Aaron Dixon was first, and now Joe Szwaja. He ran against Rep. Jim McDermott in ’00 and is now running against Seattle City councilwoman Jean Godden:
Among the driving-related counts Szwaja faced were the following, according to the newspapers: In May 1989, he was found guilty of driving without a driver’s license, and in July was charged with of driving without a license plate. Late that year, he failed to appear at a hearing. In early 1991, he again was charged with driving after his license was revoked.
He said he has had a good driving record since moving to Seattle in 1993.
Ironic how Joe Szwaja drove without a license plate, while Jean Godden’s job was to take note of funny license plates when she worked at the Seattle Times.
Well who else do you think would run for the nomination of a washed up and useless party.
Uh… why exactly should we care about someone’s driving record from almost 20 years ago? The issues in the Szwaja-Godden race are whether you want things like affordable housing and to use public resources for the public good, or whether you want to have more corporate welfare for big developers and unaccountable corporations. That’s the real story here. Instead, we get the press talking about parking tickets from 20 years ago. Why am I not surprised?
And I don’t get the Green-bashing here – this is a non-partisan race and there’s no spoiler issue.
No Manu, its about wether we want serious candidates for public office. The greens are no different form the libertarians, as long as someone says the right thing they will fall in love, no matter what the person has done or said before.
Get serious candidates, run some effective local races, and show you are grown-ups and then people will take you seriously. Until then the greens and the Libertarians are nothing but fodder for jokes.
Even casual research by any fair-minded person quickly reveals that Joe is a serious candidate. Joe Szwaja won three elections and served six years on the City Council in Madison, Wisconsin, and has a record of working with both Democrats and Republicans to successfully pass progressive laws for things like protecting the environment, sustainable development, renter’s rights, and civil rights. I also understand that his campaign will have an important announcement soon about the success of his recent kickoff and how it compares to Godden’s.
But of course to see any of these things you have to be willing to look with an open mind…
Joe Szwaja has had a pretty clean record since moving to Washington in 1993. Not even a traffic ticket. His wife filed for divorce against him in 1994, and there was a judgment from Wisconsin that was filed here for collection in 1994. He has paid off that judgment in full. Szwaja is not a total scofflaw like Aaron Dixon.
@2
Uh, Manu, did you read the link to the article? I think the traffic infractions pale in comparison to being arrested for beating a woman:
“hurling a dinner plate that cut the face of his son’s mother… Quoting court records, the newspapers said his girlfriend needed numerous stitches to three cuts on her face, including a large gash across the bridge of her nose.”
Whatever you think of traffic violations, domestic violence of this extreme nature should disqualify anyone from public office. Not to mention failing to pay child support:
“In 1988, Szwaja was arrested for failing to cover $2,584 in costs that he said were associated with his son’s birth and medical complications. In what he said was a separate matter, a Wisconsin court issued a judgment against him in 1994 to pay more than $5,100 in costs and garnished his wages, according to Courtlink.”
I’m amazed that this guy has the gall to run with this kind of criminal past.
@6 Richard, please defend his smashing a plate in his girlfriend’s face in front of his 7 year-old son. Anyone?
WhatTheF @ 7
I just read the link to the article! I AM NOT GOING TO DEFEND THAT! Why didn’t Will talk about the dinner plate smashing and the arrest for failure to pay family support (the medical bills for his son’s birth) in his post above?
It appears that the liberal Democrats in Madison, Wisconsin re-elected Joe Szwaja twice to the city council, in spite of hearing all about his legal problems. So I don’t see why that should stop liberal Democrats in Seattle from electing him to the city council.
After all, the liberal Democrats in New Orleans, Louisiana re-elected Bill Jefferson, in spite of the videotaped bribery and the freezer seizure.
Unfortunately, like conservatives, sometimes liberals do stupid things. Though it has been my experience that they do so less often.
Hell liberals will even elect a murderer to the Senate if he says the right things.
10
Don’t foget us Klansmen.
While I agree with Mr. Pope that the linked article details far more important problems than the post does, I did notice that the major problems with Mr. Szwaja seem to have come up after his election to the council.
I can also agree somewhat with the other posters on this thread. Both the Green and Libertarian parties have some interesting ideas, but they tend to run candidates that are, essentially, jokes.
There are a number of people that are Democrats simply because they refuse to be Republicans and want some voice in who gets nominated for office.
The Democratic Party may be far from perfect, but there is currently no viable alternative if you want to stay involved in choosing our leaders.
Years ago, the Libertarians were beginning to make inroads into the political structure. Local politicians, state offices in several states, at least noticable numbers in national elections. Heck, there was even a Libertarian Governor.
Now they seem to be willing to accept the role of spoiler, often against candidates that are ideologially closer than the ones they seem to help.
