What do Stacy Sellers and Jaime Herrera have in common?

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Who here isn't familiar with the Sellers debacle?

Sellers, who, at the time was mayor of Washougal, felt compelled to go to Vegas on "official business." While she was there, she decided that the taxpayers of the city of Washougal should pay for her alcohol, and some high priced meals.

Stacy Sellers is having a tough week. Perhaps she deserves one, since, according to the local version of Pravda, Sellars charged, among other things, a "...$57 'surf and turf' dinner. An $88 bottle of wine. A $72 bill at the Eye Candy Lounge & Bar." while on some sort of "official trip" to Vegas.... although why a trip to Vegas for the mayor of Washougal would be official is, perhaps, a subject for another post. (Take some time and run a google search on the "Eye Candy Lounge & Bar" for pictures of others engaging in some distinctly "non-mayor" like activities. I guess what happens in Vegas is reported in the Columbian.)

Just yesterday, KOIN 6 reported on Brian Baird's abuse of the travel system where he decided he needed to spend a fortune to go on vacations masquerading as a "fact finding trip," a trip that a local travel agent booked for roughly one half the cost charged by Baird.

Erstwhile political opportunist Jamie Herrera seems to share the traits of both Baird and Sellers.

In August of 05, Herrera went on one of these "fact finding trips" to Spokane, where Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rogers (R-WA05) maintains a district office.

Instead of sending one of her own staffers already in Spokane for this "fact finding," McMorris-Rogers instead seems to have sent Herrera. That sending Herrera was apparently a complete waste of money is a subject for another post. That issue aside, here is the rather disturbing travel voucher, filled out by Herrera and signed off on by her boss and mentor, Congresswoman McMorris-Rogers.



Now, the questionable aspect of this trip aside, where the main issue of concern for me comes to the fore is here:

Somehow, Herrera managed to spend $475.48 for meals on a 3 day trip to Spokane... and her boss, McMorris-Rogers, approved that cost!

Are you kidding me?

I used to LIVE in Spokane. That much money would feed a family of four for three weeks, and Herrera went through that BY HERSELF, in THREE DAYS?

Shades of Stacy Sellers.

And, just like Jon Russell, who approved Seller's charges since he was in overwatch of the credit cards for Washougal, McMorris Rogers approved this outrageous charge paid for by the taxpayers of the United States.

It seems to me that Sellers and Baird and Herrera are all the same... and Russell and McMorris-Rogers blow off this kind of stuff all the time.

As for me, I don't want any of them either in my government... or in elective office.

Because if any of them gave a damn about us... we wouldn't have heard about any of this.

Russell is still in: clearly he doesn't get it.

but then, he's obviously a glutton for punishment.

It's clear to even a blind man that Russell has precisely zero chance of winning. The moment Baird announced he was running for re-election because he knew he would get clobbered if he did, Russell became toast in a way that must still have him reeling.

That said, I almost lost my breakfast when I read this nonsense in the Chronicle up north, who, for whatever the reason, apparently felt compelled to do a sickeningly cloying puff piece on Jon Russell.

Russell an Old Timer in an Increasingly Crowded Field

The bizarro money quote?

So why vote for Jon Russell? He said he has something none of the other two Republicans who entered the race before Baird dropped out have — a voting record.

Although his experience is at the municipal level, Russell is touting his record on proposing local tax cuts and a pay cut he and other councilors recently accepted in light of the recession.

“People know what they’re going to get from me in regards to my voting record,” Russell said.

Really, Jon?

Do they know that all your grandstanding votes on tax cuts and pay cuts are mere props for your congressional campaign?

Do they know YOU ran the Port of Vancouver's campaign effort to ram the largest tax increase in our area's history so YOU could make a few bucks?

Do they know you failed in your job as a city councilman with oversight over Washougal's credit cards and how fast you tossed Stacy Sellers under the bus to save your own ass?

And if they don't, since people are "going to know what they're getting," then how come they don't know THAT?

Yes, I indicated early on that Russell was going to jump ship. Yes, he's stayed in so far. But then, after all of this, it seems I've given him far too much credit in the brain dome department.
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Ever the political opportunist, and seeing the writing on the wall, expect Jon Russell to bail from the congressional race so he can get clobbered....

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...running in the 18th.

Russell had zero chance anyway. But with the advent of another empty suited opportunist, Jamie Herrera, Russell now has LESS then zero chance of winning in the WA 03.

Ahha! So, the beatty little mind of Russell thinks, "gee, I know... I'll just run in the 18th! I carried Jamie's water like Gunga Din once SHE got the appointment. There's no way she wouldn't endorse ME to take her place."

Wrong.

