>Cowardman chickens out: Baird won’t run for re-election

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Seeing the clearly printed writing on the wall, our local Cowardman Brian Baird announced he’s not running for re-election.

To the leftists out there mistakenly believing that this district was safe for the left, this announcement makes it so obvious that even they now recognize what anyone with any political sense (which, by definition, excludes leftists) already knew: that the Cowardman was toast.

So, what does that mean for leftists? Not much. They have little to zero chance in the 3 no matter who they run

it’s unlikely that Baird did this out of a clear blue sky. The question becomes, however, who is the leftist heir-apparent to the Cowardman?

I hope Steve “Cold Hard Cash” Stuart runs, myself. I’m gonna pound him like a drum whether he runs for Congress or the county anyway, but I do like the idea of spreading my wings and beating on this clown like a rented mule.

Rumor has it that the most arrogant, self-centered and self-impressed politician that ever lived, one Jim Moeller, was looking into it. In many respects, this will be much like bees to honey.

Suddenly, the 2010, which is shaping up to be horrific for anything democrat, just got worse.

And, BTW, Brian?

Good riddance. Except for carrying our despicable rag’s water, you were, on the whole, worthless anyway.
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>Meet Lieutenant Colonel Allen West – Congressional Candidate

>Speaks for itself.

>Jon Russell’s firm grasp of Washougal City administration.

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As you may have heard, Jon Russell, political mercenary extraordinaire and Washougal City Councilman, is running to represent us in Congress, God forbid.

Well, today he got his name in print as the crusading guardian of “The People’s Money.” (copyright 2009)

Stacy Sellars, who will, it appears, soon become the former mayor of Washougal, finds her butt firmly affixed to a red hot grill of a hot seat in the matter of a few missing dollars from the Washougal city accounts. Like, well, something on the order of 100,000 of them.

At this point, I don’t believe anyone knows what’s going on with this money. There’s a lot more to examine… to consider… to weigh.

On the surface, it looks pretty bad. Typically, in situations like this, the rats will scurry away at warp speed. But is throwing someone you’ve supported politically, or a major part of the city staff under the bus to avoid the splatter the way to do it?

Council member Jon Russell said he believed the findings showed that the problems were bigger than oversights.

“I don’t think these are cracks, they’re craters,” he said. “It looks like a pattern that is not being dealt with and that is not being brought to the attention of the council.”

Russell said he wants the council to hold a special meeting to look into each problem and discipline responsible parties, even ask for resignations if necessary.

“I don’t see how we can trust this administration in moving forward with anything,” he said.

In this country, including Washougal, everyone is innocent unless proven guilty.

And that everyone includes the administration of the city that Russell, is, well, tasked to administer.

Russell; who is, as a member of the city council, one of those charged with the oversight of the very administration he now works so hard to condemn, wasted no time in taking what he believed to be the “appropriate steps” to step out of the way of the poop storm.

This misfeasance/malfeasance happened on Russell’s watch. Of course, he’s been blowing off some meetings and so forth as a result of running for Congress, but hey, who cares about missing votes and such when your eyes are on the much-bigger prize?

Clearly, changes have to be made in the systems of accounting in Washougal. But engaging in these theatrics as part of his political soap opera doesn’t speak well for him, since, like it or hate it, it is HIS city and this happened on HIS watch.

Hey, I know: maybe one of those “resignations” Russell’s so hot about could be his own? Watchcha think? Would THAT be a hoot?

Imagine… actually taking responsibility for something he’d done… or in this case, failed to do.

I won’t hold my breath. .

>If Russell is running for Congress… then why is he also running for re-election to the Washougal City Council?

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So… Jon Russell has decided to run for Congress.

Then why is he also running for city council?

CITY OF WASHOUGAL

Mayor

SEAN GUARD 704 WEST S ST WASHOUGAL 98671 (360)834-2533 seanguard@comcast.net

STACEE S. SELLERS PO BOX 424 WASHOUGAL 98671 electstaceesellers@gmail.com

Council, Pos. 1

JON RUSSELL 1431 D ST WASHOUGAL 98671 (360)624-4934 jon@jonrussell.us

And what, exactly, is that email link?

Why, it’s his CONGRESSIONAL CAMPAIGN WEBSITE!

So…. this guy is running for one job, city council, that he hopes to be able to ditch by winning another job, a congressional seat.

Man. THAT’S commitment!

