MORT'S MUSINGS

AP FACT CHECK / TRUMP, addressing Biden: “You didn’t do very well on the swine flu. H1N1. You were a disaster.” / THE FACTS: Trump frequently distorts what happened in the pandemic of 2009, which killed far fewer people in the United States than the coronavirus is killing now. For starters, Biden as vice president wasn’t running the federal response. And that response was faster out of the gate than when COVID-19 came to the U.S. / Then, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s flu surveillance network sounded the alarm after two children in California became the first people diagnosed with the new flu strain in this country. / About two weeks later, the Obama administration declared a public health emergency against H1N1, also known as the swine flu, and the CDC began releasing anti-flu drugs from the national stockpile to help hospitals get ready. In contrast, Trump declared a state of emergency in early March, seven weeks after the first U.S. case of COVID-19 was

AP FACT CHECK / VIRUS DEATH TOLL / 9.30.20 / TRUMP, addressing Biden on U.S. deaths from COVID-19: “If you were here, it wouldn’t be 200,000 people, it would be 2 million people. You didn’t want me to ban China, which was heavily infected.... If we would have listened to you, the country would have been left wide open.” / THE FACTS: The audacious claim that Biden as president would have seen 2 million deaths rests on a false accusation. Biden never came out against Trump’s decision to restrict travel from China. Biden was slow in staking a position on the matter but when he did, he supported the restrictions. Biden never counseled leaving the country “wide open” in the face of the pandemic. / https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-ap-fact-check-joe-biden-donald-trump-health-cbc3c669510b06475fef63fe766542b7?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=AP%20Morning%20Wire%20Update&utm_term=Morning%20Wire%20Subscribers

On Behalf of WEA’s More Conservative Members #84 / Columbian Recommends Kim Wyman for Secretary of State / Columbian 9.23.20 / 9.30.20 / Perhaps the biggest selling point for Kim Wyman’s campaign to be reelected as Washington’s secretary of state is her list of endorsements. The Columbian’s Editorial Board joins that list in recommending that Wyman be elected to a third term as the state’s top elections official. / In Wyman, voters will find a Republican candidate who has bipartisan support from the people who best know what her job entails. Three former Washington secretaries of state have endorsed her (all Republicans). So has a Democratic former secretary from Oregon. And so have sitting auditors in 24 of the state’s 39 counties, elected officials of all variety of political stripes; at the county level, auditors run elections. / The reason for that support is the admirable job Wyman has done during a particularly important time in American history. / https://www.columb

On Behalf of WEA’s More Conservative Members #83 / Pellicciotti better suited to lawmaking and fraud investigations than State Treasurer / Walla Walla Union-Bulletin / Sept. 23, 2020 / 9.29.20 / Pellicciotti is highly critical of the way Davidson delegates his duties to those in his office. And he voices those concerns with gusto — to the point of absurdity. For example, he attacks Davidson for sending his deputies in his place to board and commission meetings associated with his office. Pellicciotti contends that Davidson is shirking his duty by getting haircuts instead of attending these meetings. / Aside from the fact that Davidson has little hair, the treasurer offers a very reasonable explanation for sending deputies to these meetings. Those deputies are experts in the various areas of finance and thus bring a depth of knowledge and experience in dealing with the matters on the agenda. / Davidson does not cede decisions or responsibility, he is simply delegating. It se

“New poll shows 10-point jump” https://www.washingtonpolicy.org/publications/detail/new-poll-shows-10-point-jump-in-popular-support-for-school-choice./ I hope this message finds you well and beginning to enjoy a brief return to sunny days and warmer weather. It may be our last window into clear skies, as our West Coast Marine Climate takes control for fall and winter./ As always, I read your postings with interest. Once again, you have documented your sources, for which I thank you. I’ve noted that it is a unique characteristic of agenda driven publications to quote themselves or their parent organization. Haven’t quite gotten used to that, but it’s common enough that it is becoming the expectation. More's the pity. / This sentence represents the thrust and core of your article: “The new poll shows an astounding recent rise in support for school choice programs, from 67 percent of public school parents in April to 77 percent today.” / And it may well be reasonably ac

On Behalf of WEA’s More Conservative Members #82 / We urge voters to re-elect Davidson to another term in office / Walla Walla Union-Bulletin Sept. 23, 2020 / 9.28.20 / Under Davidson’s leadership, the state earned its first triple-A credit rating — the highest possible — from Moody’s Investment Service. This rating saves state and local taxpayers millions in interest fees when various government entities seek loans. / Davidson runs the Treasurer’s Office in a fiscally prudent manner that benefits the public. We see no need for a change. / https://www.union-bulletin.com/opinion/editorials/duane-davidson-should-be-re-elected-state-treasurer/article_d1854fe2-1593-5a2a-bfdc-1d1bd70618c8.html

