Yesterday, we reported that the GOP caucus in Olympia was looking for a statuette of an elephant that had been stolen from their caucus room. The light-weight black ceramic elephant was lifted last month during the open-house festivities in the Capitol building at this year's Governor's Inaugural Ball.

Pining away for their elephant—a gift from former Republican Senate leader Sen. Jeanette Hayner (R-16, Walla Walla)—the GOP plastered the Olympia campus with elephant missing posters yesterday.

PubliCola got on the case, and tapping our unseemly network of Democratic informants, we made one phone call, and shazam!, the guilty culprit delivered the elephant to our office last night. It was lovingly stowed in a Christmas shopping bag. 



What did the thief have to say for herself? Well, she said to tell the Republicans she was sorry. Although, she added that she used to be a Republican—and identifying herself as a scientist who's no longer religious—said she's lost her enthusiasm for the Party.

This morning, I wrapped the elephant—which appears to have an ash tray on its head—in a bath towel and put it in my backpack for my bike ride downtown to meet my carpool. I handed it off to the cheering GOP at their caucus office when I got to Olympia.



They didn't want to know who the culprit was. They just wanted their elephant back.