Author: Emmett O'Connell (Page 108 of 176)

For some reason, TVW didn’t cover the last Public Disclosure Commission meeting. So, I emailed over the PDC, wondering about last week’s meeting where they were supposed to cover their rules interpretation regarding bloggers and the internet.

Lori Anderson wrote back:

from Lori Anderson
to Emmett O’Connell
date Oct 30, 2007 11:13 AM
subject RE: draft Interpretation 07-04

They made one change and approved it. They removed the reference to Interpretation 07-03 in the header section. The interpretation will be on-line later today at (here).

We appreciate your interest.

Lori Anderson
Staff – WA State Public Disclosure Commission
PH (360) 664…

I was going to wait until they had posted their new interpretation, but the afternoon went without anything going up. I think its important to note not actually a rule or WAC, but rather how they see the rules).

Here is a pdf of the draft interpretation that Lori referred to in her email. Here is a great rundown of what that draft document is all about.

And some other links:
The PDC and bloggers
Panel Discussion of Issues Related to Internet Campaign Activity in Washington State
Blogs about politics on radar of state elections officials
State Regulation of Palousitics?
PDC talks about regulating internet activity
PDC contemplating Internet regulations

I’ll post up the new interpretation when it goes online.

So, who is actually reading these emails?

Sent to both Dino Rossi’s email form and that of the governor. See what happens now.

UPDATE: Rossi’s thanks me for sending my emails as says he looks forward to reading them. Lame.

I mean, an email form isn’t all that revolutionary. From Dino’s speech yesterday:

Starting today, if you and your neighbors see things that need to change… “tellDino.com”

And I plan to keep this website in place when I’m governor.

If you’re frustrated by poor customer service in state government – tellDino.com

Imagine how much better you would be treated by state agencies when everyone knows that you will have a direct line to the governor… and also share your ideas on how to make things better.

And you won’t have to register your e-mail address with me. So if state workers want to share their ideas, it can be anonymous.

Today, I know many hard-working state workers feel like they can’t be candid and open with their thoughts.

Now you can… tellDino.com
Imagine what a change just that little reform will bring.

The actual governor already has an email form that anyone can fill out.

Email forms for politicians or other powerful people types aren’t exactly new, and Dino’s framing of his as something special is troubling. He seems to want to have us think that he really is listening to us, but he isn’t doing anything new to actually do that.

Rich Roesler over at Eye on Olympia notices the same weird language over at Tell Your Uncle Dino. From what he’s saying on his new campaign website, it really does seem like Dino Rossi is thinking that the state government would come after any state employee that was associated (even in a small way) with his campaign.

Here’s more information on the actual Whistleblower Program, which is run by the State Auditor’s Office:

The law requires that whistleblower identities be kept confidential. It makes retaliation unlawful and provides remedies for retaliation. Reports of asserted retaliation are filed with the Washington State Human Rights Commission. The Commission will investigate the claim and take appropriate action. Civil penalties for retaliation may include a fine of up to $3,000 and suspension for 30 days without pay. At a minimum, a letter of reprimand is placed in the retaliator’s personnel file.

Does Dino think the auditor is doing a bad job?