Rossi the Hypocrite

SEATTLE – Unaware of Gov. Gregoire's intention to forego campaigning until the end of the upcoming bill signing period, Republican Dino Rossi's campaign issued a challenge last week that they’ll probably end up wishing they hadn’t, given Rossi's history of using campaign finance loopholes for his own personal and political benefit.

In a Feb. 28th press release, Rossi called on Gov. Gregoire to voluntarily abstain from fundraising until the completion of bill signing:

Even if a loophole allows this to legally take place, Gov. Gregoire should make a personal decision to uphold the integrity of our state government’s lawmaking system.”

This is particularly ironic and hypocritical, because even though a loophole allowed it to legally take place, Rossi has repeatedly refused to make public the finances and identity of high-dollar donors to his sham non-profit, Forward Washington Foundation, which was nothing more than an unregulated front group for his 2008 gubernatorial bid.

Today, Washington State Democratic Party Chair Dwight Pelz renewed his call for Rossi to honor the spirit of the law by finally coming clean and opening the books from his campaign front group – a call also made by the editorial board of The Seattle Times and even the PDC commissioners that voted to acquit Rossi, who suggested they were powerless to regulate Rossi’s activities due to a “loophole” in the law.

“Republican Dino Rossi’s lectures are akin to his draft-dodging friend George W. Bush questioning the patriotism of war hero John Kerry,” said Washington State Democratic Party Chair Dwight Pelz.

Rossi used the foundation to finance his travel across the state in 2007 and give speeches in front of GOP audiences and other friendly interest groups, as well as to pay himself and his campaign political operatives’ salaries.

“Republican Dino Rossi raised and spent tens of thousands of dollars campaigning, while using a loophole to conceal the identities of his political patrons through a tax-sheltered foundation,” said Pelz. “Rossi should now follow his own advice and live up to the spirit of Washington state’s campaign finance laws by finally opening the books on his sham, tax-sheltered campaign front group.”

What others have said about Rossi’s activities (keep in mind, the PDC Commissioners voted to acquit him):

• Seattle Times editorial: “Even if it is not technically required, Rossi ought to announce contributors and the amounts donated.”
  
• PDC Commissioner Earl Tilly: "Since this is my swansong this is going to be a difficult one for me to decide which way to go on because I really felt that there was a candidacy here all the time. … But, you know, it has been proven that they met the code of Washington, so I'm going to vote for to you know in addition to second, I'm going to support the motion, but I do feel that there is a – there's a loophole here."
  
• PDC Commissioner Ken Schellberg: "But one would hope that an organization that, again, was operated exclusively for the promotion of social welfare, promoting the common goals and general welfare of the people of the community, one would hope that that sort of organization would be proud to disclose their donor lists. And I would hope that perhaps Forward Washington might think of that. It would certainly defuse the issue in my mind."
  
• PDC Commissioner Bill Brumsickle: "I wonder what people involved in this really, you know, were trying to do. However, it appears to me after five months of investigations that the staff has determined that there were no violations, how shady that might be I don't know, but I'm going to support the motion."
  

For more information, visit The Real Dino Rossi.

More evasion and secrecy from Republican Dino Rossi

SEATTLE – Leading up to Washington’s caucuses, Gov. Chris Gregoire was open with voters about her presidential preference in the historic 2008 election, endorsing Senator Barack Obama. In today’s presidential primary, Republican Dino Rossi continues to conceal his choice for president from Washingtonians. Why?

• Has Rossi not made up his mind?


• Has Rossi simply not been asked?


• Is Rossi not voting, just as he didn’t participate in a caucus?

The answer: Republican Dino Rossi has decided his presidential preference, but flatly refuses to disclose who he’s supporting. After being asked repeatedly by the Seattle Times’ David Postman, Rossi stuck to his policy of only answering media questions he decides deserve an answer. (Questions Rossi doesn’t want to answer constitute the media and others conspiring to “knock him off message.”)

Postman: “Rossi wouldn’t tell me who he backs for president. He said he’d vote in Tuesday’s primary, but said in a couple of different ways that he had no interest in letting me know his choice among the Republican field. … He said he will ‘stay on message’ no matter what. And the presidential race isn’t part of that.”

Recently, Rossi also flatly refused an interview regarding his views on Plan B contraception, likely due to fears of discussing his extreme social agenda that threatens to eliminate a woman’s right to choose in pro-choice Washington state.

