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.
It’s extremely serious to go making statements such as these without iron-clad proof. If the Republicans are playing politics with this one, it is a very poor way to endear themselves to the independent voters and others in this state.
So, the Democrats spoke to prosecutors and victims’ rights advocates and came up with better legislation that took real-world issues into account to address this horrific crime.
And I thought the insane, right wing trolls spent all their time at SP and on these comment threads. Apparently, they work in the State GOP’s Dirty Tricks basement!
Fibbertarian@1 Your colors are showing again. Duh!
Tree Frog – What did I say?
Visit Jesusland!
Politic aside, LOWER penalties for Child Molesters is NOT a good idea.
thehim – Cool! I’m glad I’m a Wiccan!
Goldy, please contact the attached links and tell them how you feel the Republicans are wrongly rushing this bill through…
http://www.pollyklaas.org
http://www.missingkids.com
http://www.jessiesangels.org
http://shastaanddylan.com
Myabe the Democrats should be asking why not one of them spent the time to read this 116 page bill.
Ah Goldy, now I see why you are upset by the bill.
The Republicans do not offer a distinction between being related to their victims and want a 30 year sentence.
Whereas the Democrats are proposing that if you molest a family member, it’s “not that bad”. and would only get 7-10 years (with good behavior that’s what, about 18 months?)
prr-
Like Goldy SAID, ASSHOLE…
They haven’t had a chance yet.
Fuckhead!
Of course READING, COMPREHENSION, and CRITICAL THINKING have NEVER been skills you’ve ever demonstrated here.
Absolutly Disgusting. How low will the ReThugs go to score political points?
Using children who have been raped? This is a new low even for the Party of Corruption.
Not that I care, but how much will this increase the budget? And why shouldn’t we listen to the Police, Prosecutors, and Corrections staff instead of some father from Florida?
Excuse me but I think I am going to vomit if I continue to think about this –
How low will the ReThugs go to score political points?
This is a new one even for the Party of Corruption.
I say listen to the Police (who catch the criminals), Prosecutors (who actually get the convictions), and Correction Staff (who watch after them) rather than some Father from Florida who experienced a tragedy. If he makes it impossible to convict these people then what good has he done?
ooh my wannabe boyfriend the ‘unchristian catholic’ came back! I was sad that you were avoiding me!
And seriously lib… you can be reasonable… But you’re waaaay to GOP party line to be a ‘libertarian’ in anything but name.
I don’t think it’s a bad idea to listen to victims and their families, take their ideas into consideration and even look to them first. It has gone far beyond that, however, when they start to be part of political campaigns.
There’s a balance that has to take place in terms of law enforcement resources, and the emotions of parents can’t be the determining factor in that balance.
prriss, please contact the links below and explain to them how you feel it is OK for the GOP to use their heartbreak and grief for cheap political points.
http://www.pollyklaas.org
http://www.missingkids.com
http://www.jessiesangels.org
http://shastaanddylan.com
6
“Politic aside, LOWER penalties for Child Molesters is NOT a good idea.”
Nobody’s saying they are, and that’s not the issue. Are you just making an innocent observation, or is this an attempt at playing the GOP’s deflection game? The issue here is not toughening penalties for child molesters, but the GOP’s lying for political gain. This piece of grandstanding is beneath contempt and is all the evidence one needs that Republicans are irresponsible, untrustworthy, and undeserving of ever being the majority party in our state.
8
Let’s get the Dem caucus to attach a rider to it saying “prr is a nazi.” Then we’lll see if you still want to rush it through.
I’ll bet you haven’t read the bill and haven’t a clue about what’s in it. If it contains a legal flaw that results in judges ordering the mass release of child molesters, wingnuts like you will blame the judges, instead of blaming the idiots who wrote the bill and knee-jerked it through the legislator.
Idiot. Fool. Dummy.
has anyone actually done an analysis on the GOP proposed legislation, just out of curiosity.
The link Goldy had in his blog doesnt really say much, I dont know why he posted it
I have a hard time supporting the notion that when the victim is known to the criminal who abuses them, the criminal should get a lesser sentence.
If anything the exploitation of them knowing the victim should be basis for a stronger censure, not a lesser one. It is a deeper and more fundamental betrayel of trust then a random abuse. The victim should be able to trust a relative of friend.
As this is the only substantive difference that the article notes, on that basis I see why some victims advocates and families oppose the democratic version.
I still want to hear more about what both version of the law contain though.
Can someone post a link to the text of the bill? Is it available?
Seriously now, it’s a dumb stunt, if it is one.