I attended a candidate’s debate for State Representative a few years back that included two Libertarian candidates. Actually, it only included one, because the second one never showed up.
As for the one that did show up, his answers to questions in the debate showed that he had not studied the issues, and I actually wondered if he might not have been just a bit drunk.
Libertarians and Greens. Run some real candidates in elections that you have a chance of winning. Build a base. Stop playing “spoiler” where you cannot win.
It’s just possible that people will start to take you seriously.
Please. Drop the shallow Green-bashing. Joe Szwaja is a stand up guy and a great progressive who’s been an effective public servant who was ELECTED FIVE TIMES!
It’s clear that the people of Madison saw how shallow and false this garbage was and I know the people of Seattle will as well.
He never smashed a plate in someone’s face. Don’t spread lies.
But I shouldn’t expect much from Horse’s Ass in the first place, as this blog is really just the Democratic equivalent of Drudge or the O’Reilly Factor.
Don’t let facts get in the way of taking a shot at a non-Democrat.
Joe Szwaja is a helluva good guy and a principled and credible candidate for City Council.
Go JOE!
Yes, I read the article, and, as is only fair, Szwaja’s response on his website (www.joeforcouncil.com, then go to Press Room). As far as I can tell at no time was Joe accused of “beating a woman”; in fact even in the PI article it states that the woman involved said it was an accident and refused to press charges. As for paying child support, Szwaja has an explanation and a statement from his son on the website, and even in the PI article it states that the bills were paid. Having to pay bills late because they went to the wrong address or because the medical bills are too high is certainly something I can understand. In fact, there really doesn’t seem to be much here of any substance when you look at it objectively. That’s probably why Madison voters re-elected Szwaja twice even after they knew all this stuff.
The phrasing, choice of words, and way in which the content was presented in the PI article was excessively alarmist, and seems to me to be making a mountain out of an anthill. I expected better of the PI.
Manu @ 2
“Uh… why exactly should we care about someone’s driving record from almost 20 years ago?”
I suspect that Will doesn’t give a rat’s ass whether or not you care.
Richard @ 8
“Why didn’t Will talk about the dinner plate smashing and the arrest for failure to pay family support (the medical bills for his son’s birth) in his post above?”
Because he didn’t want to…he wanted to make an observation about driving records. This is a fucking BLOG. It means the blogger gets to write about whateverthefuck the blogger want to write about!
Sheesh!
To John Barelli:
I sincerely don’t understand the Green issue here at all – this is a non-partisan race, there’s no spoiler issue, and Szwaja has been called “a serious threat” to any City Council incumbent by the press. If you disagree with Szwaja on the issues, that’s one thing. But why care more about party affiliation than about the actual issues the man’s running on?
Libertarians and Greens might be spoilers, but at least they’re not Connecticut For Lieberman. And they’re not the Democrats that let Lieberman keep his committee seats.
Democracy is supposed to be about a diversity of ideas. Some ideas catch on despite coming from the Two Party, and if that makes them spoilers, then so be it. Reds and Blues can adopt positions just like Greens can; nothing is stopping either major party from pandering to the spoilers. That’s what the Republicans did with the ‘moral majority,’ and look how successful they were.
@13 Mike G –
He was elected three times, not five, to a tiny district in Madison. About 1,000 votes were cast in each election.
He did smash a plate in his girlfriend’s face. He admitted it to the police and it’s in the police report.
You can be as delusional as you want, the evidence speaks for itself. I just think it is a mistake to overlook such obvious and damming character flaws simply because you agree with someone’s political ideology. Especially when you are talking about progressive values. Abusing women is just unacceptable. It’s a disservice to that ideology and to what it stands for.
Maybe Joe Szwaja and John Manning could fight it out for a Seattle City Council seat.
He threw a plate and it broke, a piece of it cutting her. An accident.
He did not “smash it in her face”.
And he was elected five times, though was only able to serve three full terms.
I’ve met Joe on more than one occasion and know him fairly well. The characterizations you’re making about him are false.
But don’t let facts get in the way of your opinion.
wtf?,
“He did smash a plate in his girlfriend’s face. He admitted it to the police and it’s in the police report.”
That’s not true : the woman involved said it was an a
@ 14, Manu –
I don’t know what article you read, but the PI piece was very straightforward with little commentary. If you think it’s biased, by all means check out the pieces in the Madison papers — http://www.madison.com. Just type in Joe’s name. 9 out of 10 articles are about his criminal or civil troubles.
Joe’s response is a joke. The guy has an excuse for everything. And I love this: “the woman involved said it was an accident and refused to press charges.” This is such an idiotic statement it almost belies refutation. Almost. There is a reason we have mandatory arrests and charges in domestic abuse cases… know why??? You got it, the abused woman almost never wants to press charges — she’s scared of retribution, worried about being alone, etc. Ever heard of battered person syndrome? I can’t believe I am having to explain this to a so-called progressive but apparently there is nothing that disqualifies someone from getting your vote as long as they are in sync with your ideology. As I posted above, this willingness to forgive the astounding character flaws of a politician is reprehensible and a disservice to the spirit of progressive values and political goals.
