Jean Godden’s campaign manager has an interesting hobby, as detailed by Gentry Lange (a supporter of Godden’s opponent, Joe Szwaja):
Carlo Davis, the campaign manager for Jean Godden, has spent a significant amount of time trolling the blogs distorting the facts, and posting under a list of fake names. Until recently this was simply a suspicion that I had no way to actually confirm, but recently The Paper Noose Blog traced his IP address and Carlo Davis then admitted to at least one of his blog pseudonyms.
Commenting under different fake names is nothing new in the blog world. People do it, sometimes just for fun. If you are a campaign professional, or if you value your credibility, anonymously trolling isn’t a good idea.
There’s a lot to look at, but this one is my favorites:
Posted by landsfarthereast at 8/17/07 1:08 p.m.
Wow. This is just a whose-who of Joe supporters in the comment thread. We have his campaign manager (Gentry Lange), his biggest fan (Mike G), and I’m assuming the rest are probably Gentry using different aliases.
Of course, “landsfarthereast” is Ms. Godden campaign manager…
Then there’s this:
Posted by landsfarthereast at 10/10/07 10:29 a.m.
@ LoveYourViaduct
“Actually, the happiest woman in Seattle this morning is probably the Gossip Goddess. She can point to her opponent’s colorful history again.”That is truly one of the most despicable things I have ever read. To imply that someone is happy over a serious and tragic incident like this is beyond the pale. Shame on you.
To imply that the Jean Godden’s campaign would politicize a sensitive issue such as an alleged case of domestic violence, that’s beyond the pale…
Except that Godden’s people did just that back in June:
Goldy says:
Just to back up Geov here on his explanation of the process, the story on Szwaja was fed to me a few days ago, so it was clearly being pushed to reporters and bloggers. Though I was a bit surprised to see it appear so quickly in the P-I.
Godden’s people probably don’t mind it that McIver’s troubles have put domestic violence back in the headlines, if only to remind people of Joe’s problems 20 years ago. When campaign managers feign outrage anonymously online, I just have to laugh.
Exhibit A in the case against anonymous blogging. If we insiste upon openness in government, why not in blogging, too? After all, it continues to grow both in volume and influence such that it’s fair to argue that society has a right to know who is saying what about whom.
Scott St. Clair a/k/a The Piper
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Joe cites all this work of 20 years ago in Mason Wisconsin – so to talk of wife beating of 20 years ago seems OK too.
Greens need to shop for another face
Godden will beat him by 14 points, oh, how can the public be so dumb voting for a woman with wrinkles.
I like Godden, and this is not campaign staff. Just plain voter. I do not beat my wife or my kids or ever drive drunk, sorry candidates.
(Hint) Did not vote for Venus.
#1 Piper you are a fool – a raging piss of ideas.
Called the pen name – nom de plume – and posting is publishing.
Alter ego anyone?
@3…GW…
Mark Twain was a pen name, GUESS WHO is a skirt behind which you hide.
Blogging is rapidly getting to be pretty powerful stuff. Those who participate have, by extension, some degree of that power. The public has some right to know who it is making accusations, calling others liars, and otherwise making outragous statements or claims whether they’re on the left or the right.
You can’t get a letter to the editor published unless you put your name and address on it. Not a bad policy.
The Piper
Piper at 4:
Three words:
FREEDOM OF SPEECH.
Nowhere in my copy of the Constitution of The United States does it mention any caveat such as you must announce your identity or prove citizenship or financial standing or personal health or……..
I am confident that most readers have the ability to ferret out the idiots….JCH, Pudwhacker, Mark the Redneck Asshole, klake and so on.
A paid political hack is free to post anonymously too. It is just that when he gets caught, well, he has to pay the credibility Piper. (do you like how I worked “Piper” in?) And when he does get caught he has no room for complaint or argument to defend his duplicitous behavior.
@5…Carl…
Clever the way you worked Piper in…Thank you…It’s axiomatic in politics and publicity that every mention of your name is a plus, Carl.
