There are some crazy political hat tricks going on during this special county election season. Are you watching?
First we had the Republican Party quietly disappear themselves in a full-on fit of “non-partisanship.”
Then the 3 candidates that the Republicans would ordinarily promote everywhere, have now also disappeared their own campaigns behind something called “Trust Islanders.” Who?
“Trust Islanders” now has all the money, pays for all the ads, sends out all the mailers. They are now the instant, and only, opposition to the council candidates endorsed openly months ago by the local county Democratic Party.
Who are these Islanders We Should Trust? They are a new local PAC: a brand new political action committee. You can check them out for yourself on the Public Disclosure website: www.pdc.wa.gov/MvcQuerySystem
You will learn they are primarily five very large donors, representing primarily only San Juan Island, and that most all of the “Trust Islanders” donors previously gave to various state and national Republican candidates.
See this hat? Look what I have in here. Now, watch this, it is really something else entirely. Now, look over here.
I don’t think county voters are that dumb. I just hope they remember to vote. Soon. The 23rd is the last day to get your ballots in.
Lee Sturdivant, Friday Harbor
When did it become acceptable to demonize another political party? Demonizing another party serves only to quash much needed political debate of the issues and leads to tyranny of ideas and policies by one party and its supporters over the ideas and policies of others not members of the party in dominance. We should all strive for a higher level of discourse and not assume that either we or our party has all the answers. Instead we should be open to the ideas of others.
Hello all, I’ve gone to the Public Disclosure website twice now, w/great curiosity about who these islanders are asking me to trust them and all — it’s not listed under political committee, or found in an advanced search. What am I missing about getting access to info about participants/supporters of Trust Islanders?
To Daniel: Maybe I misunderstood you, but TrustIslanders is not a political party. It is a political action committee, or PAC. Think Karl Rove and the Koch Bros.
To Susan: Search under “single-year” committees. Scroll to the last page (4 or 5) to find TrustIslanders. Then click on Details on far left to see a list of all contributors with town of residence and amount.
Hughes, Jarman and McClerren have not “disappeared their own campaigns” under Trust Islanders. They are conducting their own independent runs, independently funded. TI has exercised their First Amendment right to endorse whomever they choose, and they are paying for their own TI ads and mailers. The candidates have not taken funds from the TI organization. They pay for their own separate ads and campaign expenses. There is no “hat trick” or attempt to “disappear” anything. Just another group trying to get their point across, same as you.
Democratic talking points and closed minds. Mr/ms Sturdivant is a Democrat and Pratt supporter. He is starring in the same M.Night Shamalayan film as David Dehlendorf: “I See Republicans,” which opened here a few weeks ago when Trust Islanders began organizing. Mr/Ms Sturdivant sees Trust Islanders as Republicans. They are not. He/she knows that, but it’s not as much fun to say as I See Republicans. Mr. D. Has a more specific strain of the brain virus–he sees Karl Rove under every bed — and filthy rich Republicans. I, however, contributed $250 and am a decades long independent. A principal impetus of the TI group was disaffected Democrats. Not sure how that jibes with the meme that all people in the islands are either Zee/Dehlendorf Democrats or “the Other.” But please, try looking at the facts. Btw, calling Brian McClerren a Republican in sheep’s clothing is hysterically funny. Is the senior set disconnected or what?
Trust Islanders is a PAC just like those run for decades by unions, conservation voters, pro-choice groups, etc. No Karl Rove or Koch Brothers sightings; nor sightings of yeti, leprechauns, or unicorns.
Just islanders.
Oh, and I have not donated to Republican candidates and am not from San Juan. Stereotypes are lazy and usually wrong.
And the first and only local PAC in the history of San Juan County. A worrisome development for those of us who don’t want national-style politics to insinuate itself into our island society.
If we are “hiding behind Trust Islanders”, somebody forgot to tell us! The ”Vote Bob” campaign started a year ago with myself, my wife, and four friends (two Democrats and two Republicans) sitting around our table trying to figure out how to run a campaign. A few months later, we were building a float for the 4th of July Parade with our whole family chipping in….sisters, brothers, children, grandchildren, in-laws and out-laws (10 Democrats, 6 Republicans among the adults!).
