you silly in my letter to the editor in The Reflector. I get that had to hurt. But no one made you become an incompetent political mercenary who would sell out any conservative principles for a pay check, like you did when you worked for the Port.

You did that on your own.

Sooooo, keep lying, stud. And I'll keep beating you like a rented mule.

Cross posted at Clark County Politics.
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A new feature: Russell's lie of the day.

This start's a new feature here on JRW: The Jon Russell "Lie of the day."

I will be posting and discussing Russell's various lies and exaggerations to provide some balance to what appears to be an increasingly UNbalanced candidate, Jon Russell.

Today's lie from his "What do you mean he's knocked me off message blog?" is this hoot:

Is it true that Jon wants to be State Representative to abandon his wife and children

This is an accusation made by Clark County Politics' author Kelly Hinton, business associate of Ann Rivers, Jon's opponent in the Republican Primary: Is it true that Jon wants to become State Representative to abandon his wife and children?

No way...Both Sarah and the kids look forward to Jon becoming State Representative. Sarah's family live in the Aberdeen area and it will be nice to visit with them while Jon is in session.

It has become routine now for Mr. Hinton to talk about Russell's children & wife by saying things like I already feel sorry for his kids or calling his wife a liar.

Here is the FACT of the matter. I HAVE written the following:

I find it hard to understand the motivation of an alleged Christian who would lie about these things, or, for that matter, who wouild be so eager to leave his wife with yet another infant so he can go up to Olympia and play State Representative.

First of all, the Russell's already have 2 small children. You've seen the picture, right? Russell uses them as a campaign prop as well.

NOT so well-known is that Jon 's wife, the ubiquitous "Dr. Sarah" is very pregnant with a child due around the November election.

So, while Jon is out there trying to play pol, in the unlikely event he's successful, his wife will have a newborn to contend with while Jon is engaging in his long term, career politician political fetish.

The word "abandon" doesn't appear anywhere in there. Of course, Russell knows that. But then, Russell seems just the tiniest bit self-centered as far as that goes. It's just kind of sad that he would put politics ahead of his own family... as running for election and leaving a newborn behind when, one might argue, Russell's presence SHOULD be needed the most.

But it is, I suppose, not unlike the difference between having a degree and not having a degree.

Right, Jon?

So, today's lie of the day from Jon Russell?

That ANYONE, but PARTICULARLY ME, has suggested that he is "abandoning" his family.

Tune in tomorrow for the RUSSELL LIE OF THE DAY.
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So, uh, Jon... who's this "we" you're talking about?

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You got a mouse in your pocket?

With all your years in politics, haven't you ever heard the rule that when you're in a hole, you need to stop digging?

Russell, perhaps the most self-destructive politician I've ever seen in my 20 plus years of working in the field, was moronic enough to babble THIS on his facebook page:


*I* am not your opponent in the Republican primary.

Truth... Integrity... and Common Sense.

Those three are your opponent in the primary.

Here's what *I* (That "we" thing of Russell's is just, well, weird.) and the Columbian and thousands of others concerned with electing a truthful representative know:


1. Russell has lied about having a degree. He has no degree in anything. He continues to lie as of this writing about having a degree on his campaign website, where it STILL says this:

2. Russell has repeatedly lied about his wife being a doctor.

3. Russell has lied about his education on the Secretary of State's Voter Pamphlet:

4. Russell is deliberately breaking the Public Disclosure Laws of this state.

5. Russell has lied to the 18th District PCO's, both about his education and the amount of money he claimed to raise as far back as May.

And these issues don't even begin to address his use of the City of Washougal as a campaign prop; his incompetence in helping the situation there spin out of control

And this guy wants to draw ATTENTION to his lies and failures? Of course, in his rank cowardice, he fails to post a link to this page so people can decide for themselves... but hey.... from Russell, what else can we expect?

Unbelievable.

Even for Russell.
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Russell lies about his degree in on line Voter's Pamphlet.

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Is there ANYTHING this guy tells the truth about?

Education:
I earned my degree from Thomas Edison State College

What does the phrase "I earned my degree" mean to most human beings?

To most of us, that means that he HAS a 4 YEAR degree from that college.

He doesn't. He doesn't have any degree from anywhere.

It's kinda like the difference between an Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner and a Doctor. They ain't the same.

He's lying on purpose, and now he's lying directly to the voters he would try and scam into voting for him.

I already feel sorry for his kids.

And I certainly feel sorry for the people of Washougal who are stuck with this clown until they either recall him or he gets bounced in the next election.

