1. Incumbent City Council Member Jean Godden may totally dis her Council colleague Nick Licata tonight at North Seattle's 46th District meeting where rumor has it Godden plans to speak on behalf of Licata's challenger Jessie Israel. While Godden has already endorsed Israel —an unusual move for a sitting Council Member—speaking on behalf of Licata's opponent would be serious business, if not quite gauche. 

2. A few weeks ago, Morning Fizz reported that the 41st District Democrats (Mercer Island) were not going to let King County Council Member and candidate for King County Executive Dow Constantine interview for their endorsement. The chair of the district, Jeff Smith, told me without any reservation that he couldn't stand Constantine—and at one point he asked me if I knew that Dow's nickname used to be "DilDow."

I'm not sure if it's related, but late last night I got word that the chair of the 41st's endorsement committee, Sonja Rossman, was dismissed by Smith after her committee complained that the 41st needed to hear from all the candidates. 

I've linked Rossman's June 16  letter explaining the situation to members below the fold.

3. In the race for endorsements from the Democratic districts in South King County—which we've been obsessing over as the key to the race for King County Executive—King County Council Member Larry Phillips picked up the sole endorsement of the 5th District last night. That puts Phillips solidly ahead in South King County with sole endorsements now in the 31st, 5th, and 30th. 

Phillips has been dual endorsed with Constantine in the 47th. Constantine has one sole endorsement in the Southern turf—the 33rd. And Phillips, Constantine, and Ross Hunter shared the 11th's endorsement.

(P.S. Hunter netted the sole endorsement of the Eastside's 48th District—Medina, Clyde Hill, Hunts Point—last night, which is his District. Similarly, Constantine has already scored the sole endorsement of his district, the 34th in West Seattle. We'll see if Phillips and Jarrett win their home court—the 36th, Ballard and the 41st, Mercer Island—respectively.)

4.  Speaking of  Sole endorsements, City Council candidate David Bloom—the lefty church activist who's running against former County Prosecutor's Office Civil Division head Sally Bagshaw—netted another sole endorsement this week, South Seattle's 11th District. (Bloom also picked up the sole endorsement in the 43rd—Capitol Hill, the U. District, Wallingford—this week.)

 

This morning's Morning Fizz brought to you by:

Letter to the Membership from Sonja Rossman, Chair – 41st LD Endorsements Committee

 

This letter is being written to bring the membership up-to-date with the work of our committee and to explain the circumstances leading up to my dismissal today by the 41st LD Chair.
Our Committee had planned to make our recommendations to the 41st Executive Board at our July meeting for presentation to the 41st general membership at the July 16 meeting. This delay from the June meeting to July came about because of action by our Chair which prevented the membership from hearing from one of the four King County Executive candidates in a timely fashion We felt the membership needed to hear from all four candidates to make for an even playing field. We felt that if the fourth candidate could be heard at the June meeting, that then we would be ready to recommend at the July meetings so that the general membership could vote for endorsements. We also have a precedent for having endorsement votes taking place over two monthly meetings of the general body, having done so in June and July of 2007 and 2008. Given the relatively low number of endorsements to review this year, we could easily accomplish the endorsement voting process in one meeting.

However, the Chair told me today that I had failed in my duty - because I wasn't ready to recommend at the June 18th meeting - and that he is seeking a replacement Chair for the Committee. I feel duty-bound to explain to all of you how very seriously this committee discharged its duties. Many of us individually put in from 60 to 100 hours on this research process. We have met weekly for eight weeks. In addition, we have also attended King County Executive candidate forums presented by the KCDCC and King County Police Chiefs; attended the KCDCC Interviews of KC Executive candidates; we have heard candidates speak at other public presentations and at Drinking Liberally, and at our own 41st LD meetings. We have reviewed the KCDCC Questionnaires and formulated six additional questions which each of the four King County Executive candidates answered in full. We have read statements made on campaign web sites; read Blogs; and noted interviews in local newspapers. We noted other questionnaires the candidates filled out from union groups and other public interest groups.

We have conducted open discussions at our weekly meetings on a wide range of issues – among them: Land Use – C. A. O., County Gov’t Needs – recommended changes; Metro / Transportation Issues; County Services – justice and social network; King County contracts – jobs; union vs. privatization issues; lists of endorsements and contributions; what needs fixing; reasons for running for the job; management experience; temperament; successes / failures, and finally to their commitment to the values of the Democratic Party.

After receiving notice of the Agenda for the June 18th meeting in which the Chair included a statement that motions from the floor for candidates to be endorsed by the body would be accepted. I sent an email to the Chair stating that his action is in violation of the Bylaws of the 41st LD Democrats, specifically Article XII, Endorsements, Section 3. It states that any such motions or calls must occur at least within ten days or more before a meeting of the general body. I also asked that a representative for one of the King County candidates be placed on the agenda. In response to my requests, the Chair told me I was dismissed. Then, the request to speak at the meeting was withdrawn.
At this point, I simply want to point out that it is a great disappointment to me, personally, that as we drew close to our final committee meeting this coming Saturday – that our final duties to make a decision to recommend endorsement have been usurped. I feel that this decision is totally unfounded and unfair.
I also strongly feel that one of the core values of the Democratic Party is being ignored – that of public discourse – that’s what Democrats are known for. I believe that every Democratic candidate should have a right to speak at our LD meetings – and then be questioned and be prepared to defend their positions – in an open forum with decorum and civilized discourse.
Please accept my thanks for the honor bestowed upon me to conduct the deliberations of the 41st LD Endorsement Committee. I discharged my duties in good faith and gave it all of my effort – putting my own personal and family life “on hold” for two long months. I thank my Committee members for also doing the same. It has been a privilege and an honor to work with you. Thank you for your efforts on behalf of the values of the Democratic Party – to which I am totally dedicated..

 

Respectfully submitted, Sonja Vukov Rossman, Chair, 41st LD Endorsements Committee / 6/16/09