On Behalf of WEA’s More Conservative Members #81 Duane Davidson Should Be Re-elected State Treasurer Walla Walla Union-Bulletin Sept. 23, 2020 9.26.20 "State Treasurer Duane Davidson has done an excellent job overseeing the public’s money, and he manages the state Treasurer’s Office well. Voters should re-elect without reservation Davidson, the former Benton County treasurer, to another four-year term." “Has done an excellent job overseeing the public’s money” “Manages the state Treasurer’s Office well” “Oversees the state’s money without a thought of partisanship” “His office is well managed and operates under budget” https://www.union-bulletin.com/opinion/editorials/duane-davidson-should-be-re-elected-state-treasurer/article_d1854fe2-1593-5a2a-bfdc-1d1bd70618c8.html

On Behalf of WEA’s More Conservative Members #78 Wyman, during her two terms, has helped build trust in our elections and deserves a third term. HeraldNet/Sept. 17, 2020 9.24.20 Washington was among 18 states that the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee report found had been subject to attempts by the Russian government to hack into its election systems in 2016. At the time, Wyman’s office said the hacking attempts were detected by the state’s election security defenses, which blocked traffic from the IP addresses responsible, and reported those attacks to the FBI; no voter registration data was compromised. Nor were any election results jeopardized in the 2016 attack; county tabulation machines, for example, are “air-gapped” and not connected to the internet, and the state’s mail-in ballots provide a paper record of every vote. https://www.heraldnet.com/opinion/editorial-keep-wyman-as-defender-of-states-election-system/

On Behalf of WEA’s More Conservative Members #81; Duane Davidson Should Be Re-elected State Treasurer; Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, Sept. 23, 2020; State Treasurer Duane Davidson has done an excellent job overseeing the public’s money, and he manages the state Treasurer’s Office well; Voters should re-elect without reservation Davidson, the former Benton County treasurer, to another four-year term: “Has done an excellent job overseeing the public’s money”; “Manages the state Treasurer’s Office well”; “Oversees the state’s money without a thought of partisanship”; “His office is well managed and operates under budget”. https://www.union-bulletin.com/opinion/editorials/duane-davidson-should-be-re-elected-state-treasurer/article_d1854fe2-1593-5a2a-bfdc-1d1bd70618c8.html

On Behalf of WEA’s More Conservative Members #80; 2016 Election for State Treasurer; 9.25.20; Davidson’s opponent in 2016 was far more qualified for the job than is the current opponent; And yet, Duane Davidson was endorsed by 9 of 10 newspaper publications: Spokesman-Review, Columbian, Yakima Herald Republic, Seattle Times, News Tribune, Tri-City Herald, Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, Daily Herald, & The Stranger.

On Behalf of WEA’s More Conservative Members #79 / Wyman….has “not been shy about criticizing President Trump” HeraldNet/Sept. 17, 2020 / 9.25.20 / Both candidates have not been shy about criticizing President Trump over his recent unsubstantiated accusations of potential vote rigging among those states allowing expanded use of mail-in ballots. Wyman, in particular, has contradicted the president and been a defender of the state’s mail-in system and of vote-by-mail in general; Wyman and her office were in high demand for advice among fellow U.S. election officials, advising all 50 states on vote-by-mail issues, she told The New York Times in April. Even while encouraging vote-by-mail, Wyman has urged states move forward with caution to protect election security and accuracy. / https://www.heraldnet.com/opinion/editorial-keep-wyman-as-defender-of-states-election-system/

FACT CHECKS This series will focus upon fact checks done by recognized and reputable sources Pres. Trump Misrepresents Vote-by-Mail, Again! TRUMP: “We need nine justices. You need that. With the unsolicited millions of ballots that they’re sending, it’s a scam; it’s a hoax. Everybody knows that. And the Democrats know it better than anybody else. ... So doing it before the election would be a very good thing because you’re going to probably see it.” — remarks Tuesday to reporters. THE FACTS: There’s nothing fraudulent about mail-in ballots, and Trump’s repeated false assertions certainly don’t provide a valid justification to speed up a judicial nomination. First of all, there is no such thing as an “unsolicited” ballot. Five states routinely send ballots to all registered voters so they can choose to vote through the mail or in person. Four other states and the District of Columbia will be adopting that system in November, as will almost every county in Montana. Election officials

On Behalf of WEA’s More Conservative Members #77 Keep Wyman as defender of state’s election system HeraldNet/Sept. 17, 2020 9.23.20 First the Seattle Times endorsed Kim Wyman for re-election as Secretary of State - twice. Now the Everett Herald endorses Kim Wyman for re-election as Secretary of State. For the life of me, I can’t understand why WEA failed to endorse Kim Wyman for Secretary of State in 2020, after having done so in 2012 & 2016. -kmortland “Wyman has overseen a range of programs to reform and update the state’s registration and election system, including the update of the statewide database — VoteWA — that have allowed roll out of registration and other improvements while safeguarding election security.” https://www.heraldnet.com/opinion/editorial-keep-wyman-as-defender-of-states-election-system/