I’m a firm believer in freedom of speech; check my post on the David Horowitz thread. But I also believe that with freedom comes responsibility, and the responsibility here is a willingness to be held accountable for what you say.
Nothing in my Constitution says you have to either. Doesn’t say I have to have a drivers’ license in order to legally drive. Or that I’m precluded from shouting, “Fire!” in a crowded theater or defaming another or inciting to violence, all of which the law proscribes.
How do you or Goldy or anyone know whether someone is a paid political hack unless you ferret out that information? I’ll bet there are plenty PPH’s posting in such a way as to make their “work” untraceable by you.
My POV is an opinion, one I’m not surprised irritates you. I also hate the absentee ballot. I think its use and abuse corruts the political process and promotes slothfulness among the electorate. I dislike primaries, too, for similar reasons.
I’m one of those who believes that you sign your name – Scott St. Clair – to what you write, you stand up to be counted, you participate in the process by going out and engaging people, not hiding from them, and you willingly sacrifice to maintain the freedom to do these things.
Stand up, speak out, get involved, don’t be shy, go on the record, have the courage of your convictions to own up to them.
I’m not that complicated…
The Piper
Piper, Piper, Piper……
Why do you attempt to mix rights with privileges? Driving is a privilege granted by the STATES for reasons of safety and public welfare.
Shouting fire IS not a protected form of speech. However, Mrs. Left Foot is telling me that, almost without exception, POLITICAL speech is protected. Period. You can make wild charges and express fantasy versions of your own personal truth (boy, is the current administration good with that). This would include posting here or any other blog under any moniker that you wish.
That said, I agree with you. I think a man stands behind his words. But I can also understand why someone would want or need anonymity. I have nothing to lose, I am retired. I have no need of business contacts or a favorable public perception. For the record…..I just like using My Left Foot.
As everyone probably can tell, I post under my own name… whether you like my opinions or not. If you are going to troll under a bunch of different fake names it would be wise to do it from different IP addresses.
The bigger issue here of course is Godden’s marketing as an ethical leader, while she is continuously breaking the law:
The Paper Noose Article on Godden’s Ethical Lapses
The Relevant Seattle Municipal Codes
As to Joe’s arrest from almost 20 years ago, no one in the campaign, not myself, not Joe, and none of our supporters have denied the charge. Joe continues to take accountability for those actions, time and time again. He has never denied it. That is what personal accountability is all about.
The continued misrepresentation of a single incident from a person’s life, from years ago is slimy. I happen to know Joe’s wife of I believe…. the past 12 years, his mother-in-law who lives with Joe, and have met many former students. Not a single person who knows Joe thinks he is a violent person.
Jean’s whole campaign is based on attacking Joe’s character, and not on issues. Ask yourself this, why? It’s exactly the same way she campaigned last time against Judy Nicastro. Create a story in the media, turn it into a scandal.
Joe Szwaja has won human rights awards, teacher awards, and been active in so many different ways around Seattle that I can’t even begin to list them. Call him names all you want. Seriously. Go right ahead. Win loose or draw, Joe Szwaja will continue to be a great addition to Seattle, will continue to fight for progressive causes, and will continue to be a loving husband, son, and father.
Piper and MLF,
Blogging under your own name or, as the both of you do, blogging without hiding your identity, is admirable. I’d do it myself, except then I’d have to cut down on my use of profanity. I’m not ready to do that. Anonymous posts are enjoyable for their capacity to permit us to lose ourselves for a bit. That said, I suppose posting anonymously is a bit cowardly. What the fuck.
@9…PL…
That what you do in secret should be no different from that what you do in public. If you would be embarrassed to use profanity publicly, shouldn’t you be emarrassed privately?
And can’t you as articulate your POV as passionately or provocatively without profanity? While it’s up to you how you talk, what strikes me about those who use profanity with frequency is that it evidences an either an inability to express oneself any other way or a laziness with the language.
In language, in can have its place, but I choose to not use it in writing or public speech. There are too many other words in the language form which to choose, and the fun is in digging them out and assembling them into a string of thought.
What I could do, however, is brush up on my spelling and grammar, both of which leave something to desire in many of my posts.
