Washington Attorney General Race

A proposed ballot measure intending to raise property taxes in Pierce County to protect farm and conservation land was Pierce County Councilman Shawn Bunneykilled in committee Monday in the Pierce County Council. The bill, which would have raised tax by a few cents per every $1,000 of assessed property value, was proposed by Pierce County Executive John Ladenburg.

But two of those who killed the measure, Councilmembers Calvin Goings (D-Puyallup) and Shawn Bunney (R-Lake Tapps), are vying to replace the outgoing Ladenburg as county executive. Going and Bunney both serve on the Rules Committee along with Council Chair Terry Lee and voted 3-0 to postpone the bill indefinitely.

House Majority Leader Lynne Kessler (D-Hoquiam) told the Daily World today that she had no plans "now or ever" to endorse Democtratic nominee John Ladenburg for Attorney General.

Kessler is upset with Ladenburg's refusal to support a plan she backed along with Attorney General Rob McKenna to require local governments to tape record their executive sessions. Earlier this week Ladenburg told The Columbian that the legislation “would not be a priority for me.”

She said that she would respect her party by not endorsing McKenna, but "except for [Ladenburg] defending my bill, I think this race is going to see me silent."

When Republican presidential candidate John McCain came to Washington on Tuesday, state Democrats were poised and ready to hit back on his stance on Iraq and his connection to the French-American firm that won a hotly debated Air Force contract earlier this year. While the state party mocked McCain and Dino Rossi for supporting him, one Democrat was more straightforward.

Attorney General candidate John Ladenburg directly called on his Republican opponent, Attorney General Rob McKenna, to disassociate himself with the McCain campaign. McKenna is the McCain's Washington State Campaign Chair.

John LadenburgAt his official campaign kickoff last Monday, Democratic candidate for Attorney General John Ladenburg began his speech by talking about opening his first office as a trial lawyer in South Tacoma. He mentioned how he worked with tribes and blue collar folks from the neighborhood and boasted that he was one of the first lawyers around to work on behalf of battered women. 

Ladenburg still lives in blue collar South Tacoma, the neighborhood where he grew up. He even gets his haircut at the same barber shop on 56th and South Tacoma Way that he has been going to for thirty-odd years. It's just one of the ways that he keeps up with the local issues, and the gossip around town.

"I represented people in the neighborhood," he said.

TCH's Chris Mulick has compiled a list of some of the state's notable fundraisers for March over on his Olympia Dispatch blog.

Rep. Steve Kirby (D-Tacoma) stood out among sitting legislators, bringing in $11,660 between March 14 and March 31. It is also worth noting that Kirby's seat is currently uncontested.  read more »