FACT CHECKS This series will focus upon fact checks done by recognized and reputable sources Trump’s court revisionism This lie smacks of the Big Lie! -kmortland 9.21.20 WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump and his GOP allies are playing loose with the facts when it comes to a successor for the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Seeking to justify a possible confirmation vote before the Nov. 3 election, Trump asserted over the weekend that many high court nominations were made in an election year and “in all cases, they went forward.” That’s clearly not true. In fact, just one hour after Justice Antonin Scalia’s unexpected death in February 2016, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell publicly made clear the Senate should not confirm a successor chosen by President Barack Obama because of the coming election. That slot ultimately went unfilled until after President Donald Trump announced a nominee 11 months later. https://apnews.com/ec85b88102464c9651d32b475c01c183?utm_source=

Business Pulse Article (https://businesspulse.com/sep-oct-2020/ ) Liv Finne (Education Direstor for Washington Policy Center) I hope this message finds you well and dealing with what appears to be the end of our on again/off again summer. The return of the rain and clear skies were certainly pleasing. I was quite surprised at how much the bright sunlight on the evergreens around our home raised my spirits. I read your Business Pulse article. Congratulation on getting it published. It’s both concise and well constructed. I realise you had space limitations, so citations were problematic, but you did include a WAC and two legislative bills. And then there’s the list of countries that provide public funds to private school students. That gives the reader significant sources from which to learn more. The Espinoza Decision will certainly have long reaching impact. Even taking away the issue of religious bigotry that allegedly inspired Blaine Amendments, the issue seemed ripe f

SERIOUSLY! ARE YOU KIDDIN’ ME!! #19 Teenager test positive. Parents sent him to school anyway. You’d Think Parents Would Know Better After 37 years in the classroom, I can’t say I’m surprised. There will always be those parents or guardians who think it’s the school system’s job to look after their kids during the daytime, sick or not. - kmortland Six students tested positive for the coronavirus days before Attleboro High School in Massachusetts reopened its doors for the first day of school this week. Only five of them stayed home, the city’s mayor told WJAR. The parents of the sixth student who tested positive sent him to class anyway, the mayor said. Now, 28 students who were in close contact with that young man have to quarantine for two weeks. “It was a reckless action to send a child — a teenager — to school who was COVID positive,” Attleboro Mayor Paul Heroux told WHDH. “It was really poor judgment. If you know that your child has coronavirus, is COVID positive, you shou

On Behalf of WEA’s More Conservative Members #76 Federal judge orders Postal Service to halt changes https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/federal-judge-orders-postal-service-to-stop-changes-that-could-slow-election-mail-in-legal-challenge-by-washington-attorney-general-ferguson/?utm_source=marketingcloud&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Evening+Brief+09-17-20_9_17_2020&utm_term= Seattle Times - Local News - Local Politics - Nation - Nation & World Politics Federal judge orders Postal Service to halt changes that could slow election mail, ruling in favor of Washington Attorney General Ferguson Sep. 17, 2020 at 1:12 pm By Joseph O’Sullivan Seattle Times staff reporter 9.18.20 OLYMPIA — A federal judge Thursday granted a preliminary injunction sought by Washington and 13 other states that halts some Trump administration changes that have slowed mail delivery ahead of the Nov. 3 election. In his ruling, Judge Stanley Bastian, of the U.S. District Court

SERIOUSLY! ARE YOU KIDDIN’ ME!! #18 Correlation Is Not Causation Surely There Are People in his Campaign/White House Who Know Better? One of the first lessons my college Statistics 201 professor taught us is that Correlation Is Not Causation. He used an example relevant to the time (mid-1960s polio). He claimed he had proof that a popular soft drink of the time (Bubble Up) was the cause of polio. He showed us charts the compared increased consumption of Bubble Up mirrored the rise in polio cases. His point was clear, just because there’s a correlation does not mean there’s causation. kmortland WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump blamed "blue states" for increasing the nation's death rate from coronavirus, suggesting that if "you take the blue states out" of the equation the United States would be far more competitive with other countries. Trump has long blamed Democratic leaders for a variety of ills, including "Democrat-run" cities whe

On Behalf of WEA’s More Conservative Members #75 Three Statewide Democrats Endorsed Davidson https://www.tri-cityherald.com/article245658875.html 9.17.20 The fact that two former state treasurers — Dam Grimm and Michael Murphy — and former Washington State Auditor Brian Sonntag, all Democrats, are endorsing Davidson, even though he’s a Republican, is telling. Unreservedly, the Tri-City Herald Editorial Board recommends Republican Duane Davidson for Washington State Treasurer. Given the bipartisan support that appears to be gathering behind Duane Davidson’s campaign for re-election, I find it all the more baffling that WEA has not endorsed him, as they did in 2016. He is clearly the superior candidate. -kmortland ------------ Ken Mortland is a member of WEA-Retired, continuing a long career of activism in WEA/NEA. He is also a lifelong Republican and a member of Mainstream Republicans of WA Board.