The Piper
Piper,
I can most certainly express myself without using profanity. For instance, in response to your post, let me say simply, “bite me.” See? No profanity. What I would add, however, is that English has refined profanity to a remarkable degree, compared to other languages with which I’m familiar. Spanish, for instance, does not have anywhere near the options for telling someone to blow off that English does. Profanity, in my humble opinion, adds to the language. Sure, overuse of profanity can bring its users down. If used properly, however, our vernacular becomes more expressive.
kudos for outing this guy. i wish someone would unseat that tired old handbag, but then we’d be cursed w/ her back in the papers
And here I thought Godden was merely a lightweight. Turns out she runs with the sleazebags like the big boys.
The fact is Jean Godden doesn’t see her hairdresser nearly enough. On most days she looks positively frightening. Letting her schedule her hair appointments on her public calendar actually serves the public interest.
I haven’t talked to gentry since I was a serf….peasant….commoner…indentured…bonded…
I am glad his, Joe’s, students don’t think him violent, but hardly convincing, and sounds a bit defensive. And why would they be used in a political race?
As to wife number TWO, I presume. I bet she is careful not to push his buttons and keeps him “pleasured” (being coy for Puritan Piper). No filth.
As I remember Joe is tall with an athletic build, strong. Most women I know would auto pilot around him.
Gentry, do us favor and get a new Greenie – voters are fickle and in one of the most feminist cities in the world, well, any history of wife beating just keeps lingering … lingering.
Maybe, most men have shrugged it off. WOMEN voters are the block. Watched it in action, a groups of friends having a drink, started on the races. A Joe supporter put in a good word, a woman, the other women just froze. Like a pallor of illness.
And just why would Godden abandon all the tricks in her bag? Political campaigns are not tea and cookies at Aunt Fannies.
Does anybody remember The Stranger’s BRIBE campaign? No? Neither do the editors of The Stranger.
@15…Barry…
Please…I’m no puritan, simply one who elects not to employ what Spock in “Star Trek IV” called “colorful metaphors.”
Think on it: your use of the term “pleasure” in opining about a particular candidate’s domestic relations invites the imagination to wander even to the extent of wondering how the other candidate in the race is “pleasured.”
Is that a frightening mental image or what?
Your post is clever, witty, and challenging.
BTW…a few weeks ago over at Postman, Joe came under heavy fire for seeming to promote the theory that 9/11 was an inside job, which lately provoked an icy, contemptuous, “How dare you!!!” form former President Bill Clinton when confronted by it durining a speech in Iowa.
Several putative students and parents from Joe’s school posted rebuttals to the withering criticism directed his way, and they, in turn, got hammered for their weak commentary.
Any candidate who’s so politically stupid, even in this left-wing town, to pimp the notion of inside job during an election season deserves to joy-ride with Venus Velazquez.
Candidly, however, I’m very glad I don’t live inside the Seattle city limits. All the current candidates for City Council (ditto those not running) are peas jockeying to be on the farthest left end of the pod. Not much real choice between any of them, if you ask me.
Charlie Chong, where are you now that we need you?
The Piper
I know – the lets keep it all secret – the past is all secret.
Oh, like the old days – no talking about molesting children and rape and beating the old lady.
Sorry folks, those days are gone, gone, gone, gone.
Bet Burgess would vote for – all the secrets, secret pact.
And Venus would love to be a secret drunk.
#17 – Godden having sex?
The video would make millions for sale in Korea, Japan and Saudi Arabia.
No so much USA or Canada.
Piper, you are a puritan. Chant several time, Godden having sex. Get over it.
HEY FOLKS – Hard fought political races are hardly new, even in Seattle. And they are hardly un American or anti Seattle values.
The truth is often the horror, and in the Della – Burgess race, the horrible truth is Burgess sending out hate mail for money all those years and that odious work as a supposed precursor to a political career in Seattle is simply heinous.