Give it two weeks, see who supports it then. If legislators decide to give it a nay then because it’s too ‘tough’ on the fuckbags who prey on children, they’ll show their true colors.
Time will tell.
On similar note, am I the only one who gave a little ‘huzzah’ when two level three sex offenders were popped by someone perusing the online DB recently? Too blood thirsty for this crowd?
http://www.king5.com/localnews.....4091e.html
And Dems. never have shame either, Goldy. Give me a fucking break. Weren’t you accused but not charged with the same?
Smoke @ 6 (ands Sven)
Straw man time. NO ONE has proposed reducing penalties. The differences between the two proposals (besides the inevitable GOP shenanigans not yet discovered in their unread bill) are that in the GOP version the penalty is 30 years for everyone, and in the Dem version the penalty for “stranger” molestation is 30 years and the penalty for when the perp is known to the victims is UNCHANGED at 7-10.
ANd the DIFFERENCE between the proposals is for two reasons:
1. As LR pointed out, the Democrats spoke to prosecutors and victims’ rights advocates and came up with better legislation that took real-world issues into account to address this horrific crime. It will be much harder to get other family members to testify to put Uncle Bill in jail if it’s for 30 years. Prosecutors don’t want criminals avoiding punishment altogether because the GOP has its head up its ass.
2. The GOP didn’t WANT (or care about) a good bill, with public input or the reciommendations of professionals in the field. They wanted in issue with which to demagogue the Democrats and disrupt the legislative for electoral gain. That’s why the robo-calls and the $75,000 ad blitz for a bill that (as Goldy pointed out) no one had even READ yet.
Sophistry.
Fine, have it your way. the repulbican proposal apparently has a consistent and tougher penalty.
Fear of reporting? Maybe it will make uncle Ted less likely to molest his nephew if he faces a 30 year mandatory sentence. The whole fear of reporting thing makes me ill.
I still maintain a familiar victim is the worse crime in certain respects.
Daddy,
About point 2….I agree, it was a obvious and clearly a publicity stunt. It was politiking at its finest. And it worked, people are discussing the bills. I deplore the manipulation, but applaud the dialogue. I wont claim the ends justify the means however
In that regard I have said nothing to suppoort those who did it in principle or fact.
My comments are solely concerned with the merits of the bills themselves.
Mark1 @21,
You have been soliciting sex from minors online.
There. Now you have been accused too. So fuck off.
Sven
Maybe it will make uncle Ted less likely to molest his nephew if he faces a 30 year mandatory sentence. The whole fear of reporting thing makes me ill.
Then again, you’re not trying to prosecute the crime.
Besides, a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.
The Republicans want to hijack the legistlative session the way trolls hijack a thread–by injecting a high-emotion distraction into a conversation about other matters.
windie,
Well, you gotta think what you want.
Have a good weekend.
Jessica Lunsford was from Florida, right? What’s her dad doing up here propagandizing for the GOP? Sure seems like their using HIS grief for their own purposes.
Fibbertarian@28 Does that mean the coast is clear. Can I come out from cover now without fear of being cursed out? I know how easily you get your panties wadded up.
But, really the fallacy in your first post was “attack the messenger’ and suppress the message. Gotta go now, my tender ears need protecting.
@ 20:
On similar note, am I the only one who gave a little ‘huzzah’ when two level three sex offenders were popped by someone perusing the online DB recently? Too blood thirsty for this crowd?
I, for one, certainly hope so. You are disgusting.
I think where the focus should be is not on the relationship between molester and victim, but on the force used, weapons, the nature of the assaults being violent and causing injury, threats to harm if they tell and the like that those situations would demand a greater sentence.
The fact is many victims who know their molester are repeatedly violated by having to face these people for the rest of their lives. It is also a huge abuse of trust in situations where a friend or relative is the abuser.
It may be easier to get a prosecution if Grandpa Fred won’t be sent up for as long, but once you buy into making charges, what’s the dif? I wouldn’t think the kid would be bouncing on Freddy’s knee when he’s release from stir, in any case.
Frog Tree Farmer – Who pissed in your cornflakes this morning?
Fibbertarian@33 There ya go again . . .using those awful words again. Maybe it was you.
Why the fuck should a man who knows the victim get less time in jail than a stranger. A child is a child rape and the rapist needs to be locked up away from society.
just cruisin by@31: Poor little multiply-convicted sex offenders. Boo-hoo. I’ll be sure to piss on their graves, if afforded the opportunity.
Sorry Goldy, for slightly altering the topic in my post.
@32
Fuck Grandpa! His ass needs to be in jail for just as long as a stranger who committed the same crime, or even longer!