SERIOUSLY! ARE YOU KIDDIN’ ME!! #18 Trump fuels spread of altered Biden video There Seem to be No Limits to the Antics of This President A video altered to make it appear as though Democratic president candidate Joe Biden played a song disparaging the police was viewed more than 4.5 million times on Twitter by Wednesday afternoon, its spread fueled by President Donald Trump, who tweeted it — twice. The video, which appears to show Biden playing a controversial song by the rap group N.W.A. during a campaign trip to Florida, was labeled as manipulated media by Twitter, but it continued to circulate widely. In the original video, Biden pulls out his cellphone and plays “Despacito,” a song by Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Luis Fonsi, who introduced him at a Hispanic Heritage Month event Tuesday in Kissimmee, Florida. In the altered video, N.W.A.’s “F—- Tha Police” plays. https://apnews.com/b83c6017619eba4f92a3d033e50782f8?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=AP

On Behalf of WEA’s More Conservative Members #74 Davidson Has Hired Two or the Three Women Ever to Serve as Assistant Treasurer https://www.tri-cityherald.com/article245658875.html 9.16.20 Davidson says in the history of the state treasurer’s office there have been just three women hired as assistant treasurers —and he’s proud to say he hired two of them. He has complete faith in their abilities, and said he is in contact with them when they attend meetings on the department’s behalf. For our part, we don’t see anything wrong with allowing staff with expertise to share the load, especially since his assistants are keeping Davidson in the loop. Unreservedly, the Tri-City Herald Editorial Board recommends Republican Duane Davidson for Washington State Treasurer. ------------ Ken Mortland is a member of WEA-Retired, continuing a long career of activism in WEA/NEA. He is also a lifelong Republican and a member of Mainstream Republicans of WA Board.

On Behalf of WEA’s More Conservative Members #72 Davidson a Responsible Manager, Pellicciotti Attacks Anyway https://www.tri-cityherald.com/article245658875.html 9.15.20 Davidson, by all accounts, is a state executive who knows how to responsibly manage taxpayer money. However his opponent, Mike Pellicciotti, would have voters believe Davidson is an ineffective no-show who cares more about getting a haircut than doing his job. Pellicciotti, a two-term Democrat legislator from Federal Way, is on the offensive in his bid to unseat Davidson — a Republican born and raised in Washington state, a licensed Certified Public Accountant and elected four times as Benton County treasurer, serving from 2003-2014. Pellicciotti is a lawyer and state House member known for championing government transparency laws, which is commendable. But when it comes to experience in managing a treasurer’s office, Pelliciotti can’t compare to Davidson. Perhaps that is why he apparently has gone on a slimy,

Comment to the Washington Policy Center on their Sept. 11th posting about schools being closed Liv Finne: I hope this message finds you well, despite the unusually high AQI readings and our more and more unpredictable summer. I appreciate the documentation you did with this posting. Too few people understand the need for that. And, it allows me to view/see/read the actually material you used as your source. Thank you for that. In our last exchange, we talked about your interpretation of schools being “closed”, even when those students are involved in “distance learning”. It’s one thing for you to have your own opinion about distance learning meaning schools are closed. It’s quite another when you put those words into someone else’s mouth. You quoted WEA President Larry Delaney as saying, “Five percent of our students will be back in the classroom….The vast majority will not be in school…” I’ve watched the interview and read the transcript. What WEA Pres. Delaney actual

On Behalf of WEA’s More Conservative Members #71 Tri-City Herald Endorses Davidson for State Treasurer https://www.tri-cityherald.com/article245658875.html 9.14.20 Washington State Treasurer Duane Davidson is no slacker . In his first term as steward of the state treasury, Davidson managed to save taxpayers millions of dollars by carefully refinancing bonds when the timing was right. Davidson’s department regularly runs under budget, and this year he took it to its first ever Aaa credit rating from Moody’s Investment Services — the highest rating possible. Unreservedly, the Tri-City Herald Editorial Board recommends Republican Duane Davidson for Washington State Treasurer. ------------ Ken Mortland is a member of WEA-Retired, continuing a long career of activism in WEA/NEA. He is also a lifelong Republican and a member of Mainstream Republicans of WA Board.

FACT CHECKS This series will focus upon fact checks done by recognized and reputable sources Miami Cubans gave me the highly honored Bay of Pigs Award 9.14.20 AWARDS and HONORS TRUMP: “Remember, Miami Cubans gave me the highly honored Bay of Pigs Award for all I have done for our great Cuban Population!” — tweet Sunday. THE FACTS: No such award exists. Trump got an endorsement in 2016 from the Bay of Pigs Veterans Association, the first ever from the group of Florida-based veterans who fought in the United States’ failed attempt to overthrow the Cuban government in the 1961 invasion. But no award comes with it. ------------ Considering that the “Bay of Pigs” was an unmitigated disaster, this could just as easily be posted on the Seriously, Are You Kiddin' Me page! https://apnews.com/52b8cae5d9137cfd30d86a279b9bb7cf?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Monday_0914_MorningWire&utm_term=10%25%20list%20for%20first%20send