He even mentions McKenna like McKenna even knows this worm is alive.

Despicable.

Cross posted at Clark County Politics.
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The Richard Blumenthal of the 18th Strikes again: Jon Russell lies about getting his college degree.

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So, on Russell's web site, it says this:

Jon’s experience in politics started as he was working on his degree in political science first at Vincennes University and finished his degree at Thomas Edison State College in Trenton, NJ

And that's fine. Thomas Edison is a fully accredited College.

There's only one problem:

While Russell may have attended there... he didn't graduate. So, while lying about getting a degree is right up there with getting a matchbook cover degree from a degree mill, that all begs the issue:

Why does he lie about it?

I checked with the fine folks here:

Thomas Edison State College
Office of the Registrar
Phone # 609-984-1180
Fax # 609-777-0477

In discussions with the Office of the Registrar at that school, a records check indicated that they had not "awarded any degree to Mr. Russell."

Unless, of course, the plain meaning of the phrase: "and finished his degree at Thomas Edison State College in Trenton, NJ" has some other meaning besides the obvious meaning of the term.

Why am I not surprised?

This is from yet another anon tip I received that said the following:

Anonymous said...

He was questioned last year about his education as well. He would write on his bio the colleges he attended. When questioned about degrees it was left blank. Now he states he has an AA in Political Science. Which is only offered as a BA..You calls himself a Christian...Reminds me of Sarah Palin, all smiles no substance...Full of sh*t...

June
29, 2010 1:48 PM

The Palin issue aside, I did not publish this remark until I could verify it.

It is now verified.

Richard Blumenthal has nothing on Russell.

Cross posted at Clark County Politics.
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Update on Jon Russell's lies about his wife's profession and revisionist history.

As I pointed out yesterday, Jon Russell has been lying about his wife's profession since he hit the campaign trail for Congress.

He has repeatedly referred to her as a "physician," and even now calls her a "family nurse practitioner" when, in fact, she's an "advanced Registered Nurse practitioner" (according to the state) and in the article mentioned below, Russell referred to her as a doctor.

Here's the screen capture of the article yesterday:

The paragraph in the screen capture above in the lower right corner says:

“Though Jon Russell isn’t a medical practitioner, as co-owner of Columbia Gorge Medical Center in Washougal with his wife, Dr. Sarah Russell, he claims to have a novel approach to healthcare.”

He also seems to have a novel approach to lying.

Now, to protect himself, or at least try to protect himself, I anticipated that Russell would set about to get this lie changed. That, of course, is why I did a screen capture that provides undeniable proof that Russell has been lying about his wife for reasons only he can explain to you. That's also why I didn't use the screen capture yesterday in the original post, because I knew he would set about to get the article changed because I forced him to tell the truth.

So, here's the screen capture of that same article today:



Revisionist history at it's finest.

The offending article now says:

“Though Jon Russell isn’t a medical practitioner, as co-owner of Columbia Gorge Medical Center in Washougal with his wife, family nurse practitioner Sarah Russell, he claims to have a novel approach to healthcare.”

Odd, isn't it?

Yesterday, his wife was a doctor. Today, she's presented as a family nurse practitioner. The state, however, says she's an advanced registered nurse practitioner.

At this point, maybe the problem is that Russell has no idea WHAT his wife does. But one thing is certain: she's not a doctor.... even though in the interview, Russell clearly indicated she was.

Now, I appreciate the fact that Russell reads my blog, and that in his panicked state, immediately set about to change the story he SHOULD have changed over 2 months ago. Can anyone not believe that Russell lied deliberately, and only had the story changed to be a little more truthful (he's still lying about what his wife is) only as a result of this blog and Russell Watch?

Why, if it weren't for anticipating this completely predictable thug's actions, I wouldn't be able to prove that he was lying... would I?

In fact, I anticipated he would do that, which is why I did a screen capture in the first place, because except for lying, Russell has proven himself to be very big on revisionist history.

But the fact is that a picture really DOES tell a thousands words, although this picture really boils down to just a few:

Jon Russell is an out and out liar.

And is that who we want to send to Olympia?

Thanks to the anon tipster who left this info at CCP on the original post.

Cross posted to Clark County Politics.

A letter I sent to the Reflector:

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I’m seeing a great many canned letters from and for Jon Russell in his orchestrated letter to the editor campaign, letters giving the illusion that he has broad support from around the district; letters that oddly happen to be roughly the same length with verbiage hot off his web site.

