If I’m gonna talk the talk, I better walk the walk, so I’m heading off to Olympia this morning to attend a couple hearings on performance audits. But if I see Senator Don Benton (R-Vancouver) coming my way, I’m keeping my hand on my wallet.
According to Peter Callaghan in the News Tribune, Sen. Benton is developing an online newsletter called todayinpolitics.com, which he hopes to hawk to Capitol lobbyists and other courtiers. The newsletter, which costs $565.00 a year, will compile links to newspaper articles written about government and politics. (Hey… great idea! It’s called Google.)
The Legislature pays crap, so seeking a little side income, Sen. Benton sent out an email recently soliciting subscriptions.
But among those receiving the come-on were lobbyists who represent clients in front of the Legislature, including committees that Benton serves on. Legislative ethics generally restrict lawmakers from soliciting business from lobbyists. That’s because you can never be sure if they buy because they want to or because they feel like they have to.
“What will it cost you NOT to subscribe?” Benton wrote. “That could be a princely sum indeed!”
Yikes. That’s an unfortunate choice of words.
The newsletter is scheduled to start February 1… just in time to include links to news stories concerning his inevitable ethics board hearing.
Well, Don sure is an entrepeneur. Too bad that Goldy already pre-empted the most appropriate website name for Benton to host his new blog. Looks like Sound Politics has roasted Don to a cinder over this one too. By the way, read The Columbian’s endorsement (of Benton’s opponent last fall) here: http://www.columbian.com/election/waadevig.html
stupid, and clearly unethical.
I can understand you wanting to meet Senator Don Benton so you could convert the crook over to the Democrats side, you really need someone like him to spearhead your NEXT election since you barely cheated by on this one, but I cannot understand why you dont want to find out where your money goes with an audit????
Hmm, who were the people who blocked the recent bipartisan bill proposing comprehensive performance audits? That’s right, Senate Republicans.
Tell me Chuck, why do Republicans in the Sante fear/hate performance audits?
Brian Sonntag, State Auditor and a Democrat, has been campaigning for performance audits for over 12 years. The House “unanimously approved House Bill 1053, which creates a citizen board that, working with the State Auditor’s Office, would oversee regular performance audits of state agency programs and functions.” So all the Democrats in the House support performance audits. It also would have only cost $2.4 million (rather than Eyman’s $90 million/two years).
So who’s against audits again? Seems like the Republicans are the obstructionists here.
Your ability to create “ad hoc” hypothesis to retrofit every new fact that refute’s your theory is simply “amazing”.
(Sante = Senate. Typo)
If I’m gonna talk the talk, I better walk the walk, so I’m heading off to Olympia this morning to attend a couple hearings on performance audits.
Goldy,
This is what makes your blog unique. You are the only blogger in WAshington who actually leaves his computer and does the Jay Leno style “Blogger on the street.”
May I also mention that you the only blogger in Washington to date that have ever been invited to governor’s ball.
We all expect a play by play once you get back from Olympia:
1) How many lobbists have signed up to Benton’s new server?
2) Is there an Orange vigil outside the capital in the rain?
3) Did Gregoire put her picture up in the capital yet?
4) Did you see Rossi incognito there shivering in the rain just outside the capital entrance?
Erik: FYI, anyone can buy a ticket to the Governor’s Inaugural Ball.
David: FYI, anyone can make a lighthearted blog entry about the Governor’s Inaugural Ball.
Don Benton is a moron…
and he’s fat too!
Mr. C – that is two obsessions for you, turds and fat. And still damning all Dems as old pinko radicals?
Who cares about body weight. He is the former leader of the R party in the state. State Chairman. Key person, in the past sessions in the leg….. If you R’s are doing so well these days, doesn’t he desreve some credit.? He is well know for his far right positions, and from what I see, you had he are in the IDENTICAL political boat.
Did I miss something? If the was 6 feet 2, and eyes of blue, would he be less right wing?
He is yours, so very much yours. Claim him. Honor him. Showcase his talents and skills. Icon of the Washington State R. Party.
