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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.

PubliCola Comment of the Day Goes To…

News   October 6, 2009 at 4:44 pm Josh Feit

Given all the action today—a sexual harassment restraining order against a port comissioner; a protest against the liberal media at the Seattle Times headquarters; and our report on Northwest Film Forum’s budget crisis—we’re a little sheepish about giving the “Comment of the Day” to something about a wonky topic like campaign contributions.

But we’re giving PubliCola reader Amy today’s honor.  She stopped a shrill comments thread about Joe Mallahan in its tracks by asking a basic question after other commenters went on a rumor jag about supposed “maxed out … contributions” from Burke-Gilman trail obstructionists at Salmon Bay Sand & Gravel.

19. Amy says:

I can’t find reference to a Salmon Bay/Gravel donation to Mallahan – can someone help me out?

10/06/2009 AT 3:41 PM

For the record: Campaign finance records at the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission do not show any contributions from Salmon Bay Sand & Gravel to Mallahan.


  • JoshMahar

    Hmmm, it seems almost worst that he would be against the “Missing Link” based on his own views…

  • JoshMahar

    Hmmm, it seems almost worst that he would be against the “Missing Link” based on his own views…

  • geology 101

    doesn’t mean it’s not true, i suppose, just hasn’t shown up yet.

  • geology 101

    doesn’t mean it’s not true, i suppose, just hasn’t shown up yet.

  • http://publicola.net/ Josh Feit

    @2,

    That’s possible and I’ve got a call into the SEEC to see if we’ve missed any new donations.

  • elaineinballard

    Try looking up the lobbyist for Salmon Bay Sand & Gravel. His name is George Griffin and is registered as a lobbyist here:
    http://www2.ci.seattle.wa.us/ethics/lobbyists/whoforwho.asp.
    According to the PDC, a George Griffin gave $700 to Mallahan’s campaign on 9/28. http://www.pdc.wa.gov/QuerySystem/advancedS/Default.aspx

  • elaineinballard

    Try looking up the lobbyist for Salmon Bay Sand & Gravel. His name is George Griffin and is registered as a lobbyist here:
    http://www2.ci.seattle.wa.us/ethics/lobbyists/whoforwho.asp.
    According to the PDC, a George Griffin gave $700 to Mallahan’s campaign on 9/28. http://www.pdc.wa.gov/QuerySystem/advancedS/Default.aspx

  • http://publicola.net/ Josh Feit

    @4,

    Thanks for clearing that up who you were talking about Elaine.

    However, Griffin lobbies on lots of city issues, so his contribution isn’t a clear cut max out from Salmon Bay.

    Griffin is registered as a lobbyist at City Hall for Goodman Real Estate, Pinnacle (a real estate company), the Seattle Hotel Association, Comcast, American Life Inc. (a SoDo warehouse property owner), and the American Chemistry Council.

    He is also a lobbyist for Salmon Bay.

  • http://publicola.net/ Josh Feit

    @4,

    Thanks for clearing that up who you were talking about Elaine.

    However, Griffin lobbies on lots of city issues, so his contribution isn’t a clear cut max out from Salmon Bay.

    Griffin is registered as a lobbyist at City Hall for Goodman Real Estate, Pinnacle (a real estate company), the Seattle Hotel Association, Comcast, American Life Inc. (a SoDo warehouse property owner), and the American Chemistry Council.

    He is also a lobbyist for Salmon Bay.

  • elaineinballard

    @5
    Thanks Josh, good to know.

  • elaineinballard

    @5
    Thanks Josh, good to know.

  • Stacy

    Who cares, he’s still against the trail. You know, the trail that is one of the 4 priorities in Ballard’s neighborhood plan, already paid for and completely designed. What a douche. Yeah, I said it.

  • Stacy

    Who cares, he’s still against the trail. You know, the trail that is one of the 4 priorities in Ballard’s neighborhood plan, already paid for and completely designed. What a douche. Yeah, I said it.

  • Ballardwatch

    For what it’s worth, the city held five days of hearings on the trail earlier this year. George “the bag tax is racist” Griffin and Suzie Burke were in attendance for a few days, Griffin answering his phone in the back of the room and Burke audibly sighing at anyone who managed to talk sense.

  • Ballardwatch

    For what it’s worth, the city held five days of hearings on the trail earlier this year. George “the bag tax is racist” Griffin and Suzie Burke were in attendance for a few days, Griffin answering his phone in the back of the room and Burke audibly sighing at anyone who managed to talk sense.

  • http://www.seattlelikesbikes.org/ SeattleLikesBikes

    Suzie “with a letter to the mayor stalled the bicycle master plan on Stone Way” Burke also maxed out to Mallahan.

  • http://www.seattlelikesbikes.org SeattleLikesBikes

    Suzie “with a letter to the mayor stalled the bicycle master plan on Stone Way” Burke also maxed out to Mallahan.

  • http://publicola.net/ Josh Feit

    @2,

    That's possible and I've got a call into the SEEC to see if we've missed any new donations.