Re-Elect Jim Moeller

Please note that this release is from the Washington Coalition for Open Government

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PRESS RELEASE
September 15, 2006
Washington Coalition for Open Government

A total of 224 candidates for public office in Washington State have pledged to “support the public’s right to know at every opportunity” by signing the Washington Coalition for Open Government’s “Open Government Pledge” as of September 6, 2006.

WCOG asked every candidate participating in the Sept. 19 primary election — statewide, county and local — to sign the pledge in a statewide mailing last month. The Coalition is urging voters to visit the WCOG Web site at www.washingtoncog.org and see which candidates have signed the pledge before casting their ballots.

The pledge reads, “I believe that government in Washington belongs to the citizens it serves. I believe that government functions best when its discussions and decision-making occur in the light of day. I believe that citizens of Washington have the right of access to records, discussions and decisions, outside of narrow exemptions specified by law. I pledge to support the public’s right to know at every opportunity, and endorse the preamble to the state Public Records Act and Open Public Meetings Act: ‘The people of this state do not yield their sovereignty to the agencies that serve them. The people, in delegating authority, do not give their public servants the right to decide what is good for the people to know and what is not good for them to know. The people insist on remaining informed so that they may maintain control over the instruments that they have created.’ ”

“The pledge is a commitment to government transparency and accountability,” said WCOG President Michele Earl-Hubbard. “I am pleased that candidates have stepped forward and made such a pledge, though I am troubled that so many declined. We have gotten some interesting responses from candidates, including some who refused to sign on ‘principle’ and castigated the Coalition for issuing the challenge,” Earl-Hubbard said. “I was surprised by those sentiments, coming from people who want to be elected to serve the public and run our government. I thought the pledge would be uncontroversial. If a candidate really cannot agree to the statements in the pledge, voters may not want him or her running our government,” she said. (Judicial candidates who were included in the original mailing have been excused from signing the “pledge” this year due to expressed concerns with a “no pledge” provision in the judicial conduct rules. An alternate statement was provided to judicial candidates, though the rate of return for those statements is not being addressed this year due to the limited time afforded judicial candidates to return the alternate statement.)

“WCOG is not endorsing any candidates,” said Earl-Hubbard. “The pledge was sent to all registered candidates — from all political parties and those without a party affiliation. As promised, WCOG is identifying all those who signed the pledge, including several instances where all candidates for a position signed.”

The 2006 election season marks the first time WCOG has asked candidates to formally express their support for open and transparent government. The group plans to make the voter education initiative an annual event.

For more information, please contact us:

Washington Coalition for Open Government

6351 Seaview Avenue NW
Seattle, Washington 98107-2664
www.washingtoncog.org
phone: (206) 782-0393
fax: (206) 623-4474

WCOG is building a network of citizens who support open government laws and practices. Please send to info@washingtoncog.org your name, address, phone, and e-mail address. We will notify you, as they arrive, of threats to open government and opportunities to strengthen it.