Comments

1
Why did you bring up the bathroom issue? You were doing so well.

2
Thanks Rodney Tom.
3
Republicans are horrible people.
4
this is how you do it, Jay. CAMPAIGN for a democratic senate. hit the republicans every time they open their stupid gobs. make the state aware of just how awful each one is.

and for god's sake, find people to run against them everywhere they're vulnerable.
5
Let’s not kid ourselves. This move has little to do with unpopular WSDOT projects and everything to do with election-year politics. Republicans have not elected a governor in Washington since 1980, and this year they see at least a glimmer of hope. The more political damage they can inflict on Gov. Inslee, the better the odds for their guy (whoever it is).
6
"Dominic Holden ‏@dominicholden · 6h6 hours ago
Great to see WA's senate fire head of transportation department — DOT is responsible for Seattle’s tunnel disaster."
7
I come not to praise Bertha, but to cancel her at last.

Oh and @3 for the Epic Insight Win
8
Is anyone going to ask if she should have been fired? It seams to me that no one is disagreeing with the fact that the department of transpiration is out of control. Just last week they admit that they made East side traffic worse with their toll lanes. The tunnel is a joke. They have asked for 15 billion of new money, while taking over a year to give costs for their individual projects on I-5. Sounds to me like she was doing a bad job.
11
I'm sorry, what about this "fixed" the problem? Who's going to want to run this crazy-assed department now? If a transition is needed, did anyone give any thoughts to a deliberate transition plan?
12
@10, @11
The Republicans are not serious people trying to manage a very complex organization. They are trying to disrupt Washington state government so that it doesn't operate effectively. There's no question that wash dot could use a lot of reform but the way the Republicans have done it demonstrates that they have no concern
13
@8, asking whether or not she was doing a good job is a legitimate question.

But this wasn't a legitimate action. The republican's own committee recommended her approval. This was a hatchet job, plain and simple. She was given zero notice. She wasn't questioned by any legit committee. She was just fired.

So sure, it is entirely possible that she was unsuited for the job, but that isn't what the republican committee concluded. The republicans just fired her in a temper tantrum to show they have some power and to throw mud at the governor. It was a dick move, and the governor was right to call them out on it.
14
Hmmm

Never mind that the GOP's hero Dino Rossi was an early advocate for HOT lanes (SR167) and was in favor of the deep bore tunnel when he ran for governor in 2008.
15
Of course the GOP are asses- they will get re-elected no matter what they do!
16
@12. Right on. Disruption is the calling card of the desperate. I wonder about what, exactly, are they so very desperate?
18
Wait, the senate can fire the sec of transportation? Ugh just switch to the parliamentary system
23
#8, I question how much influence she had on 405 tolling and Bertha decisions. These kinds of projects are usually edicts from "on high", and the Secretary of Transportation is supposed to push forth the will of the state executive on transportation matters. Lynn Peterson did not create these problems. She was paid to make these problems reality by the Inslee administration.
24
@23 People hate one party or another blindly. I simply ask that we look at the issue without considering party affiliation. There have since been article written that discuss mismanagement in the I-405, state ferries, sexual harassments suits, and lack of communication with upcoming projects. Including her office taking longer than a year to budget upcoming projects. Republicans confirmed her in June, but may have gotten rid of her due to performance. People need to get off the party line politics and look at the issues.
25
Someone had to take the fall. Gov Inslee's a wuss. The GOP saw an opportunity to make him look bad and he took the bait. What a fool #Inslee
26
@24, I agree. But that buck stops at Inslee, not at Peterson. If Inslee asks her to drag out the budgetary process, her available options are to do it or quit. If Inslee tells her not to communicate, again she has no real options.

Looking at the issue instead of the affiliation, we have to look at Inslee himself. I fear I have to agree with #25 on this one. She is a fall girl for Inslee's lack of perspective. This does not surprise me, having been a resident of the 1st back in 96 and 99 and having seen Inslee's politics over the past 20 years.

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