To understand this it maybe helps to be a target of the hate mail. CWA to this very day is a rabidly anti gay lobby and influence attack shark against GLBT folks. CWA stalks the halls of Congress as we post trying to block and pro gay legislation, 20 years of hate. Their work is totally anti gay and horribly worded in all the old garbage language.
Burgess admits he wanted the business, signed the contract and now openly admits to the Times that he WROTE much of the garbage they mailed out. Showed 21 letters on Wed and Thr., he claimed 6 – there are hundreds in the files of People for the American way.
And some people want me, a GLBT activist for 25 years to give him a break? Cause it is impolite and edgy. No way. He is repulsive, his decisions alone have condemned him. Nothing Dave Della has done to focus on his past is not based in fact, just the facts of Burgess’s political life/work.
No, the leopard has not changed his spots. And, no, Carl Rove has nothing to do with Della, BUT, I bet Rove talks to Concerned Women of America often. Rovian describes CWA to a tee, perfectly.
CWA = Rove.
George Bakan, publisher, Seattle Gay News
To George @20,
I don’t think anyone has claimed this is anything new. What someone has done in their professional life for years absolutely does matter. Who you work for matters just as much to me as who you hire to work for you, and the tactics you use.
What is also remarkable is that how little the Weekly, The Stranger, Times and (here no surprise) the PI is giving to her unethical behavior. They would be all over it if the tables were turned. In fact, there would be a story every few days chronicling the status of the SEEC’s investigation.
More and more, as one learns about how “embedded” some journalists are with the political establishment in Seattle, it becomes harder to take what these papers publish about politics seriously. It is clear that stories are cherry-picked to reflect a particular political agenda, and it’s only because the Stranger tends to be sloppy about it that it tends to get noticed there.
I agree with Goldy, that it isn’t any big deal to post anon comments. I also agree that it’s laughable when mucky mucks like Davis get caught. But the point that needs to be brought home is that Davis initially lied about it, then tried to downplay its importance after he got caught. He also denies that Jean Godden has broken any campaign laws, even though it doesn’t take an attorney to connect the dots, and the evidence is out there for all to see.
With all this talk about accepting responsibility, does a campaign manager lying about his identity during a campaign count?
If progressive really want the Democratic Party to become or remain progressive, people like Godden need to be called into account; she collects the checks, after all.
Gentry, elected officials are allowed to post campaign events on their office schedules and their office staffers are allowed to communicate with their campaigns for scheduling purposes only. You need to do a little research before you start charging people with imaginary crimes.
JR @ 23
Obviously you haven’t looked through the calendar. City staff have been keeping track of where Cathy Davis is, where Carlo is, etc. It’s not just keeping track of Jean Godden. Keeping track of Godden is one thing. Keeping track and coordinating with campaign staff has no legitimate purpose related to the city…
And according to the law, the 2005 letter from the SEEC is questionable at best.
Here’s the Seattle Municipal Code, 2.04.300:
“No elected official nor any employee of his or her office nor any person appointed to or employed by any public office or agency may use or authorize the use of any of the facilities of a public office or agency, directly or indirectly, for the purpose of assisting a campaign for election of any person to any office or for the promotion of or opposition to any ballot proposition.”
The official city calendar, the computers, etc., these all fall under the definition of city facilities.
gentry is completely correct, the complaint and appeal have been submitted under legal council and that council has again confirmed that the complaint and appeal will hold up if taken to court.
Plans are being laid for possible court action in this matter. This complaint and appeal was crafted with legal council and legal council has reviewed the dismissal. The word from them is a violation has indeed occurred and it will hold up in court. Other civic leaders and legal council are reviewing the matter as I write this and some have already shown support for pursuing this blatant violation.
The mainstream media is shying away from this because of unspoken rules regarding matters as such. The people accused hold power.
The hearing of this complaint is set for the next monthly meeting of the commission, meetings are subject to change according to the SEEC website.….. for Nov 7th, how about that…
To clarify, the 2005 letter gentry talks about is the letter sent to all elected officials by the seec regarding these types of activities. Again legal council has commented on this letter that the seec executive director is hiding behind in his dismissal and it in itself is a violation of seattle municipal code according to them.
