Viva La Cola!

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.

x close
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.

Republican State Senator Pam Roach Sues Her GOP Challenger

2010 Election, Politics, This Washington   July 3, 2010 at 11:49 am Josh Feit

While we’ve been covering the Democrat vs. Democrat action in the 34th Legislative District and the 44th Legislative District, it looks likes there’s also a heated intramural on the GOP side: Controversial State Sen. Pam Roach (R-31, Auburn) vs. Republican challenger Matt Richardson.

(The 31st covers south King County and northeast Pierce County, including Auburn, Bonney Lake, Buckley, Edgewood, Enumclaw, Greenwater, Sumner, and Lake Tapps.)

Richardson, a Sumner council member, is not coming at Roach from the Tea Party Right. In fact, it’s Roach that’s coming after Richardson. With a lawsuit.

Roach, a famously combative legislator, was sanctioned last January by GOP caucus leadership for “hostile behavior”; she was removed from the caucus and prohibited from contacting caucus staff.  She is suing Richardson in Thurston County Superior Court over statements he made about the sanctions in his voter’s pamphlet statement.

Eastern Washington Republican politics blog Paloustics has the story.




  • http://manywordsforrain.blogspot.com/ Mr. Baker

    I guess what was agreed to behind close caucus doors will have to be expressed on the record, in court.
    I can't wait.

  • MudBaby

    Voters should send her back to her Roach hotel in the deep south of King County.

  • giffy

    Man its going to be a shame when her district finally wises up and ditches her. She is the source of so much amusement. I still pull out the infamous roses speech every now and then when I need a laugh!

  • Ryan

    Richardson: “Here is this true thing, about Pam Roach.”
    Roach: “You bastard! Have at you, with legal papers!”

    She's one of the best in the state when it comes to supporting gifted education, but there are so many minuses.

  • NoSpin

    How much do you want to bet that she's one of the “we need tort-reform to stop frivolous lawsuits” crowd?