October 17, 2008 - 01:26

BIAW ties make their way into state house politics

The Building Industry Association of Washington, whose political moves have made headlines this season, mainly in their support of Republican gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi, is also making waves in local races.

It is going on most recently in the 26th Legislative District, where former Port Orchard mayor Kim Abel (D-Port Orchard) is accusing her opponent, Kitsap County Councilmember Jan Angel (R-Port Orchard), of taking money from the group, and has called on her to return it due to the fact that the BIAW is currently under investigation for violating state campaign finance laws.

Abel recently sent a letter to Angel saying, "You and I both know, that as candidates, we have unique control over our campaigns. We and we alone can say who gives us money and what our campaign says. Please return the money because I believe that public office is not for sale, we need to follow the rules, and so do our supporters."

Angel, however, has denied taking contributions from the BIAW.

The BIAW agrees and told the Tacoma News-Tribune that "[Abel] apparently is 'un-Abel' to figure out a PDC form. Neither the BIAW nor the Washington Affordable Housing Council (BIAW's PAC) have contributed to the Angel race."

The group that has contributed to Angel is the Affordable Housing Council of Kitsap County. They are the political action group for the Home Builders Association of Kitsap County, which is an affiliate of the BIAW. The BIAW says local affiliates make their own decisions.

The House Republican Organizational Committee, who sees this seat as one of their best chances for a pickup, weighed in as well. They accused Abel of being evasive during her run for Mayor of Port Orchard.

"As Mayor of Port Orchard, Kim Abel could have chosen to report her campaign donors, instead she opted for secrecy," HROC Executive Director Kevin Carns said in a release. "Under Kim Abel's supervision, the comprehensive plan for the city was rejected and Port Orchard was ineligible for matching grants. That's money that won't be spent on sidewalks, parks and traffic fixes. Is Kim Abel protecting donors who had an influence in her land use decisions? Or was she just plain incompetent? Until she releases the source and amounts of her previous donors, we will never know. Her attempt to smear Jan Angel is an act of desperation and clearly hypocritical."

Abel denies any wrongdoing involving her past campaign filings as mayor and called the whole thing "malarkey". She explained to PolitickerWA.com that the Public Disclosure Committee told her she did not need to file all of her contributors because her jurisdiction was too small.

It was a decision she disagreed with, and says she kept all of her records on file on principle, and would be glad to share them with anyone who asked, but no one has.

She continued to say that the HROC was "grasping at straws in that response back" and maintains that Angel needs to return the money that is linked to the BIAW.

There was a similar scuffle two weeks ago between 46th District Democrats when Gerry Pollet (D-Seattle) and a number of environmental activists called on opponent Scott White (D-Seattle) to return contributions from the Affordable Housing Council, the PAC for the King and Snohomish Counties Master Builders Association.

In response White touted endorsements from groups such as the Washington Conservation Voters and the Sierra Club, and acknowledged the contribution but insisted, like Angel, that there were no BIAW ties behind it.

"The fact is that like many in the environmental community, I respect the work of certain developers who are committed to density, green building, protecting forests and farmlands, and other principles of the [Growth Management Act}," White said in a statement. "Many of these builders are small businessmen and are members of the local Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties. I received a donation from the local Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties (not the BIAW) months ago and long before any connection was made between the BIAW and these local groups.

"The reprehensible comments and campaign tactics of the BIAW are an insult to voters.  For my opponent and his proxies to suggest that I support the tactics and policies of the BIAW is a scurrilous and desperate attempt to mislead voters."

Bryan Bissell is a PolitickerWA.com Reporter and can be reached via email at noreply@politicker.com.

Comments

Sexy Prom Dress Prom night is


Sexy Prom Dress
Prom night is the occasion most teenagers look forward to. Prom marks the end of one phase of life and the beginning of another. It is the night of glamour as it is the last formal
occasion celebrated in high school and it is to be remembered and cherished. This is the reason why dressing up is so important.
Planning for the prom starts weeks in advance with a search for the dress, taking into account material, color and of course, the shoes. These days, it is not enough to be just beautiful. The final effect has to be as stunning and even as sexy as possible. The most popular sexy prom dresses are satin, sequined, vintage and the little black Prom Dresses as well as the hanky hem, the short and spicy prom dress and the classic Cinderella ball gown.
For a sexy prom dress, it is very important to determine the exact kind of dress that would suit you. The dress may look great on a model but it is necessary that it looks great on you too. To that end, take accurate hip, waist and bust measurements. Next, determine the kind of body you have-an A or H type, round or hourglass body-before you ship for a dress to die for.The Prom Dress can be sexier when it's the right color. Dark muted colors like deep gray, wine, forest green, burgundy, midnight blue and cocoa flatter a fuller figure while neutral colors like silver, black, gray, beige, gold and taupe give a longer, leaner look. Long straight cuts and vertical patterns also make the wearer look slim and sexy.
A professional would be able to help design the sexiest dress. There are several online outlets that sell beautiful Prom Dresses. These websites also provide information about choosing the right kind of Prom Dress and also help to design one. These include dresses from popular designers like Jovani, Riva, Alyce, Mori Lee, Cassandra, Je Matadi, Tiffany and Celebrity.
Prom Dress provides detailed information about Prom Dresses, sexy prom dress, best Prom Dress, cheap prom dress and more. Homecoming Dresses is the sister site of Denim Skirts.

10/08/09 2:02 am

Very Nice Site.It was my


Very Nice Site.It was my pleasure to visit your Website. I am also very Website you enjoy the article.And I also have the feeling that it was really a pity that we didn’t meet each other earlier. Because the kindness and warmth in your Website can make me completely relaxed and happy. I hope that you will visit my blog too to see if you can have the same feeling.http://www.buynikeshoes.com.T-shirts Sunglass Other Brand shoes Nike Air Jordan Nike Air shox Nike Air max Jeans Jackets Handbags Gucci shoes Dunk SB shoes Sandal Climbing shoes CAPS brand clothes boots Air Force 1s Adidas shoes Kid's shoes Jerseys Long Sleeve T-shirts NBA Basketball shoes

Welcome come to buynikeshoes Store, we specialize in collecting shoes, Nike Air Jordan,cheap Nike Air shox Nike Air max since 2006, we get cheap Jeans and new Other Brand shoes,T-shirts Sunglass every month, our Jeans are in highest quality, if you see our Jackets you will definitely love those Handbags Gucci shoes Dunk SB shoes Sandal. More info please clike the following link All shop, online shopping Sandal Long Sleeve T-shirts NBA Basketball shoes ecommerce, cheap Climbing shoes. We are the best and new boots, our and new Air Force 1s and new Adidas shoes Kid's shoes Jerseys Long Sleeve T-shirts NBA Basketball shoes ecommerce open source shop online shopping are very good.

05/04/09 9:42 pm

Post new comment

  • Web page addresses and e-mail addresses turn into links automatically.
  • Allowed HTML tags: <a> <p> <em> <strong> <cite> <code> <ul> <ol> <li> <dl> <dt> <dd> <br>
  • Lines and paragraphs break automatically.

More information about formatting options

CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
5 + 9 =
Solve this simple math problem and enter the result. E.g. for 1+3, enter 4.