Press Release from CD4 Caucus Chair

You've probably all heard about the threats to Patty Murray and the subsequent arrest of Charles Wilson for making them. Lest anyone think this is making a big deal out of nothing, George Fearing lets us in on the content of these threats, and calling on our Congressman to step up and call for civil discourse. Our CD4 Democratic Candidate, Jay Clough, also had a letter to the editor printed this week. You can see it here. Following is George's press release:

Last week’s news propelled central Washington into the national spotlight when federal authorities charged Selah resident Charles Wilson with threatening to assault and murder Senator Patty Murray in an attempt to intimidate her in her official duties and to retaliate against her for her Health Care Reform Act vote.

From March 22 to April 4, central Washington’s Charles Wilson inundated Senator Patty Murray’s Seattle office voice mail box. During a March 22 message, Wilson intoned:

There are many people out there who want you dead. Just remember that as you are politicking for your election. It only takes one piece of lead.... Kill the f***ing senator! Kill the f***ing senator! I’ll donate the lead... Now that you have passed your health-care bill, let the violence begin. Let the violence begin.... We are not a country of cowards, as one of the high ranking people of this administration says. You’ll find out how f***ng cowardly we really are, my dear. Better get under your desk, get on your (unintelligible). [Expletives modified]

On March 23, alliterative Charles Wilson boasted God and guns as his bedrock beliefs:

With the passing of your health-care bill, it is living proof that ... This great country that believes in God and guns. Since you’ve done this, there’s going to be some bigger targets on your f***ing back.... I hope somebody kills you, and I hope somebody kills [the President]. Yes, die dead. You’re signing my death warrant, so I want to sign yours, f***ing b****.

A later message on March 23 read:

By your attempts to overtake this country with socialism, somebody’s gonna get to you one way or another and blow your f***ing brains out, and I hope it does happen. If I have the chance, I would do it.... I hope you f***ing die. I want to f***ing kill you. I hope somebody f***ing hangs you, blows your f***ing brains out. We will not be socialized, you f***ing c**t.... You are a marked person for the rest of your f***ing life, you f***ing slut.

Apparently not satisfied with his earlier barbaric broadsides, Charles Wilson, who happens himself to benefit from Social Security, Medicare, government roads, and socialized education, added a third message on March 23:

Kill the f***ing Senator! Hang f***ing Senator! I hope somebody puts a f***ng bullet between your f***ing eyes. Far left liberal socialist democratic b****. I hope someone f***ing [sic] erasers your f***ing life. Yes, I hope somebody f***ing assassinates you, you f***ing bitch.

Then during an April Fool’s Day conversation with an undercover agent, Charles Wilson boasted carrying a .38 revolver; registration records confirm that Wilson owns such a gun. Wilson told the agent he would “not blink” to use it. Even before the threats of violence, Wilson, while cowardly blocking his telephone number, devoted months to leaving off-hour vulgar voice mail messages to Senator Murray’s office.

On April 1, Tea Party emissaries assembled outside the Yakima Red Lion to protest the presence of Patty Murray. In an April 4 message to Senator Murray, Wilson confirmed his participation in the protest. My son and I were present at the protest to raise signs in favor of Murray. We were met with insults from Tea Party acolytes, including taunts about Democrats too vulgar to quote here, from a man who met the description of Charles Wilson.

Republican leaders accuse Democrats with advertising, for political gain, the reprehensible threats issued by people like Charles Wilson. Although purporting on the one hand to denounce the threats, Republican leaders add on the other hand that the American people are angry over the health care bill. For his part, our central Washington congressman hasn’t gone even that far, choosing instead simply to remain silent about the obscene and savage comments of his constituent, Charles Wilson.

Central Washington Democrats implore our Republican, Libertarian, and Independent neighbors and friends to respect our Democratic President, Senators, and other government officials. Please use the ballot box, not hate and violence, to meet your political goals. We Democrats are also Americans and have more in common with you than differences with you. Please also remember that you benefit from programs begun by Democrats, such as Social Security, Medicare, and agricultural subsidies, which were earlier denounced as socialism. Also, Democrats built irrigation systems that water our central Washington crops, dams that bring our region cheap energy, and the Hanford site that employs thousands of our neighbors.

