Yesterday the Seattle P-I published a list of nearly 100 reader-nominated candidates for this year’s Jefferson Awards, which supposedly honor service “by ordinary people who do extraordinary things.” It really does warm the heart to read through this list of volunteers and citizen activists, and learn how much some of our neighbors are contributing back to the community. But fortunately, green tea doesn’t permanently stain a computer monitor, because I did an actual spit-take when I stumbled across the following nominee:
RICHARD DeBOLT
CHEHALIS
As the communications and external relations manager for TransAlta in Centralia and the 20th District Republican representative for Lewis and Thurston counties, DeBolt’s legislative priority is to create an open and honest flow of communication between his constituents and government. He is a devoted champion of safer, more prosperous communities in the South Puget Sound area. His loyalty and caring attitude for his community while working to solve problems on a statewide basis make him the caring man he is today.
Hey, thanks for the nomination, Kevin.
Hmm. Compare that commissioned piece of ass-licking puffery with what The Olympian’s editorial board had to say about DeBolt last year, in the wake of the House Republican Caucus’s bogus sex offender postcard scam:
Rep. Richard DeBolt owes his legislative colleagues and his South Sound constituents an apology. His feeble attempt at rough-and-tumble politics has backfired, making him look foolish and disingenuous.
[…] His actions are bad for public discourse, and his reliance on falsehoods does not speak well of DeBolt’s character.
[…] Yes, the public is now aware how low Rep. Richard DeBolt and his political action committee will stoop to stretch the truth and sling a little mud at the opposing party.
Guess what? DeBolt never apologized. But he did have Kevin or some other unprincipled staffer write in to the P-I and nominate him for working “to create an open and honest flow of communication between his constituents and government.” (Dollars to doughnuts we read that manufactured quote in DeBolt’s campaign literature next year, attributed to the P-I.)
If you want to know what the Jefferson Awards are really all about, just take a look at the nomination of the only other name I immediately recognized on the list:
MARK BOYAR
SEATTLE
Boyar created Middle Fork Outdoor Recreation Coalition and began raising awareness about problems in the environment. He also encourages the construction of trails by public landowners while kindly pressuring private landowners to either sell or develop trails on their land. He also writes grants for the private landowners to help them receive a fair monetary trade for the land. He has been a strong and relentless advocate with a gentle touch and successful record.
I know Mark Boyar and how hard he works — and how often he lets others take credit for his remarkable accomplishments because quite frankly, that’s sometimes the most politically expedient way to get things done. So it particularly irks me to see DeBolt so selfishly pollute an awards process that might honor Mark for his quiet and selfless work to clean up our precious wilderness.
But I guess that’s the sort of conniving, amoral, political machination that makes DeBolt “the caring man he is today.”
Well, y’know, in a sense DeBolt does meet the criteria for the Jefferson Award. Certainly, his reprehensible actions in the sex-offender postcard operation and his cynical absence of contrition for such scumminess meet the definition of extraordinary.
Somehow, though, I don’t think Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis had that flavor of extraordinariness in mind when she co-created the Jefferson Awards.
DEBOLT HAS DONE THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE A SERVICE FOR MAKING CRYSTAL CLEAR IN THIS DAY AND AGE THE UGLINESS AND BANKRUPTCY OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IN THIS STATE.
And lets see , why did King County just release a recent pervert on to the streets again ?
Yes Goldy, Mark Boyer is a decent guy who has given far more than he has taken from society. Debolt though is a tool and takes far more than he gives. Just the other night I sat across the restaurant from him as he was wined and dined with feast and many drinks by lobbiests.
@3
Becuz I guess you served your time, Mick..isn’t that what they told you?
NEVER should any of today’s’ scumbag, Culture of Corruption, un-patriotic, America hating, troop hating, US Constitution hating Republicans be linked to the Honorable Thomas Jefferson.
That’s blasphemy of the highest order.
“The whole art of government is the art of being honest.”
~Thomas Jefferson
No Republican today can comprehend what Thomas Jefferson was trying to convey.
@3 Who, you?
Any damn fool can nominate himself for a Nobel Prize, but that doesn’t mean he’ll get it (or deserves to). Needless to say, the game being played is to put “nominated for Nobel Prize” on one’s resume. For selfish reasons, of course.
For example, Mark the Welsher could nominate himself for a Nobel Prize in Economics, then add “nominated for Nobel Prize” to his four degrees (which he most likely awarded to himself via his internet degree-selling business).
Where this falls apart is that a guy who can’t even pay a $100 gambling debt obviously doesn’t know enough about economics to pass a third-grade achievement test.
@10:
Do you know how many cases of Schmidtz beer a $100 bucks buys?!?!
Shit, no wonder Mark The Broke Hillbilly can’t pay.
“NBC News and news services
Updated: less than 1 minute ago
WASHINGTON – Attorney General Alberto Gonzales was briefed regularly over two years on the firings of federal prosecutors, his former top aide said Thursday, disputing Gonzales’ claims he was aware of the dismissals from afar and newly undercutting his already shaky credibility.
More and more lies from the Culture of Corruption Crowd. It’s pretty bad when you cannot trust the senior law enforcement officer in America to be honest.
It totally undermines the Rule of Law principle our country was founded on.
Puddybud, how do you reconcile your continued support of this administration, and Republicans in general when they are blatantly destroying the principles of America?
For that matter how can any of you conservatives reconcile the trampling of the Constitution?
Where’s that WHORE janet s. been lately.
I notice she’s not been around since Valorie Plame testified.
When was the last time you ever visited the 20th LD Goldstein? Chehalis, Centralia, Rainier, Bucoda, Cinebar, Packwood?
Dick is big enough to defend himself, of course, but perhaps you’d like to visit some of his actual constituents before sticking your foot in your mouth.
Best regards and see you some Tuesday!!!
but perhaps you’d like to visit some of his actual constituents before sticking your foot in your mouth.
THIS REMINDS ME OF WHAT SOMEONE TOLD BILL MOYERS ABOUT THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE BACK IN THE DAY WHEN MOYERS WAS A REPORTER:
“YOU THINK THESE GUYS ARE BAD, YOU SHOULD SEE THEIR CONSTITUENTS!!”
LMAO!!!
“kindly pressuring” …..that language leads me to think he’s a communist just like goldy
isn’t Mugabe also “pressuring” landowners
You may have missed it but the Community Advisory Committee (CAC) for school closures was nominated as well. I know Goldy hated their work so I’m guessing he wouldn’t support their nomination.