Herrera, Orcutt and Zarelli are out there beating the bushes for somebody who can get elected who will do precisely what Zarelli and Orcutt TELL them to do.

Herrera, unfortunately, is like one of those puppets you've got to run your arm up to the head... Kinda like Jeff Dunham. (In this case, Cathy McMorris plays the role of Dunham; Achmed the Dead Terrorist plays he role of Herrera.)

If Herrera ever had an original thought, it long since died of lonliness.

Nevertheless, Russell knows he's over, because Herrera will vacuum up the few people supporting Russell like a shop vac picks up sawdust. Unfortunately for Russell, he's over in the 18th as well.

There are actual adults interested in replacing the professional intern.

There are actually people of character and integrity taking a look.

Any one of them is more qualified then fake fiscal conservative Jon Russell, and none of them tried to ram the biggest tax increase in SW Washington history down anyone's throat.

Nope... that was Russell.

So, stand by. Any second now, when Herrera announces AGAIN, expect Russell to dump the few people who supported him for Congress and try to lower his sights a little bit.

I, for one, can't wait.
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Gee... things sure got bleak for Jon Russell in a hurry, didn't they?

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Over the next few days, the Congressional race in the 3rd will shake itself out a little more as egos demand that efforts at least be made... since it will probably be decades until a better opportunity for the GOP presents itself.

For Jon Russell, the announcement of our local opportunist, Jamie Herrera, to run for the job was the death-knell.

Russell's campaign was going no where fast, and Herrera just nailed it with a sledge hammer.

I freely admit that I oppose Russell: I don't believe he should hold a position in elective office anywhere. In fact, Russell, who had been carrying Herrera's water like Gunga Din, now has come to understand the depths of that woman's ability to toss allies under the bus as she fulfills her destiny... no matter how many bodies she has to climb over to get it done.

But the problem here is that the only suit emptier than Obama's in politics is Herrera.

There's no there, there. And, over time, as I know every aspect of how Herrera came to be appointed; how the political process of her replacement of Richard Curtis was corrupted and how outside influences were used to foist this clueless idiot on an unsuspecting populace, when the timing is right, she'll come to be confronted with her corruption of our process along with that of her mentor, Cathy McMorris.

That said, Russell is now toast. He stood little chance anyway, but now, he would be best served to stay in his little Podunk town and actually get down to finally doing the job he was ELECTED to do... and to stop making excuses when he's caught not doing it.

More to come. Stay tuned.
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So, Washougal... how does it feel to be tools for Russell?

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As I pointed out here, Jon Russell is using his position illegally, or at least unethically, as a prop to run for Congress.

For those wondering what I'm talking about, take a look at this garbage, but have a bucket near by. You're gonna need it.

Local News
Baird challenger flaunts record on tax cuts

Washougal Councilor Jon Russell led effort to reduce 1010 levy

Thursday, November 26 | 9:40 p.m.

BY KATHIE DURBIN
COLUMBIAN STAFF WRITER

Jon Russell, Washoual city councilor

Washougal City Councilman Jon Russell says his successful push for a 1 percent reduction in the city’s property tax levy, approved by the council this week, shows he has the mettle to tackle the yawning federal budget deficit.

That deficit hit a record $1.4 trillion in the budget year that ended Sept. 30. It’s now equal to 9.9 percent of gross domestic product — more than triple the 2008 level and the highest level since the end of World War II.

Russell, who owns a community clinic, is running for Congress against U.S. Rep. Brian Baird. He successfully lobbied fellow council members to cut the levy by $40,000 when the council met in a special session Monday to set its 2010 levy.

He says he wanted to give Washougal taxpayers a break because they face state-mandated improvements in the city’s water and sewer systems that will force a 14 percent rate hike.

"We are looking at: Do we do a double-digit increase all at once, or is there a way to offset that increase in the budget?" he said.

Russell said he didn’t have to do much arm-twisting. "The majority (of the council) were already thinking about what can we do to help ease the burden on the taxpayer."

Just as important as the modest tax cut is the message the tax cut sends to taxpayers, he said.

More:

Well, I agree with him about one thing: this IS "about the message it sends."

But in this case,the message it's sending is that he's a slimy scumbag that shouldn't be voted in as a dog catcher.

Just because slimeball Tim "The Liar" Leavitt scammed the more ignorant Republicans into supporting his low life leftist ass, that doesn't mean that everyone is asleep at the switch.

THIS scumbag RAN (No matter how badly) the campaign to ram THE LARGEST TAX INCREASE IN OUR LOCAL HISTORY DOWN OUR THROATS.

And oddly enough, this article... and no other article he's ever done, seems to mention that. One has to wonder...

.... "Why?"