@22 TPN
To underscore your point, I cc’d Angela Galloway when I was having a little to-and-fro with Joel Connelly about his “Karl Rove” column on Friday (he is shocked, SHOCKED that there are underhanded campaign activities going on — right here in Seattle! Chr*st, I half imagined the P-I interns handing over his gambling winnings as he was writing it). Of course, Joel didn’t want to believe anything underhanded was happening with JG and apparently couldn’t bring himself to read your blog (touchy, touchy). Maybe that’s too high-tech for him.
But Angela played it a little straighter — I have to give her credit for that. But when I asked the following, “Any quick answer on why the story on Godden’s ethics violations investigation isn’t being reported?,” she answered, “What ethics violation?”
I did correct myself and call it a “SEEC complaint” and linked to Gentry’s blog post about it — and cc’d Erica Barnett.
But after awhile you do get the distinct feeling that there is an invisible line drawn somewhere where the local scribes just don’t cross (unless there is blood in the water). And as I have a cinematic imagination, the mere fact that I am naively expecting evenhandedness leads me to feel someone grabbing me by the shoulder, pulling me away and saying, “forget it, Jake. It’s Chinatown.”
Hugh Geenen
It seems I remember that writers who trash the downtown crowd at the Stranger or the Weekly eventually get recycled out. That’s how mucky-muck muckrakers are treated here in town. Those that are left move up the food chain.
If you are a suck up, you get to warm a chair at City Hall.
Political Nepotism? What Political Nepotism? As Bill Chambliss pointed out long ago, corruption in city politics only gets exposed when another competing clique is ready to assert their own power. Maybe if there was another faction of developers who wanted to build a bowling alley on every block they’d lobby to get rid of Godden.
I would be surprised if SEEC exonerated Godden. It’s unfortunate that the voters are not entitled to see the results until after they’ve made their decision. Funny that.
I was looking at the City Council minutes for 2007. While other members are writing legislation week after week, Godden shows up occasionally with an appointment for some city agency. Such leadership. Reminds me of a certain president. So does Carlo, with his charges of “frivolous complaints”!
This is just another example of Jean Godden at work. How she manages her campaign is exactly in keeping with how she’s managed her job on the City Council.
During her tenure as head of the committee responsible for its oversight, City Light severely mismanaged the response to last year’s windstorm, and City Light employees testified to many levels of management incompetence back on Jan. 3; incompetence that wasn’t there before Godden’s tenure and support for Carrasco. Disturbingly, and despite Godden’s promises to the contrary, City Light employees were retaliated against for speaking out.
Instead of exercising her responsibility to the public to oversee City Light, Godden has spent her time advocating for expensive boondoggles like the mayor’s tunnel project and giving breaks to profitable nonunion companies like Nucor and developers like Vulcan, which also contribute substantially to her campaign. Oh, and also doing favors for reporters (revealed on this paper noose link), none of whom seem to want to report on her illegal actions (see link).
Godden’s campaign attacks Joe on character because they have nothing substantive to fight on; it’s a trick to distract voters from the real issues. But on that note, I’ve known Joe and his family personally for 10 years. We’ve worked together on human rights issues (especially East Timor) and several other causes during that time. This was not work that we did for recognition, profit, or any other personal gain: Joe spent long hours working on behalf of people who were oppressed and terrorized simply because it was the right thing to do. Joe has always been a peaceful, kind man as long as I’ve known him, and his personal integrity is above reproach. That’s the kind of character he will take to the City Council, and it’s something that the average Seattleite desperately needs. I wholeheartedly endorse Joe Szwaja, and am proud to put my name and reputation behind him 100%.
You know, I just do not understand how Jean Godden can so flagrantly break the law and nothing of any real measure happens to her.
Should there be no accountability? Hell, even if you are a Godden fan, you should be for some serious penalty so that next time that someone that you DON’T like does this, you know that there’ll be some kind of discipline for them also.
She’s our elected official, and at some time she had sworn to be a law-abiding representative for our city. Should she not keep to her vows?
