The Washington state Supreme Court says you can. They agreed with Chris Clifford, who argued that Port of Seattle commissioner Pat Davis committed malfeasance when she, as commission president, signed an agreement with outgoing Port CEO Mic Dinsmore to pay his salary a year after his retirement. In fact, the Court agreed 9-0 that Davis "intentionally acted outside the scope of [her] duties by signing an agreement with Dinsmore." Clifford now needs to collect 150,000 signatures to get the recall on the ballot; he says the petition will show up on his Recall Pat Davis website. Davis, for her part, says she won't stand for re-election. We wouldn't stand for it, either.
Do You Recall Pat Davis?
Speaking of Politics, We're Getting a New Primary System
The Supreme Court ruled today that we get to keep our top-two primary system, which will take effect in the August state primary. Remember, we all voted on that system and then it got thrown out? Well, as it turns out, we get to keep it.
Supreme Court to Hear Appeal in Seattle Drive-By Shooting Case
The Supreme Court announced today its decision to hear a case with Seattle ties. The Court will be considering reinstating a murder charge against a driver involved in a drive-by shooting outside Seattle's Ballard High School in 1994.
Presidential Round Table Discussion
We have gathered some of the top political writers in the country and asked them to discuss the presidential race throughout the year. Today they will discuss the Democratic race between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.
Seattlest Trivia Wrapup: Our Throat Survived
Seventeen teams showed up at the Old Pequliar last night to see if our voice would give out. We managed to get through the evening without having a Peter Brady moment, but we're grateful to those of you who were willing to step up to the mic at a moment's notice.
Roethke Goes Down Writing: First Class @ ACT
If you want to know what goes on in a particularly good creative writing workshop, the first half of First Class at ACT handily answers that question. As the brilliant bipolar poet Theodore Roethke, John Aylward delivers a blizzard of insights into the writing process, growling, stalking back and forth, and sounding like Team Poetry is down just by 10 at the half and ready to make a comeback. Poet/playwright (and former Roethke student) David Wagoner calls Roethke the most charismatic man he's ever known, saying, "...if I've been able to recapture some of that charisma here, I'll be satisfied." He has, but we're not.
Have Children Or Else
The state of Washington is a magnet for the eye of Sauron/righwing punditocracy right now. First it was the offensive launched in the War on Christmas by the Port when they defiled Christ by removing the Holiday trees from Sea-Tac. Then An Inconvenient Truth was banned and unbanned from educational venues in Federal Way, but today it's our same-sex marriage proponents down in Oly that are ruffling feathers - They've proposed a ballot measure that would require heterosexual couples to prove their marriages by producing an offspring within three years. Or face annulment.
McGavick Staring at a Hard Poll
The latest Survey USA Election Poll has Maria Cantwell at 54% and Mike!!!!!! at 42%. The poll was taken the weekend after the kick-ass debate on KING-5, and during the release of McGavick’s Seattle Times endorsement.
Hong Defeats Cantwell
Those sad, wet, cold people holding signs and waving to you this morning means that it is Election Day.
Court's Ruling Means God Won't Kill Us
Its okay everyone you may un-board your windows and come down from the hills. The State Supreme Court’s upholding of the Defense of Marriage Act means that God will not be seeking revenge on our state through a “natural” disaster.
All The News
-A group of smugglers who moved pot and cocaine between Canada and Washington via helicopter were indicted today. "They 'literally took cross-border smuggling to new heights.'" Groan.
Seattle Parent to Supreme Court: Make My Daughter a Beaver!
We wouldn't think that failing to get your daughter into Ballard High School would be so disappointing that you'd take it all the way to the Supreme Court. After all, who wants their daughter to be a Beaver for life?
Feds Silencing Scientists?
In yet another of the Bush administration's sneaky attempts to control the message that the public hears about matters involving science, the Bush gang has decided that all questions about Washington State salmon policy be fielded by political appointees, most of whom don't even live in this state. By using appointees, Bush can build up his crony train and spew whatever bullshit they want about the science behind our salmon situation.
Elsewhere in Ist
Shanghaiist probably knows a little more about China than the Chicago Sun-Times. Giving them the benefit of the doubt on that one. The city does to have a music scene. Don't even front like they don't. They also have Dorito bananas and white guys shopping for wives. What they don't have is any more tolerance for jaywalkers.
All The News That's Fit To Post
ID=1984: Continuing on yesterday's Database Of Oppression theme, Mayor Nichols is pushing a city database to hold information on troublesome night spots.
Western Recall
Recall elections are awesome. A few years ago we were lucky enough to go through one in California. It turned an ordinary fall into a non-stop free for all of stump speech watching action. In the end we got a new governor who knows a little something about excitement, and the American political process got a little gooder.
Judge Rules In Favor of Gregoire
Judge John Bridges of Chelan County Superior Court just finished reading his ruling on last year's governor's election. He ruled against the Republicans, saying that for him to overturn the election based on proportional analysis, without proof of fraud, would be "the ultimate act of judicial activism."
Trial Starts Today
The trial over last year’s governor’s race is finally underway with opening arguments in Chelan County. It looks like this will be a contentious two week event with both sides agreeing that the case will ultimately end up before the state Supreme Court.
After the Trial...Who Knows
Washington has long been called the San Diego of the Pacific Northwest. However, it remains to be seen that if like San Diego our top political spot is heading for a re-vote. Chances for such a vote seem unlikely, but Seattlest knows this: never say never.
The Law and Your iPod
If you are at all interested in digital media, copyright, technology, and your rights online, you are probably following the Metro Goldwyn Mayer, et al., v. Grokster case currently being tried by the Supreme Court. The essential nuts and bolts of this case is whether or not software creators can be held liable if their technology can be used to perpetrate copyright violations. The case is also a discussion of the famed Betamax case that allows people to make copies of media for their fair use.
The Wackiness Continues in Chelan County
We’ve all had a great deal of fun watching this wacky governor’s race. First there were the recounts (insert sound of slide whistle), then there were the found ballots (insert sound of clown laughing), then there were the list of felons and dead individuals who voted (insert sound of pie hitting someone in the face), and now we have the death threats (insert sound of awkward silence)…Ahem, will this fun ever end?
Same-Sex Marriage Troops Mobilizing
As the first movement on the issue since the Presidential Election in November, the wranglings in our state Supreme Court will definitely be something to see, and the fallout could be dramatic. Will we carry on with our current status quo, or will same-sex marriage be made legal in the state, and, if so, will east King County and eastern Washington be re-energized in their plea for independence from Soddom?
Smoke Free World Threatened
Seattle smokers are breathing a little, uh, easier, today after the state Supreme Court struck down a Pierce County smoking ban, stating that banning smoking from Pierce County bars, restaurants, and casinos is in conflict with state law.