And now, people of Washougal, if you didn't already know it, you know it now: This clown just sees you as a notch on his gunbelt as he stupidly climbs on your bodies to a Congressional run.

Good luck with that.
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Proving once again how ethically challenged he is, Russell uses his position on the Washougal City Council to illegally campaign.

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So, I get this off of CW Watch. Of course, I missed the part where this scummy little worm explained why he did everything he could to ram the biggest local tax increase in our history down our throats when he did such a miserable job of running the Port of Vancouver Levy Campaign.

I suppose he left that out accidentally, eh?

Washougal CUTS Property Taxes
November 25, 2009

WASHOUGAL- Jon Russell, Republican for U.S. Congress, is pleased to announce that for the first time in the City of Washougal’s history, the City Council has passed an ordinance to cut property taxes. Russell, a Washougal City Council Member, sponsored the ordinance, which will cut property taxes by 1% for fiscal year 2010. Monday evening, the Washougal City Council passed Russell’s ordinance unanimously.


“I am honored to have led this charge to put more money in the pockets of our citizens. In an era of record Federal deficits and increased taxes, the people of Southwest Washington need a Congressman who will hold the line on spending and actually reduce the tax burden on working Americans. I am not a candidate who just talks about tax cuts but one who actually does it, and I will do the same as Congressman” said Jon Russell.


Tax relief is a big piece of economic recovery…
“With unemployment running rampant in Southwest Washington, small businesses and families need all the resources they can find to keep their heads above water in this economic recession. More needs to be done on the Federal level to stimulate real economic growth such as the creation of tax free start-up companies”, Russell said.


As proposed by Jon Russell….
1.) Small business startup companies of 100 employees or less should be able to launch their businesses tax free for two years. This means no payroll taxes, no capital gains tax nothing at all goes to the government for the first two years.
2.) Venture capitalists should be able to invest money in these tax free start-ups with no federal taxation on their investment for 2 years.
“Congress and the rest of the federal government will not get us out of this recession. Small businesses must lead the way in the emerging economy” said Jon Russell
Jon Russell has served on the Washougal City Council since 2006 and is Owner of an urgent and family care clinic.
It's a shame this guy was so unconcerned when he blew off his duties as a member of the financial oversight committee that was in overwatch over the city credit cards... if he had been doing his job, he would have KNOWN Sellers was ripping off the taxpayers.

It's a pity he's passing himself off as some sort of fiscal conservative when, in fact, he's a complete political mercenary.

Where's the illegality?

His actions are driven by his congressional campaign. In fact, he's following the pattern started by Tim "The Liar" Leavitt when he scammed a bogus, completely worthless hate crimes resolution through as part of his pandering to the 3 hispanics in Vancouver who can legally vote.

It is not legal to use your seat on a local government as a campaign-related activity. Clearly, in Russell's own words, that's whats happened here.

What a sad and pathetic individual.
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Since we already have a coward representing us in Congress, why would we want Jon Russell?

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I have posted just under 40 times since August about the fake death threat fiascoes wherein our current Cowardman, Brian Baird, has shown a level of cowardice almost unfathomable in it's depth and breadth.

There is no doubt that Baird is a political dead man walking. The next general shapes up to be a bloodbath of 1994-esque proportions. That, of course, begs the question: why would we want to replace one coward with another?

Washougal City Councilman Jon Russell set local speed records in tossing now former Mayor Stacee Sellers under the nearest bus in his haste to avoid any responsibility for the credit card/$100,000 debacle... all the while, neglecting to mention that HE, PERSONALLY, was among the three member committee with personal oversight over the use of the city's credit cards.

Now, it's bad enough that he lacked the ability or interest to actually EXERCISE that oversight. And now, people are actually starting to ask: why hasn't Russell been held accountable for HIS failure to do HIS job in the midst of all of this?

Instead of taking responsibility for his actions, Russell engages in Obamaesque excuse making, shucking, jiving, ducking and running. And what's his explanation?

Why, it's this:

10/30/09

Dear Russell for Congress Supporters,

As I am sure many of you have read in the papers, the City of Washougal is undergoing a special investigation by the State Auditor to track down over hundred thousand taxpayer dollars and other mismanagement issues by the current Mayor. I take no delight in leading our council in an inquiry of our current Mayor’s troubles. Mayor Sellers appointed me to the Washougal Parks Board and eventually was the tie breaking vote to have me appointed to a seat on the City Council in 2006. However, after I won election in 2007, I began to see some things that raised big red flags. Here are some examples:

1.) While having a city finance committee, in title only, they did not meet to discuss expenditures in a coordinated fashion. Usually, whatever councilmember was available to quickly review the expenditures would sign off on the accounts payable. Even those not assigned to the committee signed off on accounts payable. In 2009, I asked to be appointed to the finance committee in hopes of moving the committee into a functioning body that would meet routinely to scrutinize every expenditure. I brought forward the idea on several occasions, but there was no desire on behalf of others to make such a commitment.