By contrast, in a February 8th AP interview, Gov. Gregoire noted that taking a stand in the Democratic nomination wasn’t an easy decision, but was one where she owed it to Washingtonians to be open and honest.

“Lots of people said, 'Just stay out of it,' said Gregoire. But all of my friends are going to caucus on Saturday and will be asked to make up their mind, so why shouldn't I?”

Since Dino is so reluctant to discuss his views, the Democratic Party has put up a website explaining his record on many issues. Click here to get The Real Facts on Dino Rossi

Dino's Fiscal Nightmares

SEATTLE – Since inheriting the aftermath of Republican Dino Rossi’s budget when she took office in January 2005, Governor Chris Gregoire has dramatically improved a multi-billion dollar projected six-year deficit through 2009, while restoring investments in education and children’s health care and helping create 222,000 new jobs – resulting in one of the lowest unemployment rates in state history.

In 2007, Gregoire pushed for a Rainy Day fund that was overwhelmingly approved by voters in the November election. The constitutionally-protected fund will eventually grow to over $1 billion and be available in an emergency or economic downturn.

By contrast, the Washington State Office of Financial Management estimated in early 2004 that Rossi’s 2003-2005 signature budget would “most likely” lead to a deficit of over $3 billion in 2009 and projected a “worst case” scenario deficit of over $5 billion. Upon taking office, Gov. Gregoire faced up to an immediate $2.2 billion hole, and a $5.0 billion 6-year deficit in the aftermath of Rossi’s sham budget.

“Republican Dino Rossi’s sham budget left a sea of red ink in his wake,” said Washington State Democratic Chair Dwight Pelz. “Not only did Rossi cut programs important to Washington’s children and seniors, but the Rossi Deficit left our state headed toward a fiscal trainwreck. Gov. Gregoire’s leadership has created jobs and provided economic stimulus that has kept our state from succumbing to the enormous sea of red ink Rossi left behind.”

Rossi supported cuts to education funding of more than $1 billion, dramatic cuts to health care for low-income children, environmental cleanup programs and prescription drug benefits for seniors, among other priorities of Washington citizens.

Gov. Gregoire has restored Rossi’s cuts to education, health care and class size and also successfully implemented economic stimulus programs to strengthen Washington state’s economy. Gregoire created an Economic Development Strategic Reserve Account to help keep businesses in Washington, advanced life science research by creating the Life Sciences Discovery Fund and expanded apprenticeship programs to increase the state’s skilled workforce.

Today, Washington State has one of the lowest unemployment rates in 30 years, a lower tax burden on citizens than 35 other states according to the Washington State Budget and Policy Center and thriving tourism, wine and aerospace industries.

For more information on Dino Rossi's Fiscal Responsibility, go to The Real Dino Rossi

Rossi on Choice

SEATTLE – A new report released today shows that pharmacies across Washington state are denying women access to emergency contraception, either by refusing to stock the prescription or by refusing to dispense it. The report once again underscores the high stakes for Washingtonians in the upcoming governor’s race – as the contrast on the issue of Plan B access could not be starker.

Background: Before Republican Dino Rossi’s announcement of his 2008 candidacy for governor, Rossi’s spokesperson said he’d be “happy to discuss” his position on access to emergency contraception, without undue delay or hassle based on a pharmacist’s imposition of their personal religious beliefs. After avoiding the topic for nearly a week, Rossi’s spokesperson finally admitted he backs allowing interference in these private medical decisions between a doctor and a patient. But Rossi also refused to be interviewed on the topic directly.

“Republican Dino Rossi does everything possible to conceal his extreme views on a woman’s right to choose, but he can’t escape his record,” said Washington State Democratic Party Chair Dwight Pelz. “Rossi has made clear he supports allowing pharmacists to insert their personal religious beliefs into the private relationship between a woman and her doctor, just as he would insert his own personal religious beliefs to take away a woman’s right to choose.”

Throughout the 2004 campaign, Republican Dino Rossi ducked and dodged questions regarding his extreme anti-choice views, offering statements like “I’m not running for US Supreme Court” and “I’m not running on that issue.” Today, Rossi continues to conceal his extreme position even though his record shows he’d eliminate a woman’s right to choose, if he had the chance. The ideological reconfiguration of the US Supreme Court by George W. Bush makes the potential threat from a Governor Rossi particularly acute.

“Voters deserve to know what specific religious roadblocks Republican Dino Rossi would erect as governor to block a woman’s right to choose,” said Pelz.

For more information on Rossi's views on a woman's right to choose, check out The Real Dino Rossi