For eight years, central Washington Democrats persisted under the rash and reckless policies of the Republican Bush administration. We endured a stolen presidential election, tax cuts benefiting the wealthy, ruinous economic policies favoring the rich, deregulation of the financial industry that brought a financial crisis, growing budget deficits, lies leading to a costly and deadly war, appointment of ideological judges, and torture in the name of Christianity. For the last sixteen years, we have also endured a robotic, ethically challenged Republican congressman, purchased by big oil and large corporations. Despite strong disagreement, we never issued threats of violence against a government official. Instead, we successfully worked to overturn wrongs through the ballot box.

George Fearing, Chairperson

Fourth Congressional District Democrats

Successful Convention

Klickitat Democrats gathered in Dallesport on Saturday for the County Convention.
Convention Chairman Jim Daniel lead us as we elected three delegates and two alternates to the State Convention in June during the LD 15 subcaucus portion of the agenda. Five people ran for delegate positions.

Elected as delegates were Mary Pierce (Lyle), Steve Crothers (White Salmon) and Ann Stephenson (White Salmon). Alternates, both from White Salmon, are Brooke LeBlanc and Shelley Baxter.

During the Nominating Convention part of the agenda, PCOs present (from Trout Lake, N. Fruit Valley, Lyle, and Goldendale) voted Victoria Allen as the Democratic nominee for the Office of Assessor.

The assembly voted to endorse Jay Clough as our 4th Congressional District candidate, as well as Victoria Allen for Assessor.

Pat Arnold led a spirited discussion of our County Platform. A draft of this document will be posted on the main website, and voted on at future meeting.

Making News-Not in a Good Way

One of our members has a friend in Texas who writes a non-blog that is just a hoot. Juanita Jean, of the World's Most Dangerous Beauty Salon, has decided to give a Washington resident a very special award.

Charles Alan Wilson of Selah, Washington, is this week’s winner of the Wee Winkie Contest.

The Wee Winkie Contest was invented by Juanita many years ago when rewarding local county commissioners for their need to have their seats in the commissioner court room site exactly three inches higher than everybody else. She still contends that they came up with that number while sitting around playing with rulers in their laps.

Patty Murray knows why Charles Alan Wilson won the prize. Now people everywhere will know, too. Read all about it here and enjoy Juanita's special brand of humor, Texas-style.

Fair and Balanced? Not in Goldendale.

Condolences if you are Democrat living in the Sentinal distribution area. Be assured that the Klickitat Democrats send press releases to the White Salmon Enterprise and the Sentinal at the same time. The Enterprise prints our news, event notices and letters to the editor. The Sentinal? Not so much.

Last week we sent a press release about our County Convention to both papers. We are required to give public notice. Our members saw it in the Enterprise. But, surprise surprise, nothing in the Sentinal. For some reason, anything that remotely resembles something from the Democratic Party ends up in the circular file. We are not paranoid. We've been keeping count for a while.

So Klickitat Democrats: it's up to us. If you are a Democrat in the Goldendale area, let the Sentinal know what you think about their censorship. Check the Klickitat Democrats website regularly. Sign up for our newsletter and emails. If you have friends in the Goldendale area, forward your Klickitat Dems emails. Because information won't get to them via their neighborhood newspaper. Sad, but true. It's a small effort on our parts; let's not leave the Goldendale precincts in the dark!

CALL TO MEETING

Every two years, the Washington State Democrats host Caucuses, County Conventions and a State Convention. These events play a big part in defining and building the Washington State Democratic Party.

By taking part in the Caucus and Convention cycle, Democrats define what the Party stands for by helping to develop the platform. They meet with other Democrats and work together to make the Party stronger. Becoming involved in the Party lays the groundwork for further political work in the community.

The Klickitat County Democratic Party will hold its County Convention, Legislative District 15 Sub-caucus and Nominating Convention on Saturday, April 10, 2010 at the Dallesport Elementary School, 6th Ave and Central Ave, Dallesport. All Democrats residing in Klickitat County are eligible to participate.

The primary purpose of the convention is to shape the County Party Platform to address issues of importance to local Democrats. The LD15 Sub-caucus will elect 3 delegates and 2 alternates to the Washington State Democratic Party Convention, to be held June 25-26 in Vancouver. Interested Democrats are encouraged to run for delegate positions. You must be registered to vote in Klickitat County to run and/or vote. The Klickitat Democrats will also hold their Nominating Convention at this time. All Precinct Committee Officers (PCOs), elected and appointed, are eligible to vote for Party nominees to County Partisan offices.

