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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.

Contribution of the Day

News   July 21, 2009 at 5:12 pm Erica C. Barnett

King County Executive candidate Susan Hutchison just reported $3,200 in contributions from Jacklyn and Miguel Bezos, the mother and stepfather of Amazon.com CEO Jeff Bezos.

Hutchison, a Republican running for the officially nonpartisan position, has raised about $253,000. The elder Bezoses haven’t reported any other significant campaign contributions since 1998; Jeff Bezos has reported major contributions to both Democrats (US Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, both D-WA) and Republicans (former US Sen. Slade Gorton, R-WA and former US Sen. Spencer Abraham, R-MI).

Hutchison’s campaign has not responded to a request for a comment about scoring $3,200 from the parents of one of Seattle’s most famous CEOs.


  • swatter

    Other than for “gotcha” reasons, why even ask the question?

    Bezos family seems innocuous if you ask me as compared to say, contractors or industries giving money to one candidate or another since they would expect more sympathetic ears. On another not so innocuous side is unions so as to balance the comment.

    Bezos seems so blah.

    I could see Amazon contributing in a sales tax state that doesn’t demand Bezos collect that tax now and wants to protect the company’s interest but Washington forces Bezos to collect Washington Sales Tax.

  • swatter

    Other than for “gotcha” reasons, why even ask the question?

    Bezos family seems innocuous if you ask me as compared to say, contractors or industries giving money to one candidate or another since they would expect more sympathetic ears. On another not so innocuous side is unions so as to balance the comment.

    Bezos seems so blah.

    I could see Amazon contributing in a sales tax state that doesn’t demand Bezos collect that tax now and wants to protect the company’s interest but Washington forces Bezos to collect Washington Sales Tax.

  • Stephanie

    I’d agree. Doesn’t seem particularly significant.

  • Stephanie

    I’d agree. Doesn’t seem particularly significant.