Tell ya what, Jon… maybe you ought to stick to city council. That way, you can be bothered to actually show up… and, you know… vote?

>Destroying trust in government: Jon Russell’s Blog

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I hate political corruption. I hate it when the left tries it, as The Empty Suit has practiced it since he swindled us into voting for him.

I hate it when the right tries it, like Jon Russell, congressional candidate, is trying it now.

Jon passes himself off as some kind of conservative. But it’s all for show.

One must not be judged by what they say or write when they’re running for office. To find out the truth, one must review what one has done when he or she wasn’t a candidate. And Russell is no exception.

Russell is no more a conservative than he is a brain surgeon. The fact of the matter is that I know a lot about Mr. Russell. And over the next several months, more and more will be provided on this blog, so you, too, will get to know Mr. Russell like I do.

And here’s a disclaimer.

I do not work for any campaign. I am not writing this because anyone has told me to do so. I am not being paid, promised, threatened or coerced in any way. I just happen to know Mr. Russell and I don’t like what I see. That said:

Today’s tidbit?

We had a Port Levy election not too long ago back, when the Port Commissioners arrogantly attempted to ram a huge tax increase down our collective throats for money that, ultimately, they didn’t need. The campaign was a miserable failure, losing in the vicinity of 70% “no” to 30% “yes.”

Who was the political genius that ran that effort? Who was paid to do everything he could to ram through one of the largest tax increases in local history? Who was so politically inept and incompetent that the results will live on as one of the worst political massacres in local history?

Why, that would be one Jon Russell.

Russell has a history of political mercenary-ism. By running this unneeded and unwanted tax increase campaign, Russell has shown that, in the words of Charles Barkley, “If the money was right, I’d play for the Klan.”

We’ve already GOT a cowardman that has sold out for campaign donations with huge earmarks.

Why we want to elect another one?

Ann Donnelly felt compelled to press release Russell in a recent column wherein she writes as the Columbian’s token Republican (though certainly not a conservative… she’s delusional enough to support the I-5 Bridge Replacement/Loot Rail scam) and Russell felt compelled to cut and paste it on to his blog… as if all of those words actually meant something.

They didn’t.

We’ll chat again.

>Brian Baird: Coward (VII) Get out of the kitchen

>This is coming to you from the Sacred Heart Medical Center Surgical Waiting Area in Spokane as I await the return of my Sister-In-Law from the operating room.

It is of note that our erstwhile cowardman, one Brian Baird, has seen the light (at least seen the flashlight) but not until it hit him upside the head for his cowardice in the face of his deliberate and cowardly decision to avoid facing us… instead, referring to those of us wise enough to oppose the steaming crap pile Obama is attempting to ram through as “Nazis” and “Brown Shirts.”

That massive, offensive insult; if to no one else, the millions of us who, unlike Dr. Baird, wore the uniforms of the Armed Forces of the United States (Also unlike the moron running this country, the moron running the House of Representatives and the moron running the Senate) and the millions who’ve served in this Nation’s defence cannot be forgotten. It’s as if the mask he wears slipped, ever so briefly, and the REAL Brian Baird peeked out.

I have stayed out of Baird’s last 4 elections. But I’m in the next one. I’m in it big time.

>"Russell? McKenna stuck a fork in him today… and he’s done."

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These words from a state senator of my acquaintance accurately describes the nepohitic campaign of Jon Russell as the state’s senior elected Republican, Attorney General Rob McKenna threw his support to David Castillo for the 3rd Congressional District seat currently held by a tired and confused Brian Baird.

Courtesy of Lew Waters:

ATTORNEY GENERAL ROB MCKENNA ENDORSES DAVID CASTILLO
IN 3RD CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

Olympia, WA – Congressional candidate David Castillo received a key endorsement in his effort to win a seat in the US Congress. Attorney General Rob McKenna, the highest-ranking Republican elected official in Washington, announced his support of Castillo today.

“David Castillo will be a new voice for Washington who will bring fresh ideas and real world experience to Washington, DC,” McKenna stated. “I know that he will be a tireless advocate and leader for the 3rd Congressional district and for Washington State.”

Castillo currently works as a financial advisor and is excited about McKenna’s endorsement. “Rob McKenna is a remarkable leader who has shown us how to lead,” said Castillo. “I am extremely proud to have his support and will certainly rely on him for advice as our campaign moves forward.”

McKenna is serving his second term as Washington State’s Attorney General.

