I was in Olympia yesterday afternoon testifying before the House Ways and Means Committee about the budget. I repeat my concerns here for your edification.
The attempt of Christine Gregoire to cut spending for Performance Audits in her submitted budget reflects long standing opposition to sound management of the public's financial resources by Gregoire. This started during her tenure as Attorney General including this specific issue. This is a problem and goes to larger practices within the practice of law in Washington State and this Country. The question here is who actually controls public funds and how government has been manipulated by 'them'.
Rather than cutting Performance Audits the State Legislature should use this office to guide many of its cuts.
The Washington Bar has strong protections against the misuse of private funds by representing attornies. Those protections do not extend to the public purse.(See here, here, and here) Further, rule 3.3d which concerns attorney client privilege and criminal actions prevents the disclosure of such when it concerns public corruption.
It is my belief that this looseness in managing public funds has bred corruption which has spread to the private corporate sector. This occured largely under the 'authority' of the Seattle Superior Court whose 'officers' constitute the largest, and richest, 'caucus' within the Washington Bar.
The specific example I will cite is the firm of Foster, Pepper, counsel to both public projects and Washington Mutual, whose influences include the former Seattle land use counsel, Judy Runstad.
The current deep bore tunnel proposal for downtown Seattle should be viewed from this context. Though technically with merit the proposed finance plan bears zero credibility due the leadership involvement of Foster Pepper through the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce.
Though Governor Gregoire, County Executive Sims, and Mayor Greg Nickels no doubt have long relationships with this firm's circle that entire circle is suspect. For one, taking political donations from one who gained those monies illegal is bad politics.
The top item for balancing the agenda is removing such individuals and organizations from public support. Bailing 'them' out will only further the problem.