Since when did it become okay to hurt those that you are supposed to take care of? Incest is not okay!
Tree Frog Farmer, if “pissed” is an awful word for you, reading this blog must offend you quite a bit.
@25:
Thats what I said-accused. However, accusations in some people’s minds, founded or unfounded make one think about credibility. It’d be like Crissy Gregoire challenging the validity of GW’s last election results. No one said it was fair, but it has and will happen again I suspect. And no, I do not solicit sex online thank you very much. And the feeling between you and I is mutual; rest assured. Thanks.
Mark1 @wherever
You do (I hope) realize the difference between an anonymous and baseless charge and a charge that has merit? In Goldy’s case, he was accused in a clearly partisan pot-shot by anonymous individuals who laid out a ridiculous charge to an online child-safety website (I forget which one). State law requires all such charges be investigated, so Goldy had to suffer through an interview.
You know, Stefan was accused by Lush Flimbaugh (a commenter) in this very blog of being a chil;d ra;pist. You have to understand the reality of the claims, not the mere reporting. Otherwise, you will give cognitive thinking a bad name. Of course, I may have been redundant with that last line…
@37: Why did you repeat an accusation you knew was maliciously leveled at Goldy, when you also know that”accusations in some people’s minds, founded or unnfounded make one think about credibility.” I gues you ought to know.
Chickenshit that you are, you then misstated the accusation that was leveled at you. Well, Mark, let me help your credibility out by restating it for you: You were accused of soliciting sex “from minors” online. In your case, “that accusation, founded or unfounded makes one thinks about credibility” – kind of like Georgie boy, our capon in chief, claiming he actually served in the military.
@39:
I don’t know if its true or not, and I don’t care. My point is accusations make some people question credibility. Remember when Goldy and other Dems. made such a big issue out of David Iron’s accusations of physical abuse to his mother? Oh I see, it’s OK to do that when it furthers your cause (getting buddy Ronnie Sims in), but when the tables are turned it’s unimaginable? Paybacks and hypocrisy can be a bitch huh?
@40: You said: “My point is accusations make some people question credibility”. So, you couldn’t have made your point without repeating what you KNEW, have always known, to be a malicious fivolous accusation from an unknown anonymous source?
Your analogy doesn’t hold, Mark. In the case of David Iron’s, it was his mother that accused him of physical abuse – it wasn’t some anonymous hidden source.
You repeated what you knew to be a malicious accusation from an anonymous source, you did it gratuitously, and you thought you could get away with it. You’re garbage.
Your credibility is in the toilet.
26,
I dont care how you want to label it, its s sick reason to pass out lighter sentaences.
32,
good points.
@22 A 9 year old girl gets raped by her mommies boyfriend. You are going to have a hard time convincing me that she will be more cooperative if the perp is only going to get 7-10, but will balk at testifying if he is getting 30. A 9 year old is not capable of concieving the differnce between 10 years and 30. Follow the Republican recommendation and make stiff penalties for ALL child rapists, not the Democrat one which throws the book at the 5 percent of child rapists who don’t know their victims but let the other 95 percent off with a slap on the wrist.
@22 A 9 year old girl gets r*ped by her mommies boyfriend. You are going to have a hard time convincing me that she will be more cooperative if the perp is only going to get 7-10, but will balk at testifying if he is getting 30. A 9 year old is not capable of concieving the differnce between 10 years and 30. Follow the Republican recommendation and make stiff penalties for ALL child r*pists, not the Democrat one which throws the book at the 5 percent of child r*pists who don’t know their victims but let the other 95 percent off with a slap on the wrist.
@41:
Like I said before, I don’t know for a fact if anything is true or not-and again, I don’t care. Thick skull huh Marilyn? Silly accusations directed at me I don’t much care about, but then again, I’m not running for public office now am I? And yes, you, Goldy and others DID capitalize on the accusations of abuse towards David Irons; you cannot argue with that. Do me a favor and look up the word hypocrisy in Websters; you will find that it is your credibility that is in the toilet. Good day.
Marilyn @41
I was going to continue beating Mark1, but I thought you did a more than sufficient job. His use of such a flimsy argument should have made it a bit easier, but you can’t pick your opponents argument for them, can you?
Naturally, Mark1 has the density to ignore the obvious by following it up with this gem:
I’m not running for public office now am I?
So, running for public office means people should focus on anonymous sources and thereby lend credibility to them regardless of how preposterous the story? I have the perfect example:
Dan Rather and his forged TANG memos.
We should pay attention to them, because they were, umm, seemed, umm, believable.