SERIOUSLY! ARE YOU KIDDIN’ ME!! #16 We tackled all of Trump’s vote-by-mail falsehoods Aren’t These People Supposed to Know Better? 9.11.20 More than 100 times this year, President Trump has peddled false claims or imaginary threats about voting by mail. As states prepare for the Nov. 3 general election, with some expanding vote-by-mail to prevent the spread of the coronavirus at the polls, Trump is falsely accusing election officials of trying to rig the outcome. The president also has encouraged people to vote twice, which is illegal. A mountain of evidence shows that mail voting has been almost entirely free of fraud through the decades, but Trump insists that it’s a recipe for disaster. For example, Trump claimed on Twitter that “mail-In Ballots will lead to massive electoral fraud and a rigged 2020 Election. Look at all of the cases and examples that are out there right now.” The rate of double voting, or impersonating another voter, is so low researchers describe it as insi

SERIOUSLY! ARE YOU KIDDIN’ ME!! #17 Trump Says He Will ‘Negotiate’ Third Term Because He’s ‘Entitled’ To It Surely There Are People in his Campaign/White House Who Know Better? 9.13.20 President Trump said Saturday that he plans to “negotiate” to run again in 2024 if he wins reelection in November, his latest in a series of comments that have alarmed critics who say he has little regard for constitutional boundaries. KEY FACTS •During a rally in Minden, Nevada, Trump predicted he would win reelection and carry Nevada, a state he lost narrowly in 2016. ª“After that,” Trump said, “we’ll negotiate,” asserting that he’s “probably entitled to another four after that” based on “the way we were treated.” •The comments echo ones Trump made during a rally in Wisconsin in August, in which he stated he would win four more years and “go for another four years” because “they spied on my campaign,” likely referencing his unproven “Obamagate” theory. •Michael Cohen, Trump’s former fixer-turned

FACT CHECKS This series will focus upon fact checks done by recognized and reputable sources AP FACT CHECK: HEALTH CARE 9.10.20 TRUMP: “We will be substantially LOWERING Medicare Premiums and Prescription Drug Prices, bringing them down to levels that were not thought possible!” — tweet. THE FACTS: To be clear, no massive, across-the-board cuts are in the offing for drug prices. https://apnews.com/883ccf938194fcf19d574887716aafb8?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Morning%20Wire%20%2809-10-20%29&utm_term=10%25%20list%20for%20first%20send

Trump/Pence Fact Checks This series will focus upon fact checks done by recognized and reputable sources AP FACT CHECK: NOVEMBER ELECTION 9.10.20 TRUMP, retweeting an Associated Press analysis projecting the number of ballots that get rejected will soar this fall because of increased mail-in voting: “Rigged Election!” — tweet Tuesday. THE FACTS: No, defective ballots do not equate to fraud. The overwhelming majority aren’t. Missed Deadline: According to the Brennan Center for Justice, the vast majority of ballots are disqualified because they arrive late, a particular worry this year because of recent U.S. Postal Service delays and an expected surge in mail-in voting during the coronavirus pandemic. Missing Signature: Ballots also are deemed defective if there is a missing signature — common with newer voters unfamiliar with the process — or it doesn’t match what’s on file. In addition, some states require absentee voters to get a witness or notary to sign their ballots. “None

On Behalf of WEA’s More Conservative Members #70 Eight States and D.C. Receive “A” Rating on Their Vote by Mail Systems https://www.brookings.edu/research/voting-by-mail-in-a-pandemic-a-state-by-state-scorecard/ 9.10.20 WA State is one of eight states to receive an “A” rating from the Brookings Institute for its Vote-by-Mail system. The other states are Oregon, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Utah, Colorado & New Jersey. Washington, D. C. also received an “A” rating. Fifteen states have a “B” rating. Washington has a rather long history of Vote-by-Mail, compared to other states. We can thank Secretary of State Kim Wyman for that, as well as her predecessors, Sam Reed and Ralph Munro. And yet, Wyman’s opponent in the race for Secretary of State, Gael Tarleton, feels she can do better? However, she has no training or experience, and that may explain her rather cavalier attitude. She showed poorly in the Primary Election, which suggests to me that the voters are beginning to

FACT CHECKS This series will focus upon fact checks done by recognized and reputable sources AP Fact Check: Trump says Biden wants to “eliminate America’s borders.” THE WALL TRUMP, claiming Biden wants to “eliminate America’s borders”: “He wants to tear down the wall — he actually suggested tearing down the wall that we fought so hard to get built.” — North Carolina tele-rally on Friday. THE FACTS: That’s false. Biden’s immigration plan does not include money for new border fencing, and he and his campaign task force on immigration aren’t calling for any new walls. But neither has proposed taking down existing barriers. Asked specifically by NPR last month if he would tear down the wall, Biden said: “No. There will not be another foot of wall constructed on my administration, No. 1.” “No. 2 … I’m going to make sure that we have border protection, but it’s going to be based on making sure that we use high-tech capacity to deal with it and at the ports of entry. That’s where all ba

On Behalf of WEA’s More Conservative Members #69 Davidson Has Appoint Two of the Three Women Who Have Served as Asst. State Treasurer 9.9.20 If you are concerned that State Treasurer Duane Davidson is just another “good ol’ boy”, know this. There have only been three women ever to serve as Asst. State Treasurer. Davidson has appointed two of them. Davidson acknowledges training, experience, & expertise wherever he finds it. Davidson led the refinancing of WA State’s debt to save taxpayers $500,000,000. Yes, that’s half a billion dollars! Davidson also improved WA State’s bond rating to AAA, saving taxpayers even more by making our bond sales eligible for lower interest rates. We need a trained financial leader in the office of State Treasurer. That’s why I support Duane Davidson, despite the fact WEA has failed to endorse him. ____________ Ken Mortland is a member of WEA-Retired, continuing a long career of activism in WEA/NEA. He is also a lifelong Republican an

