1. The Franklin County Republicans voted to censure state Rep. Maureen Walsh (R-16, Walla Walla, College Place) this week because she co-sponsored this year's domestic partners bill, which passed 62-35. (The bill gives domestic partners the same legal rights and responsibilities as married couples.)  McCranium has the story and the Franklin County GOP press release. I've got a call into Rep. Walsh.

Will Rep. Walsh be the latest Republican legislator to realize the Republican party is too far to the right and pull a Specter?

The Franklin County GOP press release says:

Representative Walsh has claimed that Republicans favor her agenda of stripping traditional marriage of its meaning and watering down the definition of the words “marriage” and “family”. Thus, we, The Franklin County Republican Central Committee, formally give the Franklin County community and voting constituents of District 16, NOTICE, that Representative Maureen Walsh does not represent the values of the Franklin County Republican Party. 

2. The SeattlePI.com has an interview with state Senate Majority Leader Sen. Lisa Brown (D-3, Spokane). Sen. Brown says she wants the stalled legislation about amending I-937, the voter-approved renewable energy initiative, to be on the agenda for the pending special session. She's obsessed.  

3. Port Commissioner Lloyd Hara to replace King County Assessor Scott Noble ?

4. Ron Sims was confirmed as Deputy Secretary at HUD. 

5. See the post below this one for PubliCola's review of the first debate between the Democratic party candidates who are vying for Sims' spot. (Meanwhile, the frontrunner for the interim spot—which will be picked by the County Council in concert with recommendations by a blue ribbon panel—is Sims' Chief of Staff Kurt Triplett. He's obsessed.)

6. Watch for today's special installment of MusicNerd. Coming at Noon.