Mark1 @48
David Irons own mother, detailed his abusive behavior, publicly and on the record. You can’t see the difference between that and some fascist prick abusing a child abuse hotline by anonymously accusing me of something, but providing no details? The two are somehow analogous in your mind?
Hmm. Perhaps I should pass your IP on to the Seattle Police and see if it matches the IP of my accuser?
What exactly were the accusations Goldy?
Was it by a realtive? Was it a victim?
Are you seeking professional help?
Is your wife concerned?
49 – Given Mark1 the genius’ posting record, it wouldn’t surprise me.
21, 25
The fact Goldy lets this shithead continue posting ON GOLDY’S BLOG shows how much class Goldy has. Far more than Stefan The Censor.
prr @51,
While I’m at it, I’ll pass your IP along too. If it was one of my readers, my money is on you.
20
“On similar note, am I the only one who gave a little ‘huzzah’ when two level three sex offenders were popped by someone perusing the online DB recently? Too blood thirsty for this crowd?”
I don’t really have a big problem with it, as long as the law pops the vigilante who did it, or at least locks him up and throws the key away, because he’s of the same ilk as they and every bit as dangerous to society.
I take it you don’t do much betting…
marks @40 re Mark1 @39
“You do (I hope) realize the difference between an anonymous and baseless charge and a charge that has merit?”
You are giving him far more credit for intellect than he merits.
Before I forget … prr is a nazi
MarkI@48:
You said: “like I said, I don’t know for a fact if anything is true or not-and again, I don’t care…”
Well said! That just says it all about your credibility. I couldn’t have said it better myself.
RR @55
Well said. Sometimes you are consistent (I know, backhanded compliment).
The democrats also torture and humiliate supreem court nominees. Funny that you guys have double standards…cannot humiliate a terrorist but it is OK to PUBLICLY humiliate an honored justice….WOW you guys have scruples.
I liked this part, by Jan Shabro from the KUOW story:
BUT NOT EVERYONE AGREES. REPUBLICAN JAN SHABRO IS CHIEF SPONSOR OF JESSICA’S LAW PLUS.
SHABRO: “I tend to think I will go with the victims over what the prosecutors say.”
Nice. The prosecutors are the ones who have to enforce the laws that Shabro writes. But don’t listen to them. They’re only the ones who have to do the job, day in and day out. They know what cases can be proved and what can’t, and what will work and what won’t.
What an idiot.
60
“The democrats also torture and humiliate supreem court nominees.”
Yeah, we do. So what? You guys do it to our nominees. Why should Republicans have a monopoly on torturing people? You guys want a monopoly on every fucking thing!
Hey, maybe if you sent us somebody better than a guy who thinks a president’s powers are unlimited and the Constitution counts for nothing — or at least would give a straight answer when asked a question instead of evading — maybe we’d be a little nicer to him.
How did you like that scripted, staged, crocodile-tears scene by Mrs. Alito? Exceedingly well done, for an amateur actress. Did you watch her handler touch her on the hand — the signal — when it was time to turn on the waterfall and walk out?
Here is a link to the ad, see for yourself.
http://www.speakersroundtable.us
@60 huh? Ginsburg answered like 2 questions and got like 98 votes.
Chuck he Cluck is back —— best laugh of the day.
The whold topic of sex offenders is hot button. I have a daughter who is now 30 and has two lovely kids.
Back when- had anyone injuted her by molesting her, I would have shot them between the eyes. And I don’t own a gun.
Mama Bears should nevr be understimated when it comes to protecting their young.
As for the penalty dicutssion. I watched the commitee hearing on late light cable last night —- it is complicated, and I have not yet decided what makes the best sense.
The Dems make sense in a way, but the hatred for these offenders is immense. Not mucy pity or charity from anyone I know, and most of my friends are very left — as in old commies and pinkos.
62
Dunno what that link is. I don’t have broadband, and I’m not going to sit here all night waiting for it to download.
So I am sure we are all outraged when SEIU Home Care workers last year told senior citizens that the Republican minority wanted to cut funding for homecare workers and had them call all of the GOP House and Senate members in an attempt to get them to approve raising taxes (in a bipartisan manner). Truth was the it was Governor Gregoire’s budget proposal which would have reduce COPES care spending from $82 million to $70 million. This was a classic case of threatening to hurt those most vulnerable, if taxes weren’t raised for such important projects like a 38% increase in spending on the Office of the Governor (for example).
Your side finally got bit in the ass buy their own game: “Grandstanding”.
