Political Consequences of BIAW Corruption

“The goose that lays golden eggs has been considered a most valuable possession. But even more profitable is the privilege of taking the golden eggs laid by somebody else's goose.”

Louis D. Brandeis in “Other’s People’s Money… And How the Bankers Use It”

Published by Harper's Weekly, November 29, 1913

Louis Brandeis wrote the above book to describe how the rich and powerful “controlled people using the people’s own money.” This is exactly what is happening with our political system today. It is one thing for corporations to use their own money to control elections. It is quite another for corporations to use tax payer money to control elections. The kind of corruption described by Brandeis led to the Great Depression. Similar corporate corporation, combined with a lack of government oversight, is leading to a Second Great Depression today. The fox is not merely guarding the chicken house, the fox now owns the chicken house. We should therefore not be surprised that when all the chickens disappear.

There has been a great deal of media attention given to the BIAW attempts to take over the Governor’s Office and the State Supreme Court as well as their involvement with our current Attorney General. Certainly had BIAW succeeded in controlling either our Governor or our Supreme Court, it would have increased their chances of keeping their windfall pot of gold.

But far less attention has been given to the BIAW’s efforts to manipulate our State legislature.

While the BIAW has been tipping elections to pro-BIAW candidates since at least 1994, in local elections as well as House and Senate elections, we will use the 2008 State House of Representatives contested races as an example in part because in the December 2008 BIAW newsletter, Building Insight, the BIAW boasted that they were “5 for 5” in tipping closely contested House races in 2008. These 5 races are shown below:

2008 House 5 Races “Targeted” by BIAW

In each of these 5 races, the BIAW and affiliated PAC’s spent more than $50,000 promoting the Republican candidate over the pro-education Democratic candidate. In two of the 5 cases, the Democratic candidate was a former teacher (Tim Knue and Don Barlow). In 3 of the 5 races, the BIAW knocked out seats formerly held by pro-education Democratic incumbents (44^th, 6^th and 26^th LD’s). In the 7 most closely contested 2008 House races not targeted by the BIAW, Democrats won four.

So without the intervention of the BIAW, Democrats would have won as many as 8 of the 12 closest State House races in 2008. Pro-education progressive advocates would have picked up several more votes in the State House. Instead, Pro-BIAW Republicans won 8 of the 12 closest House races making our State one of only a few in the nation in which Democrats lost seats.

Nor is this problem limited to the 2008 State House race. BIAW candidates also won in the State Senate in several closely contested swing districts.  Nor is the problem merely limited to Republican legislators. The BIAW has also made significant campaign contributions to several of the leaders of the Democratic caucus including Ross Hunter, Fred Jarrett, Judy Clibborn, Larry Springer, Deb Eddy, Pat Sullivan, and Deb Wallace.

But the real problem is not just the 2008 election. It was the prior 10 elections before that.

In all, the BIAW has tipped more than two dozen legislative races making education funding reform all but impossible. There is no doubt that the BIAW is blocking progressive pro-education reforms in Washington State. The May 2009 BIAW Newsletter “Building Insight stated: "After coming in like a lion, the 2009 Legislature went out like a lamb." The newsletter lists 14 legislative proposals that it opposed. The word "Dead" was attached to 12 of them.

Erin Shannon, BIAW public relations director was so proud of BIAW’s ability to buy elections  and block progressive bills that she openly stated: "We are kicking their ass. How many years have we whipped labor. ..It was a big 'Fuck you!' to all the liberals out there."

At least some Democrats have had the courage to stand up to the BIAW. The Chairperson of the State Democratic party, Dwight Pelz has stated: "There is no other group in Washington state fighting harder against worker, consumer and environmental protections than the BIAW."

Brendan Williams, a leader in the House for protecting homeowners, stated:

Now more than ever, we must speak truth to power and condemn this organization for the scourge upon politics that it is. And this coming session we must finally stand up to it in the pursuit of substantive consumer rights. It's absolutely unpardonable that those Washingtonians struggling in this economy to pay 30-year mortgages on new single-family homes must also pay for their homebuilder's negligence. Even conservative states like Louisiana and Texas provide statutory warranty rights - running up to ten years - for those purchasing new homes. In opposing such rights this past session, BIAW was so unworried it was even able to engage in crude "comedy" - bringing into a House Judiciary hearing the Republican candidate, Jan Angel, targeting Judiciary Chair (and homeowners' rights supporter) Pat Lantz's seat. Angel was one of the BIAW candidates to win November 4. Our citizens deserve better.

Senator Karen Keiser of Kent has also been vocal about the need for Retro Reform. She stated:

“Using the workers compensation system as a cash cow for their political ambitions is flat out corrupt and should be stopped."