Washington: Washington State Republican Party

The Washington State Republican Party has filed a public records request with the Grays Harbor County auditor's office according to a report from the Aberdeen Daily World.

They wish to know about all communications between the auditor's office and any Democratic lawmaker, as well as any member of a number of groups concerned with this year's election, including the American Civil Liberties and the Union Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.

State Democrats are calling for Attorney General Rob McKenna to seek an immediate injunction against the Washington State Republican Party to keep it from advocating illegally for Dino Rossi, as they were found to have done by the Public Disclosure Commission.

They have also asked McKenna to appoint an independent counsel to conduct the investigation against the party because of the potential conflict of interest that comes from an attorney general investigating his own friends and party.

The Washington State Republican Party, back and rested from last week's Republican National Convention, is using multimedia this week to hit Gov. Chris Gregoire on transportation and taxes.

Yesterday the WSRP released a web video that highlights inaction under Gregoire on certain transportation issues, quoting Gregoire on what she has done and what needs to be done, juxtaposed with local newspaper clips disputing her notions.

Frequently the things politicians want to say wind up staying trapped behind their tongues in order to appear above the fray. That is where interest groups and state parties come into play.

Some of the hardest-hitting attacks so far in the governor's race have come from the state Democratic and Republican Parties, who have maintained their anti-Dino Rossi and anti-Chris Gregoire messages throughout the spring and summer. So it continues.