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Founded in January 2009, PubliCola is a blog about Seattle written by journalists who are dedicated to non-partisan, original daily reporting that prioritizes a balanced approach to news. Started by longtime local editor and award-winning reporter Josh Feit, PubliCola is the first online-only news site in state history to get media credentials to cover the state capitol.

PubliCola was off and running. In June 2009, PubliCola hired another award-winning journalist, super-sourced Seattle city hall reporter Erica C. Barnett.

People were afraid that blogging would change journalism. Instead, we believe journalism can change blogging. Twenty-first century journalism may look and feel different, and yes Erica isn't afraid to get cranky, but we're committed to making sure online news still delivers independent, reliable, even-keeled coverage. And most of all, we're committed to making sure the coverage sparks honest civic debate.

Bringing you cola for the people, PubliCola is named after Publius Valerius PubliCola, the alias for the authors of the Federalist Papers—the original bloggers.

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The first online-only news site in state history to get media credentials to cover the state capitol and Seattle city hall, PubliCola has been called a “must-read” by the Seattle Post Intelligencer and a hot “New Media Mover and Shaker” by Seattle Magazine—which also cited our own Erica C. Barnett as the city's No. 1 news nerd.

Censured, Obsessed and Special

News   May 7, 2009 at 8:03 am Josh Feit

fizz19

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.


  • notme

    You call Sen Brown obsessed. I’d call her obtuse. Her zealousness in pushing a bill amending initiative provisions that don’t go into effect for 4 years- and in light of the damage her pushing this bill did at the end of the regular session- is all the proof anyone might need that she is eager to do a favor for the private utilities in her district and to heck with anyone else. That is not exactly gubernatorial behavior. It is not even good gubernatorial politics.

  • notme

    You call Sen Brown obsessed. I’d call her obtuse. Her zealousness in pushing a bill amending initiative provisions that don’t go into effect for 4 years- and in light of the damage her pushing this bill did at the end of the regular session- is all the proof anyone might need that she is eager to do a favor for the private utilities in her district and to heck with anyone else. That is not exactly gubernatorial behavior. It is not even good gubernatorial politics.

  • notme

    You call Sen Brown obsessed. I’d call her obtuse. Her zealousness in pushing a bill amending initiative provisions that don’t go into effect for 4 years- and in light of the damage her pushing this bill did at the end of the regular session- is all the proof anyone might need that she is eager to do a favor for the private utilities in her district and to heck with anyone else. That is not exactly gubernatorial behavior. It is not even good gubernatorial politics.

  • http://publicola.net/ Josh Feit

    Notme,

    When this issue came up at the beginning of the session, I checked Sen. Marr’s contributions from Avista (the utility in his and Sen. Brown’s district.)

    Marr, as I imagine you know, was the sponsor.

    Marr got about $6000 from Avista. And I didn’t find any for Brown.

    So, while I too wanted to tack her zealousness on the issue to corporate influence, it wasn’t that clear.

    I must say, I’m not exactly sure what drove Brown on this all session. It was, indeed, a little odd.

    Asked point blank, she says it’s about helping low-income rate payers in her district.

  • http://publicola.net/ Josh Feit

    Notme,

    When this issue came up at the beginning of the session, I checked Sen. Marr’s contributions from Avista (the utility in his and Sen. Brown’s district.)

    Marr, as I imagine you know, was the sponsor.

    Marr got about $6000 from Avista. And I didn’t find any for Brown.

    So, while I too wanted to tack her zealousness on the issue to corporate influence, it wasn’t that clear.

    I must say, I’m not exactly sure what drove Brown on this all session. It was, indeed, a little odd.

    Asked point blank, she says it’s about helping low-income rate payers in her district.

  • http://publicola.net/ Josh Feit

    Notme,

    When this issue came up at the beginning of the session, I checked Sen. Marr’s contributions from Avista (the utility in his and Sen. Brown’s district.)

    Marr, as I imagine you know, was the sponsor.

    Marr got about $6000 from Avista. And I didn’t find any for Brown.

    So, while I too wanted to tack her zealousness on the issue to corporate influence, it wasn’t that clear.

    I must say, I’m not exactly sure what drove Brown on this all session. It was, indeed, a little odd.

    Asked point blank, she says it’s about helping low-income rate payers in her district.

  • Trevor

    This is also worth noting, even if it risks beating a dead horse: education reform proponents now say that the recently passed state legislation redefining basic education will cost the state over $3 billion a year.

    Where will that money come from, especially after we just CUT $1 billion? Oh, the economic “recovery” the state is ushering in by cutting over 10,000 jobs, and a secret plan that no one knows yet. It’s just around the corner, folks! And we won’t even need to increase taxes to get there!

    Why do I have a feeling that our state legislators would fail the math portion of the WASL?

    http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009185798_apwacostofreform1stldwritethru.html

  • Trevor

    This is also worth noting, even if it risks beating a dead horse: education reform proponents now say that the recently passed state legislation redefining basic education will cost the state over $3 billion a year.

    Where will that money come from, especially after we just CUT $1 billion? Oh, the economic “recovery” the state is ushering in by cutting over 10,000 jobs, and a secret plan that no one knows yet. It’s just around the corner, folks! And we won’t even need to increase taxes to get there!

    Why do I have a feeling that our state legislators would fail the math portion of the WASL?

    http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009185798_apwacostofreform1stldwritethru.html

  • Trevor

    This is also worth noting, even if it risks beating a dead horse: education reform proponents now say that the recently passed state legislation redefining basic education will cost the state over $3 billion a year.

    Where will that money come from, especially after we just CUT $1 billion? Oh, the economic “recovery” the state is ushering in by cutting over 10,000 jobs, and a secret plan that no one knows yet. It’s just around the corner, folks! And we won’t even need to increase taxes to get there!

    Why do I have a feeling that our state legislators would fail the math portion of the WASL?

    http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009185798_apwacostofreform1stldwritethru.html