The governor's race is in the news today, with the Everett Herald noting how vague the two candidates are as to how they would deal with an expected $2.7 billion biennium deficit. It's downright paranormal: GOP challenger Dino Rossi seems to know what the Democratic governor would do, and Gov. Chris Gregoire seems to know what Rossi would do, but neither has much to say about their own plans! Maybe they should get together and work this out. Let's say Saturday, Sept. 20, 9 p.m., in Seattle — on KOMO-TV (4) hereabouts, KXLY-TV (4) in Spokane, and KATU-TV (2) in Portland.
The other gubernatorial news involves the fearsome Building Industry Association of Washington (BIAW), the rhetorically unchallenged special interest that is pumping millions into defeating Gregoire. The state Public Disclosure Commission has determined that the BIAW broke campaign-finance law by failing to register as a political action committee. This means nothing unless and until the state attorney general (Republican Rob McKenna) decides to pursue the charge — or not. In which case the complaining parties (former state Supreme Court Justices Faith Ireland, who has donated money to Gregoire and McKenna, and Robert Utter, who has not) could sue on behalf of the state. Yes, it sucks to be McKenna right now.
The BIAW, usually unafraid to talk trash, sounds a little whiny on this one:
Supporters of Christine Gregoire who sued BIAW were in search of one thing only — negative headlines they can use to bash the homebuilders' group which supports challenger Dino Rossi for governor.
Of course, those headlines are justified and could have been avoided had the organization complied with the law in the first place. But god forbid anyone in politics or government actually disclosed their own intentions. It's all about the other guy or gal.
(Usual scribe Clark Fredricksen is on vacation.)
