Rep. Geoff Simpson accused of domestic violence…again

This week is 47th Legislative District Week here at NW Digest.  And one of the current Democrats representing the 47th in the Washington House of Representaives has just been accused of domestic violence for the second time in two years:

The Seattle City Attorney’s office today charged Rep. Geoff Simpson, D-Covington, with one count of assault stemming from an alleged incident of domestic violence at Seattle Children’s Hospital on May 22.

Simpson is accused of pushing his ex-wife as she tried to stop him from entering a hospital room where their young daughter was recovering from surgery.

Once he got inside the ex-wife said she tried to open the door and go in and he “pushed her out of the room and used the door to force her all the way out,” according to a Seattle police report.

A social worker told police she saw Simpson “barrel” into the room, push the former wife and shut the door.

He “closed the blinds and barricaded himself inside using his body” and was yelling inside, according to the report. Once he came out, he left the property, witnesses said.

Simpson denied wrongdoing and issued a statement today which you can read below. Friction between Simpson and his ex-wife drew cops to their home in 2008 where Simpson was arrested but never charged for alleged domestic violence.

In a statement, Simpson denies the charges and predictably blames it on politics (no doubt the “teabaggers” are behind it all.)

Guilty or not, Simpson’s domestic violence charges are a continual distraction.  47th LD voters deserve better.

Patty Murray Pulls “Sinners and Saints” Attack Video

According to the Spokesman-Review’s Spin Control blog:

Patty Murray’s Senate campaign was forced to pull a video that jabbed GOP challenger Dino Rossi because it was using a Billy Joel song without legal permission.

“We have not received any complaints,” campaign spokeswoman Alex Glass said today. “We did it out of an abundance of caution.”

The one-minute video that was being circulated by the campaign and Democratic sources, and posted on YouTube, took a swipe at Rossi for comments attributed to him in a recent National Journal article. In describing his chances of winning over uncommitted voters, Rossi was quoted as saying: “In the old adage, there are saints and sinners and those who can be saved. The saints are with us, the sinners are not. And the ones that can be saved are the ones we will be talking to.”

That prompted Democrats in Washington state to respond with “who you calling a sinner?”

The Murray campaign produced a quick video with some big business GOP supporters, questioning their sainthood, and Murray with veterans, moms and kids, asking if they were sinners.

The video used to be here.  This isn’t the first time that Murray’s attacks have fallen flat.  Leftist Seattle-PI columnist Joel Connelly, referring to DSCC attacks on Rossi, wrote,  ”What’s being debased is not Dino Rossi, but a process of self-government that should deliver honest choices to the votes.”

Candidates Weigh In On Petraeus Confirmation

The U.S. Senate today unanimously confirmed the appointment of General David Petraeus as the top military commander in Afghanistan to replace Stanley McChrystal.

I commend President Obama on his outstanding pick of Gen. David Petraeus to serve as commander of the multinational forces in Afghanistan. The U.S. Senate’s vote to confirm him today demonstrates that they have the same confidence I do in Gen. Petraeus’s ability to lead a successful counterinsurgency campaign.

Rossi’s fellow Republican candidate Paul Akers’ campaign also issued a press release, taking a swipe at incumbent Democratic Senator Patty Murray’s former stance on General “Betray-Us.”

Continue Reading

Reports: Dino Rossi for U.S. Senate

Will the third time be the charm for Rossi?  Sources say Dino Rossi will announce his campaign for U.S. Senate (as we predicted) this Wednesday. The consensus among early reports is that Rossi has hired Pat Shortridge, a current adviser to U.S. Senate candidate Marco Rubio in Florida.

Salon.com reports that Rossi’s recruitment into the race means Republicans now have a chance against Patty Murray, and even if it’s an uphill battle, at re-taking the Senate. No reports yet from Team Murray, but we can guess she’s not happy with the news.

Stay tuned for updates.

Gregoire Could Have Been On Supreme Court List

At least that’s what she tells hotshot Olympia political reporter Austin Jenkins at Crosscut.com:

“I know I was considered for the Supreme Court,” said the Democratic governor. “And I said I did not want to be vetted because I had my hands full being governor of the state of Washington.”

Jenkins also spotted a little evolution, as we did earlier in the week, in Gregoire’s latest statement about taking a job in the Obama Administration.

… Here’s what Gregoire told me last week:

“You know I’m not one who will say never, I don’t think that’s right. But I have been very clear since the president was elected that now is not the time for me, that I’ve got to stick to my job.”

And here’s what Gregoire is saying this week:

“I’ve got a job and I think the state really needs continuity right now, but you know I’ve never thought what it would be like to have the president of the United States ask you to serve. So, I can’t say never but I am also not looking for a job.”

Yesterday, the Seattle Times editorialized that Washington’s Governor “has what it takes to be Solicitor General.”

The more liberal SeattlePI.com might not disagree, but thinks Gregoire should tell the President she’s not interested.