Castillo lives in Olympia with his wife Callie and their three year old son. The seat is currently held by Brian Baird.

David Castillo first Republican candidate that is a serious challenge to current 3rd District Representative, Brian Baird.

Baird is noted for his advocacy of a “72-hour rule,” giving 72 hours for review and study of important legislation before voting on it. However, he has twice failed to heed his own advice by voting for the Stimulus Bill and the Cap & Trade Bill, without reading, studying or fully understanding what is in those bills.

I invite all to give David Castillo serious consideration in replacing Brian Baird and giving us someone who will actually represent us in Washington D.C.

Please visit Castillo of Congress.

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>So, Russell has made it official… sorta.

>As I mentioned before, political mercenary Jon Russell has announced for Congress against Baird.

Readers of my blog know that I’m not particularly fond of Brian Baird. He’s taken votes that suck… he’s voted “yes” on bills he hasn’t read… he’s had a major “back scratching” problem with earmarks… he’s been far too cowardly in his handling of the Barnett/Paskenta/Mohergan/Cowlitz organized crime venture known as the megacasino… and he’s lacked the courage of his convictions when it comes to his frequent articles in the Columbian about how he wants to change the rules and give everyone 3 days to read any bill before a vote is taken… only to conveniently forget about that every time issues inside that window come up.

That said…

I would volunteer my time, effort and money to re-elect Baird over Russell any time.

Russell spews pap like this:

“I represent a new generation of reformers who are fed up with career politicians in Congress because they suffer from a lack of vision and the will to do the right thing for the people,” he said in the release. “Restoring trust in government can only happen when we send people to Congress who recognize their place in history and serve a short time and then return to their careers outside of government.”

Sounds beautiful, doesn’t it? You can almost hear the hearts and flowers and violin music playing as he says it.

And none of it is true.

What Russell represents is a new generation of political mercenaries where principle has no place at the table.

Oddly, in Russell’s case and in the article below, he mentions something called “deputy campaign manager” for some guy in Indiana; his “former” involvement with Faith and Freedom, and a bogus shell company he set up with an impressive name: “Columbia Gorge Medical Center.”

He left out his failed time at HROC, his disastrous spell as a Legislative Assistant in Olympia, and the fact that he ran the worst campaign in local elective history when he ran the Port of Vancouver’s major effort to jack our taxes up through the roof.

Odd, isn’t it? Russell lacked the “vision” to understand that he was profiting off an effort to nail us with a massive tax increase, yet he claims that HE has the “vision and the will to do the right thing for people?”

There’s only one word for that:

Hypocrite.

Washougal Man Plans Congressional Run
Friday, June 26, 2009 10:48 PM PDT

A Washougal city councilman is the latest Republican to announce his intentions to run against incumbent Democrat Brian Baird in the 2010 3rd Congressional District race.

Jon Russell, the 33-year-old co-owner of the Columbia Gorge Medical Center, announced his candidacy in an e-mailed press release Friday. Russell has a degree in political science and was the deputy campaign manager for U.S. Rep. John Hostettler of Indiana’s 8th Congressional District.

He’s the former director of the Faith and Freedom Foundation

“I represent a new generation of reformers who are fed up with career politicians in Congress because they suffer from a lack of vision and the will to do the right thing for the people,” he said in the release. “Restoring trust in government can only happen when we send people to Congress who recognize their place in history and serve a short time and then return to their careers outside of government.”

More:
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>Today’s political yuk: Jon Russell to run for Congress?

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Jon Russell, best known for getting paid several thousand dollars to ram the largest property tax increase (Via the Port of Vancouver Tax Increase) in this county’s history down our collective throats has been telling people he’s gonna run for Congress.

From a rather fascinating email that made the rounds late in 07:

Jon is an interesting guy with a short, but big, political background.

Jon came on the scene back in 2004 as HROC’S SW Washington Rep. Mr. Russell was not quite successful. In the end, he was relegated to liaison duties for the Curtis Campaign, and he managed to lose Paul Harris’s race in the primary and Roy Rhine’s race in the general.

But his most noteworthy accomplishment was the exceptional job he did running the Port of Vancouver’s abysmal IDD Levy campaign.

From the “Citizens for a Strong Economy Pac” (The Port’s Levy PAC) in the recent election debacle.