Doors will open at 9:30 for registration. The Convention will commence at approximately 10:00 am. There is no fee to participate but donations are appreciated. No advance reservation or registration is required to participate. A $50 State Convention Registration Fee will be requested from each delegate upon election. However, no person shall be excluded on the basis of non-payment of this fee.

For more information, visit www.klickitatdemocrats.org.

State Democratic Party Lauds Health Care Reform

The most critical piece of domestic legislation since Medicare

SEATTLE – The Washington State Democratic Party today congratulated Congress for passing “the most critical piece of domestic legislation since Medicare.”

“For Democrats, Health Care Reform is the Holy Grail of progressive change," said Dwight Pelz, Chair of the Washington State Democratic Party. “Despite the unconscionable opposition of the Republican Party, the Democrats in Congress have prevailed and passed the most critical piece of domestic legislation since Medicare.”

“History will judge Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi, and Harry Reid as courageous leaders,” said Pelz. “McConnell, Boehner, and Congressional Republicans will be seen as a herd of ostriches with their heads in the sand and their hands in the pockets of the insurance companies.”

With the vote of the House to concur with the Senate bill, the focus now turns to legislation before the Senate to fix the weaknesses in America’s newly adopted health care policy.

“For weeks all we have heard about from Senate Republicans is the flaws in the Senate legislation. Now it is their chance to vote through reconciliation to repeal the Louisiana Purchase and Cornhusker Kickback and other obvious errors in the original bill," said Pelz.

Please take a moment and go to the Washington Democrats website to thank our delegation for supporting health care reform.

And while you're at it, go to Jay Clough's Campaign and make a donation. Our current Congressman voted NO in unison with his fellow travelers. We need a Congressman who cares about the people in CD 4.

BECOME A DELEGATE TO THE STATE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION!

Every two years, the Washington State Democrats host Caucuses, County Conventions, and a State Convention. You are invited to take part in these events, which play a big part in defining and building the Washington State Democratic Party. This year, the State Convention will be held on Saturday, June 26th, in Vancouver, Washington.

By taking part in the Caucus and Convention cycle you can define what the Party stands for by helping to develop our platform. You can meet other Democrats and work together to make the Party stronger. You can become involved in the Party and lay the groundwork for further political work in your community.

In 2008 we began the Caucus and Convention cycle with over 6,000 precinct caucuses across the state. Because this is not a Presidential election year, we will not hold precinct caucuses. This year, the first step to be a delegate to Vancouver will be the Legislative District Caucuses on Sunday, March 14th. These are followed by the County Conventions on April 10th and our State Convention on June 26th. The Klickitat County Convention will include the LD15 Sub-caucus instead of having a separate LD event.

You may run for Delegate if:

• You are a resident registered voter in Klickitat County.

• You are available to serve at the State Convention June 26 in Vancouver.

To run for Delegate:

• Sign the nomination list at the registration table at the County Convention. No second for nomination is needed.
  
• If you cannot be present at the Convention/LD subcaucus, submit a written statement thatyou will serve if elected, and that you are a Democrat and willing to be known as such. Your letter will be read by the sub-caucus chair and shall constitute a nomination.
  

At the Convention/LD Sub-caucus:

• Each candidate will be given one minute for speech on their behalf.

• Voting is by signed ballot.

• Delegates and alternates will be selected from the same set of ballots, in order of vote tally. Each delegation will be equally divided between women and men in both the delegate and alternate categories (unless there are insufficient nominees from one gender to fill available positions).
  

Once elected:

• Delegates and alternates will be given a certificate of election.

• Each delegate will be requested to pay a $50 state convention registration fee. No person shall be excluded or disqualified at any level on the basis of non-payment of the fee.

The delegates and alternates elected at the County Convention will join the Klickitat County Delegation to the State Convention, including the State Committeeman, State Committeewoman, and County Chair. A strong Democratic Party is the foundation for election of our candidates, and your participation will help build and strengthen the Party. The work we do now will lay the groundwork for Senator Murray's reelection in the fall, and President Obama's in 2012. Consider running for a delegate position on April 10th.