From the Dec 16 – Dec 22, 1999 issue

News

Both Sides Now

Local Exec Donates to Republican, Works for Democrat

by Josh Feit

FORMER U.S. representative Maria Cantwell has gotten some prominent Democrats excited about her comeback campaign: a potential challenge to fellow Democrat, state Insurance Commissioner Deborah Senn, for the party's 2000 race against Republican Senator Slade Gorton. State Democratic Chair Paul Berendt told the Seattle Post-Intelligencer that a Cantwell candidacy would be "very exciting." However, Cantwell might want to take a closer look at her support base. Keith Grinstein, a member of Cantwell's exploratory committee and her treasurer, has some strange allegiances. According to the Federal Elections Commission, Grinstein, Vice Chair of Nextel International, has donated $1,000 to George W. Bush, $1,000 to John McCain, and -- here's the kicker -- Grinstein has maxed out to Gorton, Cantwell's potential opponent, contributing $2,000. Sure, it's commonplace for big donors to cover their bets and dole out cash to both parties, but this oddity takes political hypocrisy to a new level. Grinstein, who's also maxed out to presidential candidate Al Gore, says you have to separate personal politics from what you do as an officer of a corporation. "Personally, I find it difficult to support Slade," Grinstein says. "But he's very pro-business." Grinstein says he kicked in to the Gorton campaign at a private Gorton fundraiser, thrown by Microsoft CEO Bill Gates and telecommunications entrepreneur and Nextel board member Craig McCaw.