CANDIDATE/COMMITTEE VENDOR DATE AMOUNT DESCRIPTION
CIT FOR A STRONG NORTHERN CONCEPTS INC. 07/31/2007 $3,406.62
ECONOMY PAC
CONSULTING –

CIT FOR A STRONG NORTHERN CONCEPTS INC. 08/20/2007 $1,489.00
ECONOMY PAC
THE COLUMBIAN

CIT FOR A STRONG NORTHERN CONCEPTS INC. 07/13/2007 $1,452.00
ECONOMY PAC
CONSULTING

CIT FOR A STRONG NORTHERN CONCEPTS INC. 09/22/2007 $80.54
ECONOMY PAC
SUPPLIES

CIT FOR A STRONG NORTHERN CONCEPTS INC. 08/20/2007 $6.97
ECONOMY PAC
SALES TAX THAT WASN’T PAID

CIT FOR A STRONG NW CONCEPTS 07/01/2007 $2,800.00
ECONOMY PAC
CONSULTING FEESL

CIT FOR A STRONG NW CONCEPTS 06/05/2007 $2,800.00
ECONOMY PAC
CONSULTING FEES

CIT FOR A STRONG NW CONCEPTS 07/01/2007 $500.00
ECONOMY PAC
CONTRACT LABOR FOR DATA ENTRY

How do I know he’s “Northern Concepts” and “NW Concepts?”

Jon Russell
Russell, 31, was appointed to serve on council in September 2006, after Mary Bosley resigned for health reasons.He owns Northern Concepts, LLC, in Washougal.

The address?

1431 D St. Washougal, WA. 98671

NW Concepts?

That’s reported under a non-existent address in Vancouver, purely an oversight, I’m sure.

1431 D St. VANCOUVER, WA 98671

It’s probably safe to say that it isn’t “Vancouver,” it’s Washougal.

So, what we have here is a history of something less than stellar campaigning… and something less then fiscal conservatism. In fact, the IDD Levy, had it been successful, would have cost the taxpayers of the Port District millions.

So, we have a candidate here that, by his own actions, puts the TAX in TAX AND SPENDER.
_________________________________________________

In short, he’s a political mercenary, and individual motivated by money who will sell out principle when the price is right.

If it’s Russell and Baird, I’ll endorse Baird and give him money.

I don’t even want Russell in my government, let alone in Congress.

>More Congressional Corruption: TARP dollars going to campaign coffers.

>Man… this just makes me all warm and fuzzy inside. Doesn’t it do the same for you?

Snatched in its entirety from NW Republican.

Forget AIG, look at TARP money going to campaign coffers

Newsweek has a potential time bomb of a story running today. It shows that many companies who have taken BILLIONS in bail-out money are now turning around and giving some of those bail-out dollars back to politicians as campaign contributions.

If the politicians can retroactively tax AIG people for 100% of their bonuses why can’t Congress also pass a law that says ANY COMPANY getting bail-out cash must refrain from ANY political contributions until that money is paid back to the American people.

This is far worse than giving bonuses and buying company jets. This goes to the very underpinnings of American Democracy. Who will stand up against it?

While a few big firms, such as Wells Fargo and JP Morgan Chase, have curtailed their campaign giving, others are quietly doling out cash to select members of Congress, particularly those who serve on committees that oversee TARP. In recent filings with the Federal Election Commission, the political action committee for Bank of America (which got $15 billion in bailout money) sent out $24,500 in the first two months of 2009, including $1,500 to House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and another $15,000 to members of the House and Senate banking panels. Citigroup ($25 billion) dished out $29,620, including $2,500 to House GOP Whip Eric Cantor, who also got $10,000 from UBS which, while not a TARP recipient, got $5 billion in bailout funds as an AIG “counterparty.” “This certainly appears to be a case of TARP funds being recycled into campaign contributions,” says Brett Kappel, a D.C. lawyer who tracks donations. (A spokesman for Cantor did not respond to requests for comment. A spokeswoman for Hoyer said it’s his “policy to accept legal contributions.”)

The cash flow is already causing angst inside the Beltway. “The last thing I want to do is wake up one morning and see our PAC check being burned on C-Span,” said one bank lobbyist, who asked not to be identified because of the issue’s sensitivity. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Financial Services chair Rep. Barney Frank both said recently they won’t take donations from TARP recipients. But House Democratic fundraisers have quietly passed the word that the party’s campaign committee will resume accepting them—but down the road, not right now. Said one fundraiser, who also requested anonymity, “These are treacherous waters.”