On Behalf of WEA’s More Conservative Members #68 Pellicciotti Lies by Omission 9.8.20 Mike Pellicciotti is not qualified to be State Treasurer. So, if you’re unqualified for the job, how do you build a campaign? By attacking the incumbent, of course. That was Tina Podlodowski’s plan when she ran against Sec. of State Kim Wyman in 2016. She’s now the Chairperson of the WA State Democratic Party. So, why are we surprised that unqualified Democrats are attacking incumbents. Unfortunately, Pellicciotti’s demonstrates his lack of training and experience in the accusations he’s making. For example, he’s attacking State Treasurer Duane Davidson for not attending investment meetings. However, pursuant to law, the Asst. Treasurer can and does attend those meetings. A point Pellicciotti’s carefully omits. It’s ironic, actually. Earlier, Pellicciotti implied State Treasurer Davidson was taking campaign contributions from the same companies he recommends for WA State investments. (N

CNN Fact check: Trump says he's done more for veterans than John McCain did -- while taking credit for McCain's veterans bill https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/04/politics/fact-check-trump-mccain-loser-veterans-choice/index.html?utm_term=link&utm_content=2020-09-04T16%3A08%3A00&utm_medium=social&utm_source=fbCNNp&fbclid=IwAR0lP6VwGaWBf0RkDUaOSxQutymnv-flbLcImvx0RW5cOfH5GBLew3hymr8 9.8.20 Washington (CNN)President Donald Trump cited the Veterans Choice health care program on Thursday as evidence that he has done more for veterans than the late Sen. John McCain. There are two big problems here. One: Choice was signed into law by President Barack Obama in 2014. Two: It was McCain's bill. Trump has lied more than 150 times that he is responsible for getting the Choice program created. It's an especially egregious bit of deception, though, when he takes credit for McCain's own initiative to argue he has been superior to McCain. When he did the same thing

SERIOUSLY! ARE YOU KIDDIN’ ME!! #15 Trump Suggests North Carolina Voters Mail in Their Ballots, Then Go to the Polls to See if Their Ballot Has Been Counted Aren’t These People Supposed to Know Better? 9.8.20 TRUMP: “Send in your ballots, send them in strong ... And you send them in, but you go to vote. If they haven’t counted it, you can vote.” — interview Wednesday with WECT TV6 in Wilmington, North Carolina. THE FACTS: To be clear, it is illegal in all 50 states and under federal law to vote twice in an election. Election officials also advise people against heading to the polls to check on their mail-in ballots and then attempting to cast another ballot if there isn’t full verification, saying it will cause unnecessary chaos, long waits and health dangers in the pandemic. Contrary to what Trump suggests, information on whether a ballot has been counted is typically not available right away. In several states, absentee ballots aren’t even counted until after polls close. Wha

SERIOUSLY! ARE YOU KIDDIN’ ME!! #14 Did DeJoy Commit Campaign Finance Crime by Reimbursing Employees for Campaign Contributions? Aren’t These People Supposed to Know Better? 9.6.20 Louis DeJoy’s rise as GOP fundraiser was powered by contributions from company workers who were later reimbursed, former employees say, according to Washington Post Investigators Louis DeJoy’s prolific campaign fundraising, which helped position him as a top Republican power broker in North Carolina and ultimately as head of the U.S. Postal Service, was bolstered for more than a decade by a practice that left many employees feeling pressured to make political contributions to GOP candidates — money DeJoy later reimbursed through bonuses, former employees say. Five people who worked for DeJoy’s former business, New Breed Logistics, say they were urged by DeJoy’s aides or by the chief executive himself to write checks and attend fundraisers at his 15,000-square-foot gated mansion beside a Greensboro, N.

Could This Be the Beginning of a Trend? #29 Strike Three! Another Federal Court Ends Betsy DeVos Plan To Use Public Money For Private Schools 9.5.20 1] In Washington state, Judge Barbara Rothstein stated that the law “could hardly be less ambiguous” and called the department’s argument “generously put, a stretch.” She concluded that “The Department’s convoluted reading essentially creates an ambiguity to justify resolving it, thereby thwarting Congress’s obvious intent.” The department, she concluded while declaring an injunction, had no authority to rewrite Congress’s plainly stated intent. 2] Then, in San Francisco, Judge James Donato also issued an injunction, stating that the department used “interpretive jiggery pokery” to create ambiguity where there was none, suggesting that it’s hard to imagine how anyone could argue otherwise with a straight face. 3] Judge Dabney Friedrich, the U.S. District Judge for the District of Columbia (and a Trump appointee) this week became the