@ 20 & 21
from the PI:
“According to reports in Madison’s newspapers, The Capital Times and the Wisconsin State Journal, a police report quoted Szwaja as saying he threw the plate at his girlfriend in front of their 7-year-old son after she threw a beer bottle.”
by all means don’t let the facts get in the way of your ideological delusion.
WhatTheF? @ 18
Excellent point. Madison is divided into 20 city council districts, each of which has about 10,000 people. The number of votes cast in an election can be as low as 1,000, especially in the districts that have lots of college students. Relatively few people vote in the April municipal elections in odd-numbered years.
And Szwaja’s current account of the plate-throwing incident is extremely improbable. He told the police that he threw the plate at his girlfriend’s face. A plate hitting the face and breaking is consistent with his girlfriend’s injuries: “court records … said his girlfriend needed numerous stitches to three cuts on her face, including a large gash across the bridge of her nose”.
wtf?,
Now I suspect you’re on Godden’s campaign staff, as you’re not being even slightly fair. Further, I believe that what you wrote counts as slander, so be careful. Szwaja was at no time accused of “smashing a plate in his girlfriend’s face”. All anyone has to do is to read carefully to see that the woman involved said that what happened was an accident, refused to press charges, and went on to sign a statement in support of Joe disputing exactly the kind of personal attacks you’re making now. Of course you have to have an open mind and actually take the time to read all the relevant information. I don’t think anything more needs to be said on the subject.
Wednesday, June 6, 1990
By Jim Pugh The Capital Times (Madison, WI)
Ald. Joe Szwaja, 5th District, has been charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct for allegedly shattering a plate in the face of his son’s mother as the 7-year-old boy watched.
The woman, who was not identified in court records, required up to 10 stitches on three cuts, including a large gash across the bridge of her nose, records state. The woman allegedly threw a beer bottle on Szwaja’s dinner plate at her apartment Sunday evening and he threw the dish into her face, court records state.
http://www.madison.com/archive.....060572.php
@ 25
“Szwaja was at no time accused of “smashing a plate in his girlfriend’s face””
Except according to the police report referenced in three newspaper accounts of the incident. A police report in which Szwaja admitted to throwing the plate at her face. Also, see Pope’s comment at 24.
I think it’s pretty clear who is plugging for a campaign here. So by all means keep working for Joe. God forbid that character get in the way of ideology. The nomination of candidates like this is just one more reason why the once full of potential and appearing to be ascendant Green Party is now moribund in Seattle.
Wow — on April 2, 1991, Szwaja was re-elected by the overwhelming margin of 250 to 141 in his University of Wisconsin campus district.
http://www.madison.com/archive.....030494.php
most of my vomit and puke looks greenish
To every fair-minded person reading this, yes, it is a good idea to search the Madison papers, and here’s the evidence that Pope and Wtf are not showing you (from Campaign Brochure Infuriates Alderman, Saturday, March 30, 1991, By Michael Stone The Capital Times http://www.madison.com/archive.....300407.php):
“Szwaja responded to the literature by saying Graul “is a liar and a slanderer. I’ve told the voters that. That incident was totally a freak accident. My son’s mother made a sworn statement that it was an accident.”
[His son’s mother] told The Capital Times that she intends to sue Graul “if he doesn’t print a retraction to this. I’ve made a signed statement saying that the whole thing was an accident.”
She termed the literature “slander to me and my child” and said Graul did not contact her before running it. She further said, “Joe’s always been a very responsible parent.”
The disorderly conduct charge, a common charge in domestic dispute cases, was lodged against Szwaja despite [her] request at the time that no charges be pressed…
Both Szwaja and [his son’ mother] said Graul refuses to campaign on the issues. [She] termed the pamphlet “sleazy” and said it was the only literature she, as a resident of the district, has received from Graul…”
I took out the woman’s name, but it’s there in the original. As you can see, this is clearly not the horrible thing that some have tried to portray and thus encourage you to jump to conclusions. It just goes to show what happens when you put too much weight on one biased article. The Capital Times reads a bit differently than the PI, doesn’t it?
Manu — domestic violence victims commonly recant. Nobody who has ever dealt with DV before would be surprised to hear a victim recant. Stop trying to act like it somehow absolves this guy if the victim doesn’t want to press charges. That happens all the time.
Speaking of Domestic Violence – how about those Publican politicians who beat up their mother?
