News

Five to Four

by Josh Feit

Sheesh, the three new Seattle City Council members only got sworn in on January 5 and I'm already disappointed. That's because in the time between getting elected and taking office, David Della, Jean Godden, and Tom Rasmussen managed to sully their campaign promises.

Della, who campaigned almost exclusively on rescuing Seattle City Light--saying he'd lead our troubled utility to recovery--informed council president Jan Drago last month that he did not want to head the City Light committee [Five to Four, Dec 18]. Meanwhile, Jean Godden and Tom Rasmussen, who exploited Strippergate on the campaign trail to promote the message that the incumbent council had been compromised by pushy contributors, went and compromised themselves last month--accepting Mayor Nickels' offer to help pay off their campaign debts. Nickels organized a December 10 fundraiser for Godden and Rasmussen ["Influence Peddling 101," Nov 27]. Rasmussen raised $4,575 that night, netting donations from Nickels staffers who are key when it comes to nudging the council Nickels' way--Deputy Mayor Tim Ceis and Nickels' council point-person, Sung Yang. Godden hasn't reported her winnings yet, but I predict she'll score even more cash from Team Nickels. And here I thought council members were supposed to be mayoral watchdogs, not mayoral lap dogs.

So, how do the council freshmen explain their disappointing decisions? Della says he doesn't have to chair the City Light committee to implement his City Light remedy. On the campaign trail, however, Della sounded a different note. Not only did he tell The Stranger editorial board he intended to chair the committee, but check out this quote from his Municipal League candidate questionnaire: "I'm running against Heidi Wills because she fundamentally failed in her primary responsibility as energy chair. This agency needs new oversight, and I'm willing to do what it takes to bring this utility back under fiscal control." Yeah, right.

As for Godden's hypocrisy, she says taking money Mayor Nickels rounded up is no big deal and won't prejudice her votes. I guess we'll just have to take her word on that because the appearance of conflict is now in place. And Rasmussen? He used this week's swearing-in ceremony to thank Team Nickels for its "assistance."

What does one do with such an unrepentant troupe of hypocrites? One forms a political committee called Bringing Real Integrity Back to Elections, or BRIBE. BRIBE will soon announce plans for its kickoff fundraiser. (We want to buy bus ads informing voters about the three new council members' broken campaign promises.) And you're invited. This isn't some exclusive fundraiser on the 43rd floor of the Bank of America Tower, where Nickels held his Godden/Rasmussen shindig. This is a fundraiser where average folks can bitch about politicians who say one thing on the campaign trail and do something else before they're even sworn in. Send party theme suggestions to bribe@thestranger.com.

josh@thestranger.com