Now, we’re at the end of the campaign. I have maintained since the beginning, at every forum, every debate, and any time I’m questioned, that I am an independent, non-partisan candidate. I have always voted my conscience. When I walk down the street, I do not see Democrats or Republicans or Independents. I just see ISLANDERS!
Trust Islanders has not contributed any money to our campaign. We just recently wrote, put together and mailed out letters to every voter in the County. We have spent money every month on advertizing, signs, and other expenses. All have been paid for from our campaign fund or from our personal account.
I do not hide behind Trust Islanders, but I do walk beside them and all other Islanders who are trying to find reasonable, responsible solutions in our quest to maintain and protect our rural island communities.
Next time you have questions regarding my campaign, why not just ask me instead of just assuming? My door is always open, and I’ve had a phone number in these islands for 38 years!
Mr. Dehlendorf’s purported worry about the “first and only local PAC” in the islands somehow bringing “national style politics” into our county is a puzzle to me, as he has been a member of and a very active worker in the Democratic party here in the County (as well as at national conventions, if I recall correctly) for quite some time.
For some reason, the local Democratic party has sought to demonize Trust Islanders! a covert tool of the far right, in an effort to cast the upcoming election as a choice between left and right, Democrat and Republican. It is not.
It is a choice about how local government is to operate in the next few years. Do we want transparency, integrity and fiscal responsibility? Or are we going to settle for what we have had for the past 6-8 years? Do we want council members who ask important questions before County management launches into large projects scaled to mainland cities and unsuited to our way of life (stormwater “utility,” housing authority, transportation authority, all with new taxes) while putting our critical services (public safety, senior services, kids) on the chopping block to “balance” the budget? Do we want all our roads straightened and widened and guard-railed and full of “wayshowing” signs, looking like something in Southern California? Do we want selective enforcement of our rules against powerless citizens without connections, or do we want equal application to all?
These are not national issues like gun control, abortion, or war, and political labels do not provide any guidance. Yet they are critically important questions for the community to address. They are home and family and daily life local issues. So we don’t ask “What party you belong to?”; we ask “How do we best maintain and protect our rural island communities?” I think that Bob Jarman, Rick Hughes, and Brian McClerren bring the kind of change we need to resolve these issues and reform our local government from a mushrooming, outside-directed bureaucracy to a citizen-focused organization.
Did Sturdivant write the letter posted on LopezRocks.org? Or did David Dehlendorf copy her format? https://www.salishrocks.org/page.php? type=item&item_handle=1366297617&menu_type=forum&return=32&id=1366400888_ 76203&comment_handle=1366318898
The lack of facts in Sturdivantʼs letter is only overshadowed by her unwillingness or inability to discuss real issues. It is very easy, and quite entertaining (for some), to spew lies about other people who they think might threaten their world view.
The facts are as follows:
TrustIslanders! as a group is non-partisan. We have supporters who have voted on all sides of the political spectrum. We have no control over who sends us checks. We have six donors who have given $1000. or more. Two couples, Brownes Home Center and myself. We welcome all of the support that we have received as it makes up for the families who are struggling and cannot afford to write a check.
TrustIslanders! does not represent or collaborate with any of the candidates that we have decided to endorse. They run their campaigns and we run ours. We are truly independent and respect that they are also.
TrustIslanders! was not founded to endorse candidates. Our first ad only outlined the possible outcomes of this very important election. We made a decision after about two weeks into the campaign that we would endorse candidates that are most closely aligned with our vision statement. As we got to know candidates, we slowly endorsed the three that we think will best represent the interest of the islanders.
The Sturdivant letter is but another example of why TrustIslanders! is getting so much support. Our supporters are tired of factless rhetoric and they are issue driven. We are very available for civil and factual discussions about the real challenges that face our island community.
For more information about TrustIslanders! visit our website at: http://WWW.Trustislanders.org.
Royce Meyerott
TrustIslanders!