Trump/Pence Fact Check #4 CNN Fact check: Trump says he's done more for veterans than John McCain did -- while taking credit for McCain's veterans bill https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/04/politics/fact-check-trump-mccain-loser-veterans-choice/index.html?utm_term=link&utm_content=2020-09-04T16%3A08%3A00&utm_medium=social&utm_source=fbCNNp&fbclid=IwAR0lP6VwGaWBf0RkDUaOSxQutymnv-flbLcImvx0RW5cOfH5GBLew3hymr8 Washington (CNN)President Donald Trump cited the Veterans Choice health care program on Thursday as evidence that he has done more for veterans than the late Sen. John McCain. There are two big problems here. One: Choice was signed into law by President Barack Obama in 2014. Two: It was McCain's bill. Trump has lied more than 150 times that he is responsible for getting the Choice program created. It's an especially egregious bit of deception, though, when he takes credit for McCain's own initiative to argue he has been superior to McCain. When h

SERIOUSLY! ARE YOU KIDDIN’ ME!! #13 The pedophilia attacks against Joe Biden Some People Have No Shame 9.4.20 There is no credible evidence that supports this claim. In Joe Biden’s more than 40 years of public life, we could find no news reports, formal accusations, complaints, arrests or investigations that implicate him in any sort of sex crimes involving kids. It’s no secret that political candidates running for office face a barrage of personal attacks on the campaign trail — the 2020 presidential election is no different. One of the most egregious examples we have come across is illustrated by a flood of social media posts that claim Joe Biden, the former vice president and presumptive Democratic nominee for president, is a "pedophile." https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2020/aug/12/facebook-posts/fact-checking-pedophilia-attacks-against-joe-biden/?fbclid=IwAR3hdN_XcsmwAZg1yygPDfXyN1uZdJi5IvSVl_1B3RBXf_r_nNlOf7BWBkY#sources

On Behalf of WEA’s More Conservative Members #67 Sec. of State Kim Wyman Proposes Her Office Should Become a Non-partisan Office https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/editorials/kim-wyman-is-right-make-elections-leader-nonpartisan/ 9.4.20 In addition to chastising Kim Wyman’s opponents, the April 27 opinion piece lauded Wyman for suggesting the partisanship in elections management ought to be altered by making the office ‘non-partisan’. The Times reflects on WA State’s heritage of moderation and bi-partisanship at length and placed its stamp of approval on Wyman’s proposal. At this point, I don’t know if that would require a Constitutional Amendment or could be accomplished simply by statute. I suspect the former will be necessary, but we shall see. In any case, this is just another reason why I’m supporting Kim Wyman for another term as Sec. of State, despite the fact WEA did not endorse her this year. ------------ Ken Mortland is a member of WEA-Retired, continuing a lon

SERIOUSLY! ARE YOU KIDDIN’ ME!! #12 Trump Suggests Carolinians Vote Twice? Aren’t These People Supposed to Know Better? 9.3.20 Sept 3 (Reuters) — U.S. President Donald Trump suggested Wednesday that people in the state of North Carolina should vote twice in the November election, once in person and once by mail, although doing so is a crime. “Let them send it in and let them go vote,” Trump said in an interview with WECT-TV in Wilmington, North Carolina, when asked about the security of mail-in votes. “And if the system is as good as they say it is then obviously they won’t be able to vote” in person. Voting more than once in an election is illegal. (-- If the system works, they’ll also be charged with a felony! Does Trump not know this? Or does he just not care? And why would he seek to disrupt an election in North Carolina, where he stands a chance of winning?) Then, U.S. Attorney General William Barr told CNN that Trump “was trying to make the point that the ability to mo

Could This Be the Beginning of a Trend? #28 Biden Leads Trump in the Polls 9.3.20 Actually, Wednesday was something of a poll-apalooza, probably the biggest polling days of the year...so far. The Biden camp got a scare from a new Monmouth poll showing a much smaller lead in Pennnsylvania, but most of the rest of the polls show (1) Biden with a solid national lead, (2) a fleeting or nonexistent convention bounce, and (3) evidence that Trump's strategy isn't working, at least for the moment. Quinnipiac: Biden 52%, Trump 42% (10 pt. Biden lead) USAT/Suffolk: Biden 50%, Trump 43% (7 point Biden lead)) Reuters/Ipsos: Biden 47%, Trump 40% (7 point Biden lead)) Grinnell/Selzer: Biden 49%, Trump 41% 9 )8 point Biden lead) Economist/YouGov: Biden 51%, Trump 40% (11 point Biden lead) Fox News Poll: Biden leads in three key swing states. AZ +9 WI +8 NC +4 CNN/SSRS: Biden 51%, Trump 43% (8 point Trump lead) USC Dornsife Daybreak: Biden 52%, Trump 41% (11 point Biden le