The problem is this: Russell is a Washougal City Councilman. During Russell’s tenure, Washougal has been a disaster at the city government level, a disaster Russell obviously wants to bail out on before it’s fixed. That this guy couldn’t even stand up to Sellers tells me he’s incapable of standing “against” either federal mandates OR Frank Chopp.

First, he signs off on an unbondable city finance director who cost $48,000 to fire. Then, he signs off on Stacy Sellers’ and Jeff Bivens’ expense report from Vegas. Then, $100,000 in city money mysteriously vaporizes. Then Russell, ever the career politician, launches an abysmal failure of a congressional campaign, and now, with his term limits shtick, he’s telling us that under his plan, we wouldn’t have Joe Zarelli, Ed Orcutt, Don Benton or, while they were in the House, Marc Boldt or Tom Mielke allowed to run for office to represent us.

Last May, he lied to the 18th District PCOs at a meeting I was at, telling them he had raised $10,000 when the number was closer to $5,500, and referring to his nurse practitioner wife as a “physician,” period. Combine that with the thousands he earned from the Vancouver Port Levy as he tried to help them ram a horrific tax increase down the throats of the people a while back… and the true Jon Russell emerges.

Russell, who ran for city council while also running for Congress, has a duty to the people of Washougal to straighten out the mess that HE is in large part responsible for before he bails on them and climbs another rung on his political career ladder. I, for one, want to be able to think for myself. I don’t need an incompetent career politician like Russell, who’s entire resume’ is political, to come out here from some other state a few years ago and tell me who I can, or cannot vote for. Which is just one of the many reasons why I won’t be voting for Russell.
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That Jon Russell... he's SUCH a kidder!

I'm seeing this nonsensical crap that Jon Russell isn't a "career politician," and that he "supports term limits."

Well, let's take a look at the record, shall we? I'll boldface everything involving politics.

Biography

Jon Russell, his wife Sarah and their two daughters live in Washougal, WA. Together, Jon and Sarah are owners of Columbia Gorge Medical Center, an urgent and family care clinic. Jon is a proven innovator in healthcare reform. Columbia Gorge Medical Center has developed and is piloting a system for providing basic healthcare to uninsured patients by utilizing the resources of the Salvation Army & other similar non-profit organizations.

Jon was appointed to the Washougal City Council in 2006, elected in 2007 and re-elected in 2009. He serves as Mayor Pro Tem and he serves on the code & policy review committee. Jon’s legislative accomplishments include cutting property taxes, enacting e-Verify for city contracts and consistently protecting private property rights.

Jon’s experience in politics started as he was working on his degree in political science first at Vincennes University and finally at Thomas Edison State College in Trenton, NJ. Jon’s first political involvement was as Deputy Campaign Manager for U.S. Congressman John Hostettler in Indiana’s 8th Congressional District. Later Jon went on to work for the Indiana House Republican Campaign Committee and in 2004 as Southwest Washington Campaign Director for the House Republican Organizational Committee. He also served as Executive Director of Faith & Freedom Network.

Jon’s community involvement includes the Board of Directors for the Washougal Schools Foundation, Board of Directors of the Camas-Washougal Chamber of Commerce, Founder of the East Clark County Technology Summit, and Leadership Board for the Washougal Salvation Army. He is a member of both the National Rifle Association & the Columbia Land Trust.

At the age of 34, Jon is a proven elected official, business owner & community leader. His legislative priorities are small business & job development, access to affordable & private health care and eliminating unfunded mandates on counties and cities, which drive up taxes.

So there you have it. Jon is the career politician he now so roundly condemns.

And as for this:

Jon was appointed to the Washougal City Council in 2006, elected in 2007 and re-elected in 2009. He serves as Mayor Pro Tem and he serves on the code & policy review committee. Jon’s legislative accomplishments include cutting property taxes, enacting e-Verify for city contracts and consistently protecting private property rights.

ALL of it was done entirely because he's using his current elected position as a campaign prop for first, his miserable run for Congress; and second, his equally miserable run for his fall back position. state representative.

And, to the people of Washougal, the one thing you can know for sure is this: Jon Russell, who helped make the mess you're city is in, is now doing everything he can to ditch you before he fixes it.

Of course, in his bio, he's also left out the fact that he's repeatedly lied about his wife's job, even lied about me, and that he was a consultant who earned thousands of dollars trying to jack up our taxes for the Port Commission. He's also failed to address his incompetence on the Washougal City Council But all of that is beside the point: Jon Russell has been a career politician. He will always BE a career politician. And now, we can add this lie to the growing collection.