Re-elected over and over with lots of party support, as well.
Angry Voter – admit it. You would voter for him. If her was the R in your district. Just like you R’ s vote for Val Stevens to the north.. …this one you cannot throw back…..he was big Rossi backer by the way.
Peter`
you must be confused. Cynical isn’t a Republican–he’s a BIAWlican. Benton must have done something to cross them.
If you red all the conservative blogs it is simply amazing how they turn on their own — fashone politics. Old stalwarts like Benton just thrown aside.
Benton is fat, moronic, stupid and unethical.
Finkbinder is “a swish”.
Reed is impeachable, with various sins and negative attributes.
Is this the BIG tent?
FYI Chuck… I was down there testifying IN SUPPORT OF performance audits. (Ouch… hit yourself in the chin with your knee again?
Didn’t see Eyman anywhere. Details coming….
Pete–
You are oh so serious and oh so self-righteous….just like the rest of the Lefty’s. I suppose you figure if you can repeat over & over & over again that I am paid for what I write here, you will minimize and marginalize me. The fact is it’s not true. No one pays me a cent to do this AND no one has ever told me what to write…ever.
I am a pro-small business guy. I believe trade associations are extremely important to small businesses. Small businesses are too busy making payroll and dealing with smothering, costly bureaucratic
nonsense. It is impossible for most of these small businesses to make their issues known without a group. Power in numbers is important to all of us. Small business should be important to all of us. I am very critical of Corporate America. I saw firsthand the BS that goes on….would never do it again.
So that is my schtick. Do I like BIAW and agree with them on MOST issues? YUP. Am I anti-government? NOPE…but I think government is way too intrusive in our lives, that’s for sure. And I think a lot of things could be done much more cost-effectively. However, the only way to initiate meaningful change is to take the money away.
There is more to my story but I’ll save it for another time.
There is nothing more impressive to me than people who will risk capital, often everything they have worked for, to create jobs.
Ain’t that America?
WHAT YOU ARE PAID FOR IS OF NO INTEREST TO ME. YOUR POLITICAL PARTY IS WHAT STINKS THE MOST.
My Cynical, there is nothing more unimpressive to me as someone who lies continually. I guess your words mean nothing to you. You emphatically stated you were leaving for good a while ago….what happened? the unholy unsound crew through you out?
jim p–
Lies???
You and your ilk continue to minimize and marginalize anyone who dares to disagree with you. I’m sure folks like you that couldn’t win an intellectual argument if your life depended on it would be happy if anyone who disagrees with you were to leave. My guess is that is what will likely happen. I do plan on returning however to tell you “I told you so”. Why just yesterday, Logan & Reed admitted there were errors. And BOTH previously staed we would never know who really won this election. THAT’S THE R’S CONTENTION!!
And many of the proposed Legislative changes are already Standard Operating Procedures for some, but not all, Counties (like reconciling ballots & voters for example).
Goldy is trying hard to have a good, lively debate. By the name of his site, “political correctness” isn’t a pre-requisite for participating….is it Goldy?
Goldy knows the allegation have long been a part of his “free speech” blog. I’ve been falsely accused of lots of things….clearly to minimize and marginalize my opinions. If I don’t like it, no one is forcing me to post.
jimp & petie–>Girlie-men on parade!
Cynical – you’re not part of the lively debate here. You have no credibility, and it’s not because you’re BIAW or a Republican – it’s because of your continual pattern of lying.
We don’t want anyone else to leave. Just you.
Cynical… I place very few (so far, zero) restrictions on the tone, language and content of debate here. Though I do think at times you and others get incessantly and tediously nasty in your personal attacks.
One thing that does consistently piss me off is when people make apparent statements of “fact” but refuse to back them up. Say nearly anything you like prefaced by “in my opinion”, but preface it with “everybody knows” and I want to track back your IP, break into your house, and smash your computer to bits.
