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Postman on Politics

Chief political reporter David Postman explores state, regional and national politics.

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June 12, 2008 4:03 PM

Dem gov group, unions, fund new PAC. But what for?

Posted by David Postman

A new PAC backed by big bucks from the Democratic Governor’s Association and local unions has amassed more than $800,000 in the past two months.

The DGA gave $250,000 to the PAC, Evergreen Progress, on May 11. The Service Employees International Union State Council has given a total of $495,000. All but $100 of the rest of the money came from other labor unions and the state Labor Council.

With that much money from the Democratic Governor’s Association, a group whose job includes electing and re-electing Democratic governors, it appears this may be a group about to launch independent expenditures on behalf of Gov. Chris Gregoire.

But the chairman of the group wouldn’t say which races Evergreen Progress will be involved with.

“I’ll let you draw your conclusions at this point,” said Rick Desimone. He said the group was going to focus on “progressive approaches” to health care, the environment and the economy.

I wouldn’t categorize us as a group focused on anything other than advancing these progressive issues. I think we will focus on events and choices that people have that will make or break progress on these issues.

But I’m not going to say we’re limiting ourselves to any type of communication or advocacy at this point, partly because I don’t know all that we’ll be doing.

The PAC was formed April 12, according to documents filed with the Public Disclosure Commission. Two Seattle residents, Sandy and Steven Larson, each gave $50 to Evergreen Progress April 27. The rest of $805,100 came from labor unions and the Democratic governor’s group.

In addition to SEIU, the largest donor by far, other unions that have given are the Sheet Metal Workers Local 66 PAC, Washington Building and Construction Trades Council, the Washington State Labor Council, the Amalgamated Transit Union, the Iron Workers District Council of the Pacific Northwest, Carpenters Local 131, and the Pacific Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters.

Dino Rossi, Gregoire’s Republican opponent, has been getting help from a conservative-backed group, “It’s Time for a Change.” That PAC is funded by the Building Industry Association of Washington and other Rossi backers. It recently began airing radio commercials criticizing Gregoire’s record on transportation.

The BIAW-run independent expenditure has brought much criticism from the Gregoire campaign and Democratic Party staff. Lisa McShane, Gregoire’s campaign field director, wrote in an e-mail to supporters today:

Our Republican opponent’s backers at the BIAW - Olympia’s most powerful special interest lobbyists - are already attacking Gov. Gregoire on the airwaves.

They have already spent more than $250,000 on attack ads and this is just the beginning of their attempts to buy the race for our Republican opponent.

Our campaign is different.

The BIAW certainly is a powerful special interest in Olympia. But the SEIU, the biggest union in the state, is clearly one of the most powerful, and these days it is far more successful with its agenda than the BIAW.

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Posted by Publicbulldog

8:33 PM, Jun 12, 2008

Lets call it a blue page PAC.
LOL

Posted by jan

10:08 PM, Jun 12, 2008

This is simply smart politics.

Anybody who has heard the trashy BIAW/Rossi radio ad under the name of Change Pac has an early clue that Rossi backers see a completely trashy campaign as their only potential hope for a win. Just say Dino has nothing to do with the trash "wink-wink."

My thiniing is that the big lie in these things is that there's no linkage to the candiates. You won't find a paper trail of links unless they are all really stupid.

But any real reporter worth their salt could find out the links. But there aren't but a couple in the state with the guts or the brains to do it. Typically these links are oldnews because the dirt flies just prior to the election, too late for the reporters to chase it.

The good news is that the trashy BIAW/Rossi radio ad comes with plenty of lead time between now and election day for some reporter to get to the bottom of the truth and tell us about it.

There are plenty of clues in the public disclosure files.

Posted by Glenno

8:25 AM, Jun 13, 2008

Hey Postman...Did you hear the latest...Gregoire ask a magician to make her opponent disappear. It’s on her web site. From the look on her face I think she’s one sacred governor and getting desperate…I'm surprised didn't ask him to make the BIAW to disappear...

The link it’s at the 4:00 minute mark: http://www.chrisgregoire.com/main.cfm?actionId=globalShowStaticContent&screenKey=cmpNews&show=blog2&s=gregoire

Posted by Deadhead

10:47 AM, Jun 13, 2008

The question is what will this PAC's funders demand if our governor is re-elected? These are the same folks who want a single payer, gov't run health care system, likely finded by a payroll tax.

The left loves to whine and moan about BIAW but the unions are the ones who are the problem. What they want either increases the cost of doing business or increase the cost of government.

Posted by Paul

4:09 PM, Jun 13, 2008

Gregoire's attack dogs are different. They use coerced funds from union members to pay for the attacks. This money is to pay for direct negotiations, but they instead use it corruptly to influence the people.

BIAW uses their own, volunteer money, not forced dues.

Democrats take your money, spend it how they want and then cry wolf when other people voluntarily spend their own money (they are crying because they realize they haven't stolen all of your funds).

Gregoire has done nothing to make Washington stronger. She has spent more money doing nothing than any person I have ever seen. It is one thing to spend money on wasted ideas, but she doesn't have any ideas, she just spends money.

Posted by Bob

6:13 PM, Jun 13, 2008

In your posting today you assert that “[t]he SEIU . . . is far more successful with its agenda than the BIAW.” Not true.

Despite the House being controlled by Democrats 63-35, SEIU was not able to get its top policy priority – a long-term care training bill – through (at an enormous cost, SEIU is now forced to work for an initiative). Yet BIAW accomplished its top priority of defeating, in that same Democratic House, a homeowners’ rights bill, and was able to –again in that Democratic House – gut a bill recognizing climate change in the Growth Management Act. That’s amazing for a group dedicated to destroying Democratic candidates!

Although these BIAW accomplishments are defined in the negative, BIAW is an inherently reactive association that does not work proactively toward any realistic goals. While SEIU must fight at the ballot for ITS top priority, Frank Chopp conserved BIAW’s resources by refusing to even put a homeowner’s rights bill on the ballot as a referendum (despite 76% support in a poll).

Democratic friends like Chopp have made BIAW the most successful group in Olympia, and what BIAW will skim from its $48 million workers’ compensation “retro” refund this year ensures that in the future it will easily outspend SEIU and all of labor combined.

Posted by Figure it out, David

9:55 PM, Jun 13, 2008

Evergreen Progress is a front for Sound Transit interests.

Posted by Ed

10:47 AM, Jun 24, 2008

Notice the simpletons here; those that go after "Change Pac" rather than dealing with their very credible advertising. The facts are there exposing Gregoire and her cronies for what they continue to do TO the taxpayers; yet her highnesses supporters ignore the facts; just like a liberal.
The dem's are in bed with special interests and to heck with the taxpayers; they're more interested in assuming power over the individuals, whether it's their freedom, liberty, property rights, etc.
'Progressive' liberal is an oxymoron; liberals are 'Digressive'.

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