Video of the Nomination of Jon Haugen
Okay, to be honest, it is not officially a “sanction” as the GOP did with Marc Boldt, but it essentially amounts to the same thing, Haugen being “cut off from campaign funding the party doles out to the Democratic candidates it favors” as he did not receive the party’s nomination in his effort to unseat Republican first termer, Jaime Herrera Beutler for the 3rd Congressional District Representative.
Another amazing example of hypocrisy from Democrats as it was they who yelled the loudest when news came out of County Commissioner Marc Boldt being “sanctioned” by the Clark County GOP last November over his many departures from the GOP platform.
The Columbian led the charge with “Why was Boldt sanctioned by GOP?”, “Boldt flap prompts two to quit GOP board”, and more, including an editorial “In Our View: GOP Wounds Self-Inflicted” containing the sub-headline, “Criticizing your own is no way to act as the campaign season approaches.”
Now what we read from the Columbian is “Candidate Haugen has ‘fairly horrible experience’ at Dems’ convention.”
No mention of “self-inflicted wounds” and certainly no hundreds of outrage expressed by commenters as when Democrats chose to blast Republicans over essentially the same thing.
We read the party refused to endorse Haugen due to his opposition to the CRC project and included strong opposition from 49th legislative district representative, Jim Moeller, undoubtedly the biggest hypocrite serving in Olympia today.
When Marc Boldt was “sanctioned,” Moeller chimed in
“Lew Waters Your belief that when you state you’re a Republican or Democrat or Independent or Socialist or Progressive or Prohibition party candidate that you agree with the party platform is not very realistic. I don’t agree with everything on the party platform and I don’t think there is a expectation that I do so. I suspect those that have the thankless job of writing the party platform the Republican party are cut for the same cloth as those from the Democratic party – the “true believers” on the right and the “yellow dog Democrats” on the left. Political parties are semi-public associations. They are not private clubs that you can be thrown out of for breaking the rules. As an executive board, with your own by-laws, the CCRCC can clearly ‘sanction’ anyone they choose. My question is, why? Why would you hand us (the D’s) such an obvious political win? DO you think voters vote for your platform or for the candidate? You think they are thinking of page 10 line 28 or that Mark was a legislator then County Commissioner when they mark their ballot? I don’t think Mark has never lost an election that I can recall! I can understand your frustration with some of Mark’s positions (we’ve had a few ourselves :-)) but to sanction him and to expect him to heel to the party platform is political lunacy! There is only one oath that all candidates (if they’re lucky enough) are required to swear and that is to uphold the constitutions and laws of Washington State and the United States. There is nothing else required.”
Clark County Democrat Vice Chairman Nick Ande said then,
“The Clark County Democrats are a ‘big tent’ organization. We don’t assume that all Democrats are going to have exactly the same views, and we appreciate that diversity in viewpoint within our party rather than admonishing it. No county Democrat has been blacklisted because they have what are perceived as more moderate viewpoints.”
I’d classify refusing to endorse the “only Democrat” in the race as “admonishment.”
Jim Moeller now says, “Jon will still be on the ballot. He’ll still be in the voters’ guide. He just won’t have the endorsement of local Democrats or the state party,” just as Marc Boldt will not from the local GOP.
Moeller added he “can’t support a candidate who is opposed to the CRC project,” pointing out as well that “Haugen ran once in the past as an independent.”
Marsha Manning, 3rd District chairwoman for Democrats adds,
“We don’t support candidates who don’t support the bridge. Its jobs. It’s everything that we need right now.”
Love that diversity of thought Dems were boasting back when they using Marc Boldt to hammer Republicans with.
I suspected something like this Saturday evening as I stumbled across a twitter exchange between Haugen’s daughter, Allison and Moeller.
It’s obvious to me she is not well pleased with Jim Moeller either.
Mike Heywood, Democrats 49th legislative district chairman backs Haugen, but he lost in the vote to endorse Haugen at the Democrats convention this past weekend.
Thanks in large part to Jim Moeller, Haugen stands alone in what was already a lopsided race in a redistricted district favoring Herrera.
Will we see Lou Brancaccio editorializing of the Democrats “self-inflicted wound?” Will we see John Laird editorializing about Democrats “Banishing Haugen?” We will see Stephanie Rice salivating in bashing Democrats for this obvious “miscarriage of justice” as they stick it to one of their own?
I’m not holding my breath.
Jim Moeller’s arrogance and hypocrisy are reaching legendary proportions as we recently saw him dancing over joining a lawsuit to cast out the voice of 71% of Clark County voters over our demand of a 2/3 majority requirement for tax increases.
We saw him gleefully throw a budget with a $1.5 Billion gap on the back burner as he delved into passing homosexual marriage into law instead of seeking a balanced budget to benefit constituents’.
No, he’s shown he is more likely to sue us when things go as he wants and now, he has shown that any Democrat who speaks with reason should shown the door.
It’s well passed time we rid ourselves of the infestation of Jim Moeller that continues to rot our state legislature from within.
We have a chance with a common sense conservative, Carolyn Crain who will actually represent us, stand with us and be on our side for a change and not the special interests of light rail Fatcats, public unions and every other means to steal more of our hard earned tax dollars from us.
We can follow Wisconsin’s example and actually turn our state around by electing Eileen Qutub and Debbie Peterson.
We need to keep people like Don Benton in the 17th and Ann Rivers in the 18th.
We need people on our side for a change like Liz Pike and Julie Olson.
But most of all, we need to show Jim Moeller the door.
I can’t honestly say I agree with every stand of Jon Haugen’s, maybe not even most. But he deserved better from fellow Democrats than to have them turn their backs on him as Jim Moeller’s behest, all because of the light rail bridge project that will bankrupt taxpayers for generations to come.
UPDATE: Jon Haugen’s daughter Jessica left a very interesting comment on the Columbian’s article,
“I was at the convention. And, yes, Rep Moeller did a lot to influence the vote. His exact words were: “I do not believe Jon Haugen is a real democrat. He does not support Patty Murray, Governor Gregoire, or Jay Inslee”. Now what would you think after hearing a speech like that from an elected official? Obviously, delegate votes were swayed by his misleading and untrue statements. No where in his speech bashing my father did he say, ‘Jon and I disagree on the bridge and that is why I do not endorse him.’ Instead, he stated that my father is not a democrat and does not support prominent democratic members in our state. His comments were hurtful and made me ashamed of my own party for the first time in my life. When my mother confronted Jim after he made these comments, he agreed that democrats will stab each other in the back – which is exactly what happened.”
I would hope people in the 49th begin waking to the hypocritical stance and arrogance of Jim Moeller, who does not deserve to be returned to Olympia.
