The Washington State governor's race is unreasonably close. SUSA has Incumbent Dem. Gregoire up over re-challenger REPUBLICAN Dino Rossi 50-48. Rossi has been running on a (fake) "Reform" platform, pledging to clean up Olympia, etc. etc. Furthermore, he has been running away from the REPUBLICAN brand, and successfully fought off a lawsuit that would have prevented him from replacing REPUBLICAN with "G.O.P. party" on the Ballot (which it will now say). However, Rossi is just another Republican, complete with campaign finding scandals that are breaking right now:
Below is the news release.
By the way, please donate to the Gregoire Campaign. Chris has been a competent and smart Governor.
Also, please consider donating to my favorite WA group, Fighting for the Majority. They Send the money directly to the State Democratic Caucuses, and have been very effective at keeping Washington blue!!
Here's the news release, from Aaron Ostrom at Fuse:
For Immediate Release
Sept. 30th, 2008
Contact: Aaron Ostrom
Cell: 206. 498.2620
Email: aaron@fusewashington.com
Dino Rossi Directly Involved in Illegal "Buildergate" Fundraising Scandal
New evidence released today clearly proves that Dino Rossi played an important role in the illegal BIAW fundraising campaign now being prosecuted by the Attorney General. In fact Rossi was the only collaborator in the illegal fundraising scheme who was not a senior officer of the Building and Industry Association of Washington (BIAW).
"'Buildergate' is a major scandal for Dino Rossi – the facts show he played an important role in an illegal fundraising campaign orchestrated by an ultraconservative trade association of powerful developers to support his run for governor," said Aaron Ostrom, Executive Director of Fuse. "And this may only be the tip of the iceberg."
Two weeks ago the Chair of the State Public Disclosure Commission found that the participants in this illegal activity reached a "meeting of the minds" and demonstrated an "egregious lack of judgment." What he didn't know at that time was that the participants in this illegal activity included Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Dino Rossi.
The evidence clearly shows that Dino Rossi contacted all of the top officers of at least one BIAW chapter urging them to contribute to the BIAW's warchest for the Governor's race – also known to BIAW members as their "Fund for Rossi." These calls were part of a fundraising scheme now being prosecuted as illegal by Attorney General Rob McKenna.
The facts of the Buildergate fundraising scandal, including all of the claims in the press release, are clearly outlined and documented at http://fusewashington.org/... The website includes additional information about the BIAW's financial and legislative relationship with Dino Rossi over the years.
The documentation of Dino Rossi's direct and active participation in the BIAW's illegal fundraising campaign makes it important that the public have access to the answers to a number of additional questions as soon as possible, including:
- Did Dino Rossi help plan the BIAW's fundraising campaign and strategy, or did he just make fundraising calls?
- Rossi made fundraising calls to all of the top officers for the only BIAW chapter that was investigated. How about the other 14 BIAW chapters? How many fundraising calls did he make to whom, and how much money did he ask for?
- Is Dino Rossi willing to release his phone records for the months covering the illegal fundraising campaign?
- Has Dino Rossi hired a defense attorney to represent him in this situation?
- Does Dino Rossi believe the public has a right to know about his involvement in this secret and illegal fundraising campaign organized by one of the states most powerful and conservative business interests to build a war chest to support his run for Governor? If no, why not? If yes, why didn't he speak up about it when the illegal fundraising campaign became public?
Fuse Executive Director Aaron Ostrom will be available for interviews all day today. He may be reached at (206) 498-2620 or aaron@fusewashington.org.
Fuse is a member-driven progressive advocacy group founded in 2007. With more than 65,000 members in every corner of the state, Fuse is one of Washington's largest grassroots political organizations.
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Aaron Ostrom
Executive Director
aaron@fusewashington.org
Fuse
1402 Third Ave., Suite 510
Seattle, WA 98101
(206) 420-0133 x110
www.fusewashington.org