And the 116 page document that nobody has had time to read is a ton of crap. Unless you have lived on Mars for the last year. The provisions in Jessica’s Law have only been on the news every night. Plus OPR, the non-partisan policy research staff of the House of Representatives started working on this document atleast 2 months ago. Hell, they wrote it. Tough to write a document without reading it. Plus, I doubt any legislator (D or R) reads any bill over 5 pages long.
Goldy failed to mention a few critical “facts”, yes facts of public record.
(1) During a public hearing in the House Criminal Justice and Corrections Committee yesterday, the father of Jessica Lunsford told Chairman Al O’Brien that he did not want his daughters name associated with the Democrat legislation. He supports the GOP proposal. But maybe Goldy would know about these kinds of things then he would. Hell, he only has the face of his dead 9 year old daughter tattooed on his chest. Goldy has a blog.
(2)The fact is the democrat legislation would only affect 5% of the offenders who raped children under 12.
(3) No were in the Governor’s budget proposal is any funding allocated to increasing prison space for sex offenders who fail to register (As she said she wanted to do in the State of the State).
(4) (Opinion on this one) you fail to acknowledge that this could possibly be an effort to pass legislation that the GOP feel is necessary. You start with an assumption that it has to do with Nov. Can’t you acknowledge that it is atleast possible that the Republicans feel this Jessica’s Law Plus is important legislation and they are doing what it takes in the minority to make it happen. The same way you feel the democrats use procedure tricks in D.C. You think that is ok because it is for a “good” cause and not politically driven. Why can’t that possibly go the other way? Sicking constituents on a legislator in a vulnerable district is an effective way to get gain a vote on a bill. Both sides do it. If your not going to pull out all the stops to protect children, then when should you?
Personally, I don’t think the Dems proposal is bad, it just is not as good as Jessica’s Law Plus.
MARILYN
Dont get yor panties all tristed you democrats have been screwin each other for years.and roger we havent givin any shit to your judge appointments oh thats right you have had any lately loooooooosres
@66: Oh gosh! You Make soooo much sense for a Repblican! You are their show boy! Keep up the good work!. The Republicans couldn”t have a finer representative!
Let’s compare things here.
The Democrats think that child rape isn’t so bad, if it is all in the family. They want 30 years in prison for stranger child rape, and only 7 years in prison for family child rape.
If that is the case, then why did the Democrats make such a big deal over an alleged misdemeanor assault by David Irons against his mother back in 1994 or so?
If you use the Democrats’ logic, stranger assault might merit a short spell in the county jail, and family assault really shouldn’t get punished at all.
sgmmac and Michael
Try to freaking think clearly for just one moment in your lives. I’m not saying
1. That those who know the victim deserve less time.
2. That enforcing THE CURRENT PENALTY (not a lesser one) will encourage testimony that a stiffer mandatory penalty would discourage.
Here’s the deal:
– NO ONE is saying #1 Stop arguing against a statement no one made.
– Who is saying #2? Not me. It is the VICTIM ADVOCATES and PROFESSIONAL PROSECUTORS from who the Democrats received input. Believe them or not. But you don’t know shit, and they do.
Don’t you know when you are being played?
Daddy love,
They obviously don’t know anything. If they did, the Groene family in Idaho would still be alive. Komo news online has a story on it that tells a different story about victims. Inces*t has always been an unreported crime, because the victim is scared that the rapi*st isn’t going to jail and they will take revenge out on the victim.
These male predators frequently target divorced women with small children for access to the children and that’s okay in Washington?
I was disgusted to find out that Washington gives you 6 months in jail and treatment if you know the child. No wonder it isn’t reported, the child knows the family member will be back to hurt them again.
This damn State needs to stop pandering to criminals. The punishment needs to fit the crime, not the criminal.
http://www.komonews.com/stories/41298.htm
@50:
Go ahead Goldy; you do not scare me. False reporting is a crime as well, so feel free.
smgmmac
That’s right. Prosecutors don’t know how to win cases. Victim’s advocates are rooting for the perpetrators. How are things in Looking-Glass Land?
sgmmac
I mean, you’re certainly entitled to your opinion, but you should be aware of the extent to which it is an ignorant one.
Daddy love
Unless you have been molested – you don’t jack and YOU certainly can’t tell me how it feels to be put in that situation. I know personally how the fuck it feels and it is an absolute outrage that men continue to get away with this nonsense in this damn state. Plead guilty and get 6 months in jail and treatment for ra*ping your 3 year old daughter? The only one benefiting from such craziness is men who molest their children.
Democrats either need to get serious or get the fuck out of the way and out of office!
The big story up north this week is the behavior of the Washington State Republican Party. In the opening hours of the first day of the legislative session two weeks ago, Republican legislators attempted to bring to a vote a