2.) Our Mayor created an internal rule that Council members could not ask anything of department heads. All correspondence had to go through the Mayor. Department heads were instructed to not to speak with Council members. This made the Council’s job very difficult when seeking to provide substantial oversight of the administration. Again, I was the only one to question this internal rule.

3.) For two years I have been asking for a profit-loss statement for the different city events that the administration had sponsored. Those profit-loss statements never came.

4.) Over the last year we have lost two substantial members of our city staff, our city administrator and finance director. These two individuals left abruptly to take jobs elsewhere. It is my opinion that these two departures some how factor into the bigger mystery that now confronts us.

Rightfully so, this is a very difficult time for our city as we endure public ridicule and scrutiny. I would appreciate your prayers as we work through the administration’s chaos and try to bring a clearer picture to the citizens of Washougal. I am convinced that with a newly elected, conservative Council, coming in January, we will provide a way out of the disaster created by this progressive administration.

For years I was unable to rally any alarm because of the extreme loyalty of the progressive majority on the Council, which followed the Mayor in lockstep. At that point I started to piece together a plan to bring about a conservative majority on the Council. In 2008 I was joined by one other conservative and by the summer of 2009 we gained another. On the eve of the 2009 election, we stand to take a conservative majority on the Council. In the meantime, we in the minority have had to endure policies and procedures that have made us very uncomfortable.

This experience has given me a deeper appreciation for what I am trying to do on a national level. We need sweeping government reform, which brings more accountability to government and places more scrutiny on government than on individuals. Too much control in the hands of the few will always result in disaster and corruption. As your next Congressman, I will fight for open and transparent government. The people deserve to know the truth.

Sincerely,


Jon D. Russell
Republican for U.S. Congress
(WA-3)

Good.
God.

I have never in my life read such a huge crock of self-serving cow manure in the entirety of the twenty-plus years I've been following politics.

Here, for the time-impaired, is the Cliff Notes version of why Russell thinks he bears no responsibility for his failure to act under these circumstances.

Never one to avoid contriving a political gain from something, even when he clearly shares fault; Russell is thrilled to find something he thinks he can twist to his advantage. He was placed on the city finance committee, and never saw anything worth mentioning until the Sellers stupidity. He comes up with a dozen different lies to support his failure to first, act, and second, do anything about a set of nonsensical, unenforceable and "unofficial" rules that precluded siting council members from exercising their First Amendment rights to talk to anyone they want, whenever they want, PARTICULARLY when Russell failed to DO anything about any of these so-called "internal rules."

I would ask you, gentle reader, this one very big question:

If our erstwhile Congressional wannabe lacked the testicles to take on a low-rent lowlife like Sellers....

.... what makes anyone believe for one second that he has what it takes to go up against Pelosi, Reid, or that empty-suited anti-American racist bigot running the show?

In short, why would we replace one coward, Baird; with another coward, Russell?

Do you think for one minute that *I* would have settled for being put off, ignored, intimidated?

Is this clown so helpless that he couldn't have written the county or state auditor's office, asking for assistance and an investigation LONG ago if he saw (but as it turns out, failed to act on) so many "red flags" he allegedly observed?

He almost clownishly mentions that

"In 2009, I asked to be appointed to the finance committee in hopes of moving the committee into a functioning body that would meet routinely to scrutinize every expenditure."

So, tell us again, Jon... why is it that YOU couldn't have done this ON YOUR OWN???? Like it or hate it, THAT WAS YOUR JOB, A JOB YOU ASKED FOR.

And then this laughable pap:

For years I was unable to rally any alarm because of the extreme loyalty of the progressive majority on the Council, which followed the Mayor in lockstep. At that point I started to piece together a plan to bring about a conservative majority on the Council.

"Unable to rally any alarm?"

What the hell does THAT mean?

I was "unable to write and provide facts causing an investigation to the State Auditor's office." I was "unable to call a reporter." I was "unable, for that matter, to even call Lars Larsen."

There is a major difference between "unable," and "unwilling."

So, here we have it. When allegedly confronted by incompetence and illegality, what did our young, crusading, city councilman do?

Why, he did absolutely nothing.

Well DONE, Mr. Russell. My confidence in your incompetence increases by the second. And the sure knowledge that you share the trait first mastered by Baird; specifically, that you won't take responsibility for any of the many things you do wrong reinforces to me my decision to do everything I can to keep you out of any elective office that includes me.

"Restore 'trust'," Mr. Russell? The only thing your lack of character and integrity does to me is restore nausea.
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