She either purposefully did this with full knowledge that nothing would happen, or she somehow did it mistakenly. Either way, no substantive penalty is in effect cluing in future candidates that they can do this kind of thing with impunity.
What’s wrong with us that we have no problem with this?
I guess that we deserve what we ask for, ‘eh?
third party folks always cry when their kids get kicked in the nuts – like it is not expected
Godden of the wrinkles, nose hairs, and wonderful all city networks will kick his ass – solidly – with ballots
you all go have a good drunk election night – join the Venus crowd who will be deep in their cups – please don’t drive, please
maybe Godden is smarter than he is? despite all the macho huff and puff stuff out there, she is a canny old dame
think she might run for mayor … god, you all would have a stroke
The effects of this go beyond Godden of course.
If the SEEC doesn’t act on the complaint expeditiously, and the press is silent, then this means is this will/can happen with any other candidate. It would be nice to see this blog also cover the issue of illegal campaign activity in this instance, and not just the comical antics of CD (who curiously enough has been awfully quiet). If the system is broken, it doesn’t matter what political affiliation people are coming from–left, left-er, or whatever.
Goldy–if you had Gentry or one of those folks or their attorney on your show, we can have a real discussion about campaign reform in Seattle.
Why are so few Godden supporters willing to post under their real names? They like to insult others, they like to slander people, but they don’t have the political courage to say these things publicly? Really, it’s just so, I don’t know unethical.
#32 – It is an old trick to turn the discussion back to your issue. Good try.
All over the internet people use assumed handles, like the very old days of CB RADIO. Why the surprise? People are creative, adds to the fun, and you might say something that you are feeing but keep to yourself at the office.
Also in the age of GOOGLE who wants every word of their zany posts saved for the grand kids? Not me, just a bit too serious.
Gentry, think of it as the ultimate free speech movement of the 21st century. Say all, tell all, get angry, use nasty words – all as Bob. Or Dick. Or Jane. Or Spot.
Works for me. And Godden will win big time. Put your energy into another city race next year with a winning candidate. In Washington it will be the year of the woman – Darcy, Gregoire, Hillary – try a woman.
Good luck, and remember there is a reason they call them protest candidates.
@33,
So you are ok with the chosen candidates breaking the law, and the media ignoring it? What’s not to protest?
a trifle
staff leaving notes during a campaign is hardly worth thinking about – let alone making a fuss about
are you all really so bankrupt for issues?
it seems so
for once, the media is showing some common sense. need some beef there, Gentry
I simply invite anyone who thinks using city staff to coordinate your campaign is a “trifle”, to simply look at the complaint, read the law, and ask yourself if someone is running on “Ethics”, if breaking the law over 90 times is consistent with the ethics they have as voters.
Read the calendar, read the complaint, read the law:
All the Documents of The Complaint
if Joe wins, I will read it word for word
Adam @ 37
So you are admitting you don’t know what you are talking about. Well that’s perfect, keep up the good work.
@24: Believe it or not, I may have to acknowledge a mini-victory for the Szwaja Campaign. While Godden’s hair appointments and the meetings with reporters and friends don’t amount to anything illegal, I would tend to agree that the office calendar notations on the whereabouts of Cathy Allen and Carlo Whoever might well earn Godden an SEEC fine of $100 or so. On the downside, it’s really too minor a transgression to get media coverage this late in the election cycle. And, Jean still wins the election, of course.
JR thanks for the acknowledgement that the seec should do something.
Dig deeper and you will see a larger problem with the seec letter crafted in 2005 and how much coordination has gone on between her staff and the campaign.Look at all the references to fundraising.Its a revolving door with no lines drawn between what is acceptable and what is not.The Szwaja campaign is about accountability and thats what this complaint is about.Bottom line is Joe Szwaja will not allow his staff to do this kind of stuff when he is a council member
Grassroots campaigns are won with lots of small victories and I say its going to be a photo finish based on the fact in my travels in this campaign season I can find very few supporters of godden among the regular citizens of this city. She is only supported by developers and those who have something to gain monetarily from her votes on the council.
there is still a week left…..