I think there is alot of similarities between Greens/libertarians and DV victums. Both refuse to see their candiates for who they are and stay with them because they always say “I love you”. Kind of like LaRouchies…
There is more to a good candidate then simply telling you what you want to hear. Look at Kucinich. The guy was rather corrupt, pro-life, and otherwise a horrible politicians. However when it comes time to run for higher office he pulls Romney and becomes a far left liberal. Its called being an opportunist.
Sorry to change issues, but this isa possible matter of life or death.
Last Night Frank Shiers crossed the line. He misinterpeted a study at the UW as allowing medical personel to try “experimental” procedures on subjects w/o their permission. The horrible possibility that he might result in patient’s death if the effect was to delay urgent therapy, (I alled in off line) did not phase him.
I asked him whether he was aware his acting could hurt a patient he said, yes but that he did not care.
I suggest that any listeners call KIRO can complain.
SeattleJew
Stefan is a coward.
Stefan bans people from his blog
for telling the truth. If he was
right, he could defend himself,
not just ban people who prove him
to be a partisan hack doing the
bidding of Rove, and the other
election fraud animals.
COWARD!!!!
Stefan. Rossi lost. Deal with it.
Stefan, Jeb Bush, and Katherine
Harris took tens of thousands of
legitimate voters, many of them
vets off the rolls, so they could
not vote in 2000.
Stefan, is this a crime? Why were
they not prosecuted????????
@ 34
CrazyJew-
Frank Shiers said something? No FUCKING way! Who the fuck cares? It’s Frank Fucking Shiers, radio’s doormat.
Good morning, trollfucks! I see in today’s news there’s another big beef recall and e-coli scare: Further proof that our FOOD SUPPLY IS UNSAFE under the partisan and inept Bushevik regime! You know where e-coli comes from, right? Human feces … which is a polite word for what comes out of your butt besides wingnut spew. There’s SHIT in your food because our government is run by people who don’t believe in government and have trashed all government regulation of BIG BIDNESS. Thanks for nothing, cocksuckers! I hope you all get sick and die.*
* Just kidding! Death humor patented by Ann Coulter & Co.
Just a friendly reminder of how Bushevik MEAT INSPECTION works:
1) Fire all the federal meat inspectors.
2) Give subsidies to meatpacking companies to hire their own inspectors.
So … we taxpayers are still paying for meat inspection, but the meat inspectors now report to supervisors who report to the meatpacking companies whose meat they’re supposed to inspect. Needless to say, everything passes inspection, no matter who’s been shitting in it.
Doesn’t it give you a warm glow in your tummy knowing you can’t trust the food you eat or the medicines you take because of the damn Republicans?
1-3 There’s a reason why minor parties run marginal candidates, and neither get taken seriously.
And there’s something wrong with city politics when you can’t get a serious candidate to run against an airhead like Godden. All she’s doing is decorating a chair.
Jean Godden is brought to you by folks who believe the best government is no government.
Maybe we should promote Godden to the port commission — it would be an improvement over what’s there now.
@8 Given the unhappy choice between someone who smashes a plate in his girlfriend’s face but supports progressive policies or someone who punches his mother in the face and supports reactionary policies, I still prefer our thugs to your thugs.
@12 “There are a number of people that are Democrats simply because they refuse to be Republicans and want some voice in who gets nominated for office.”
Libertarians and Greens are people who refuse to be either Democrats or Republicans, and want no voice in who gets elected to office.
@13 “this blog is really just the Democratic equivalent of Drudge or the O’Reilly Factor”
Were you expecting Mother Teresa?
I don’t know if Szwaja played frisbee with a dinner plate … was he convicted? We all know that in messy domestic quarrels a lot of allegations are made — especially when custody and/or money are at stake.
The 25% of our health care dollars that go to insurance companies whose only function is denying medical claims could pay for covering the 17% of Americans who have no medical care with enough money left over for an 8% rate cut for everyone.
wow! This thread is already up to 50 posts!
Was Joe on the olympic discus throwing team?
Ok, yes it was a slimy attack by the PI, but it worked. Joe is done. Put a fork in him. There is nothing educated about voters. They vote based on sound bites. And boy is this plate throwing thing a sound bite. His explanation ( I broke a plate) is lame. His “all charges were dropped” is lame. They were dropped after mandatory anger management classess. The best thing would have been to keep quiet about it and take the hit.
He will get 4% of the vote. Too bad, I agree he would have made a good solid lefty politician. Much better than Clark and certainly Goden.
OMFG. Who the Hell cares what this guy did 15+ years ago? Unless it was something truely heinous, in which case I could understand bring it up. But his driving record? Not vehicular homicide, not reckless driving, not even a DWI!
WTF. I guess it’s something for the hand-wringers to latch on to: hey, guys, it’s 2007, not 1990. Get with the program.
So what would Joe do differently from Godden about housing?
Good question, #53: What about the issues? How does Joe stand on housing? What about traffic? What about making this city so &%#*@ unaffordable that only the rich can live here?