Well… almost.
In a truly despicable act of political grandstanding, the state GOP is robo-calling voters, accusing Democratic legislators of supporting sex offenders by blocking legislation that would put child molesters in jail for life. Calls have been reported in the following legislative districts:
26th: Reps. Kilmer and Lantz
17th: Rep. Wallace
47th: Reps. Simpson and Sullivan
25th: Rep. Dawn Morrell
28th: Rep. Tami Green
This is a complete and utter load of crap, and an offensive and heavy-handed politicization of a bipartisan issue. The GOP should be ashamed of itself. (Of course, it never is.)
Here’s what really happened. On the first day of session the Republicans set up a procedural motion to call for a vote on 116-page legislative package that absolutely no one had read… not prosecutors, not police officers, not victim’s advocates, and of course… not a single member of the state legislature. (I bet you even the bill’s sponsors hadn’t read it entirely.)
To vote on such a bill under those circumstances would be totally irresponsible, and the GOP knew it. That’s why they had TV ads and robo-calls in the can, waiting for Democrats to reject the motion. This was nothing more than a stunt… a stunt that cruelly preys on the emotions of victims and their families.
UPDATE:
KUOW’s Austin Jenkins has more on the larger story.