Could This Be the Beginning of a Trend? #27 Yet another Trump Administration official comes forward to oppose Trump Former Michigan governor Rick Snyder: I am a Republican vote for Biden Donald Trump is a bully who lacks a moral compass. Joe Biden would bring back civility. https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2020/09/03/rick-snyder-why-im-voting-joe-biden-even-republican-column/5696508002/?fbclid=IwAR0UBeUvB98IuJs1zB8TmTSaZLJ8cf3528Z-ZkrWdzFMjFyLJZdn4aELt-E 9.3.20 “I will continue to support and stand up for Republican policies and values, and support Republican candidates, but I will not support Donald Trump for reelection.” Trump has not unified the nation I was at the nation’s Capitol when Trump gave his inaugural address. I had hoped this first speech as president would be a message to unify a divided nation. Instead, I heard a speech directed at how he would help the people who supported him. And sadly, that is how President Trump continues to govern. Bringing ba

On Behalf of WEA’s More Conservative Members #66 Seattle Times Notes Podlodowski’s Strident Partisan Tones https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/editorials/kim-wyman-is-right-make-elections-leader-nonpartisan/ 9.3.20 I suspect my references to Tina Podlodowski’s falsehoods in her 2016 race for Secretary of State against Kim Wyman sounded a bit partisan to my readers, since most of them know I’m a lifelong Republican. That’s why I was also pleased to read the Seattle Time’s analysis of that race. “This glib linkage echoes the strident tone state Democratic chair Tina Podlodowski took running against Wyman four years ago.” During the 2016 election, Kim Wyman was recognized as the ‘least partisan candidate on the ballot’ and Tina Podlodowski was recognized as the ‘most partisan candidate on the ballot’. Seems she still using that style. ------------ Ken Mortland is a member of WEA-Retired, continuing a long career of activism in WEA/NEA. He is also a lifelong Republican and a m

Trump/Pence Fact Check #3 AP FACT CHECK: Barr raises voter fraud specter, China threat https://apnews.com/9f1fde9bb0dd6e46be5a7add286093b9?utm_source=piano&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=morningwire&pnespid=lfB29qkJWQ_N0aEFyBnqKktMmlGDJX1xF7Dfgxby 9.3.20 BARR on fraud in the vote-by-mail process: “Elections that have been held with mail have found substantial fraud and coercion.” THE FACTS: Multiple studies have debunked the notion of pervasive voter fraud in general and in the vote-by-mail process. The five states that relied on mail-in ballots even before the coronavirus pandemic — Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington and Utah — have said they have necessary safeguards in place to ensure against fraud and to prevent hostile foreign actors from co-opting the vote. The attorney general cited a report from more than a decade ago from a commission led by former President Jimmy Carter and former Secretary of State James Baker that said vote-by-mail was vulnerable to fra

On Behalf of WEA’s More Conservative Members #65 Seattle Times Chastises Gael Tarleton’s “Fabrication” https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/editorials/kim-wyman-is-right-make-elections-leader-nonpartisan/ On Saturday, the Seattle Times used the phrase “inappropriate politicization of Washington’s elections” to describe the nature of campaigns in WA State and then turned the spotlight on Gael Tarleton for her attacks on Sec. of State Kim Wyman. “Rep. Gael Tarleton, who has repeatedly fabricated linkages between Wyman’s stewardship and Trump’s undermining.” The Times editorial went on to say, the “gratuitous partisan attack on a secretary of state who has umpired elections successfully is so disappointing.” ----- I have described it as the sort of thing an unqualified candidate must do in a race against a qualified candidate. And I confess to being pleased to find that the Seattle Times views these tactics with as much distaste as do I. That is part of why I am so disappoint

Trump/Pence Fact Checks #2 AP FACT CHECK:Trump misstates what happened in Kenosha https://apnews.com/e5c0dd83a2c172c0aed75b0a91517a55?utm_source=piano&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=morningwire&pnespid=irhpqOZDWgiND36Kwt2Ilr6ozYp5kCVk2ROCE3fQ 9.2.20 TRUMP, on Wisconsin officials and the National Guard: “Once they responded and once we took, you know, control of it, things went really well.” — remarks in Kenosha. THE FACTS: That’s a distortion. He had nothing to do with the deployment of the National Guard in Wisconsin. The federal government never “took control of it.” ------------ It seems to me that Pres. Donald Trump has no compunctions about taking credit for things others have done and in which he's had no significant participation. In other words, he lies whenever it suits him. Can't imagine how he figures that's going to help him win an election, unless he counting on enough people listening only to him and having no other source of information to

Trump/Pence Fact Checks #1 AP FACT CHECK: Trump tweets distort truth on National Guard https://apnews.com/2ea05933a91212ccfb1a3ae4c39e0e79 9.1.20 WASHINGTON (AP) — It’s become a pattern when unrest flares in a city: President Donald Trump suggests he has National Guard troops ready to send to the scene and takes credit for dispatching them and restoring calm while he accuses Democrats of being squishy on law and order. That’s a distortion. Trump omits the fact that he is largely a bystander in National Guard deployments. While presidents can tap rarely used powers to use federal officers for local law enforcement, there is no National Guard with national reach for Trump to send around the country. And when violence broke out in Kenosha, Wisconsin, a week ago, Trump’s demand that National Guard troops be used came a day after the Democratic governor had already activated them. National Guard units in each state answer to the governor and sometimes state legislatures, not to the p