The thematic links don't end there: as the Republican attack apparatus continues to distort and position Dino Rossi as the change candidate, his ties to the "usual suspects" on the right are coming to light. Just as Obama steps up his attacks on McCain for his lobbyist-run campaign and entanglements with special interests, the same story is emerging in the Washington Governor's race with respect to Republican nominee, but with a twist: not only is the Republican's campaign completely beholden to a narrow slice of extreme business interests, there is a clear personal business relationship between the lobbyists, the industry groups, and the Republican candidate.
They're not only funding his campaign, but his personal wealth is directly tied up with them - and they're breaking the law to help his campaign, using under-reported money that comes from a state-mandated program that is supposed to fund worker safety programs. Now he has been included in a lawsuit alleging that he may have had a personal role in soliciting some of the illegal contributions - he may have to give a deposition as soon as October 15th.
Here's the background as reported by the Washington press:
[...] the Rossi bandwagon is on the move. It's receiving substantial help from the Republican Governors Association and out-of-state dollars that weren't available to underdog Rossi in 2004. [...] The Building Industry Association of Washington has pounded Gregoire for months, including those "Don't Let Seattle Steal This Election!" signs plastered across Eastern Washington. ChangePAC, the BIAW's front group, has collected $2.7 million and spent just over $2 million
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/connelly/3 78810_Joel12.html
More after the jump...
· WI-08: Wingnut plans to run as "conservative independent" (desmoinesdem)
· 50 percent of southerners say Obama better president than Bush (desmoinesdem)
· What Yesterday Says About Young Voters (Mike Connery)
· Max Blumenthal on the dysfunctional movement driving the GOP (Mike Connery)
· IA-Gov: Culver launches second tv ad (desmoinesdem)
· Hilarious Vid On Why We Must Vote No On Issue 2!! (Cliff Schecter)
· NY-23: Scozzafava Drops Out! (lipris)
· NY-23: Pataki Goes Rogue, Endorses Teabagger Darling Doug Hoffman (lipris)
· Dunne Considering Run For VT-Gov (Nathan Empsall)
· McGovern Grandson Looks to Challenge Thune in 2010 (Jonathan Singer)
· IA-03: Two potential challengers for Boswell (desmoinesdem)
· NJ-Gov: Daggett Goes After Christie and Corzine (Jonathan Singer)
