Gregoire Breaks the Law to Help Denny Heck

By Nansen at January 28th, 2010.

Photo courtesy of the AP.

State PDC regulators are crying foul and again Washington’s 3rd Congressional District is in the national news. It turns out Governor Gregoire isn’t just anointing a candidate to replace the Democrat Brian Baird. Nope, she is apparently also willing to break state campaign finance law, yet again, in a deliberate attempt to gather all the money she can for the State Democrat establishment’s darling, Denny Heck.

Washington State has a pesky little law that prohibits elected officials from raising money for most candidates while the Legislature is in session. Gregoire played her lawyerly self, speaking through a spokesperson and lambasting the long established rules of the game as “ambiguous.” Funny talk coming from the former Attorney General, who should obviously know better. What’s truly ambiguous is whether Chris Gregoire herself is running for re-election; it was a “campaign spokesperson” who she trotted out to mount a half-hearted response.

Heck is a long time Olympia insider who knows better than to pull something like this. He is either not minding the shop or simply willing to defy the law in his quest to be Congressman. I am not surprised Governor Gregoire also wrangled Washington State Insurance Commish Mike Kreidler to sign the fundraising email—afterall, friends are scarce for the Guv in Olympia these days.

What this all boils down to is our Governor and Insurance Commissioner appear willing to sidestep campaign finance laws. That is sure to encourage more confidence and trust in government. But hey, if you’re on your way up or out, why not bend or break the rules, right?

For those keeping track, Gregoire is a repeat offender when it comes to campaign finance law; just Google “Gregoire+PDC.”

Tags: Campaign Finance, Chris Gregoire, Denny Heck, Email, featured, Governor Christine Gregoire, PDC