So stay if you want, and argue policy and ideology, even theology with us. But you go often go over-the-top in so thoroughly vilifying as liars and thieves and idiots. You do it in such an unamusing fashion, it’s not really fun for anybody, and it doesn’t win you any converts.
ONE BILLION DOLLARS
Note the Big B, dude!
Mr. C, so Now I am a girlie boy? Another of your “Facts”. You are a real beauty. Always throwing but not able to accept. You and your ‘ilk’ are the cause (IMHO) of this great nations difficult situation at present. We now, thanks to you and your ‘Ilk’ have little support from the rest of the world, we are considered the biggest threat to individual nations sovereignty, we are running the biggest deficit in the world’s history, have the national government with ‘special interest’ groups meaning more than individual rights, etc. I sure hope you have a wonderful evening, sitting alone in your ‘demented’ state of mind.
jim p–>
You take yourself way too seriously. Enough said.
And Goldy–
You really ought to police your Lefty cronies to set the standard of blogging. You are being deceitful to pretend the Lefty’s aren’t every bit as mean, nasty and over the top.
Look at jcricket and jim p–c’mon Goldy.
Gosh, it seems like you folks are so consumed with imposing civility on those who disagree with you that you aren’t doing the research Sharkansky & others are doing on the REAL issue in front of us.
Thanks for your time & energy!
On a lighter note, Sen. Benton may have been taking smart pills sold by this guy:
http://story.news.yahoo.com/ne.....urvivor_dc
Mr C- you mean the BREATHTAKING research and discovery that some old guy – wrapped in grief- voted his recently deceased wife’s absentee ballot? WOW. And out of 3 millions ballots some handful, small number of felons voted, most it seems past their penalties and very confused about the rules as they rush to be good citizens. WOW. And there are the ……………….on and on…………….dissssporoprtinately distributed bellowing about election trivia and inflated crises for the bain dead and uniformed.
I am not impressed, and an old timer like you, Mr. C, has seen all this and more. Most of the people at USound could not tell you what the County Commissioners do or who they are.
Mr C-Surely you jest – most of what they post there is mindless hooey. Stuff for the puffy and stuffy brained. If your common sense does not signal anything, and your 8th grade education was poor….big time research….hah, we all did more research on high school term papers.
Honestly C – it is like a cult, true believers. And now they are kicking poor Mr. Benton, good old buddy of the wonder R, Sir Rossi….
ZIP – there may be another side to this. Do they pay all in spot cash or as income over years? Big problem for a lot of winners. You pay taxes on the value of the new car. So you have to sell it to have anything left. And of course it does not sell on the lot for full retail. Worse for the new bedroom set which is so overvalued that when you sell it you still owe taxes. IRS screws with winners…esp. with war bills looming…Bush Inc. needs the bucks to hire mercenaries.
And actually, I thought IRS attached winnings at once. Silly me.
Inform us Mr C – the CPA.
bby, I think the IRS’s money hungry ways predate GWBush. And that both Sen Benton and the Survivor guy thought they would not get caught.
Hey lefties- Didn’t you know that while the SEIU was trying to oust Helen Sommers for not being progressive enough, they were supporting Don Benton’s re-election? And Joe Zarelli’s, for that matter.
See – Jim knows how to properly get under a lefty’s skin :)
PETER,
I voted 3 democrats on this elections ticket(Owens, Sonntag, Kriedler). So, if the person is unethical, I will not vote for them regardless of party…
Jim… in case you think I’m wholly uncritical of the SEIU, take a look at my post primary blog entry: “Little old lady kicks labor’s ass.”
ZIP – Just a friendly post – have good friend who is high up in IRS — during the second Clinton term IRS all but quit trying to collect any taxes. Money was gushing in. They re-assigned most collection agents… closed millions of old cases….that was not public.
They will get very agressive again, trust me. Feds need the cash righ now.
Benton is a pig…..glad we all agree.
Thanks for the ray of sunshine! IRS very aggressive, I can hardly wait. Maybe they should audit Sen. Benton first.