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Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Port Update & Recall Petition

posted by on April 24 at 16:33 PM

The Port of Seattle Commission tried to lower the temperature today, voting to refer the Pat Davis scandal to a Port ethics board rather than calling for Port Commissioner Davis to resign. Davis signed a memo a-okaying a hefty retirement package for former Port CEO Mic Dinsmore without the consent of her fellow commissioners. She says they knew about it. They say they didn’t.

However, longtime open government activist and Renton resident Chris Clifford filed a petition with King County to recall Davis. Clifford reports that KC rejected the petition on technical grounds, and says he’s complying and sending it back in tonight.

Here it is:


PETITION FOR RECALL
KING COUNTY RECORDS AND ELECTIONS

1) SWORN STATEMENT

COMES NOW, Christopher P. Clifford, a resident of the City of Renton, in King County, in the State of Washington, being 18 years of age or older, being a registered voter in King County Washington, swears under the penalty of perjury, and under the laws of the State of Washington, that the following is true and have knowledge of the alleged facts upon which the stated grounds for recall are based.

2) PETITION FOR RECALL
FACTS
On or about January 10, 2006, the Port of Seattle Commission met in an executive session.
On or about June 8, 2006, the Port of Seattle Commission met in an executive session.
On or about October 10, 2006, Port of Seattle Commission signed a memorandum granting Mic Dinsmore an outgoing employee of the Port of Seattle, $339,841.00 of extra compensation outside the original employee contract for that employee.
On or about March/April of 2007 Mic Dinsmore sought to collect the monies granted to him by Port of Seattle Commissioner Pat Davis.

Acts of Malfeasance and Misfeasance
1) Port of Seattle Commissioner Pat Davis committed an act of malfeasance by signing an agreement to provide a “gift” of public money to an individual outside the employee contract approved by the Port of Seattle Commission.
2) Port of Seattle Commissioner Pat Davis committed an act of malfeasance by obligating the Port of Seattle to pay monies not voted on or approved by the Port of Seattle Commissioners at a regularly scheduled public hearing.
3) Port of Seattle Commissioner Pat Davis committed an act of misfeasance and malfeasance by using her position as Port Commissioner to provide a “gift” of public money to her personal friend and political ally Mic Dinsmore.
4) Port of Seattle Commissioner Pat Davis committed an act of malfeasance by voting on an issue in an executive session on or about January 10, 2006, in violation of the Washington State Open Meetings Act.
5) Port of Seattle Commissioner Pat Davis committed an act of malfeasance by voting on an issue in an executive session on or about June 8, 2006, in violation of the Washington State Open Meetings Act.
6) Port of Seattle Commissioner Pat Davis committed an act of malfeasance by knowingly violating the limited context of the executive session exclusions of the Open Meetings Act to improperly negotiate and vote on a “gift” of public money.
The acts of malfeasance and misfeasance regarding Port of Seattle funds are evidenced by the October 10, 2006, memo signed by Pat Davis to Mic Dinsmore. Further evidence of these acts are Mr. Dinsmore’s attempt to obtain the monies stated in the October 10, 2006 memo in 2007.
The Acts of malfeasance and misfeasance regarding violations of the open meetings act and the executive session exemption are evidenced by the public statements of Port of Seattle Commissioner Pat Davis.
Dated this 24th day of April, 2007

RSS icon Comments

1

great, now how do we recall chopp?

Posted by anonymous coward | April 24, 2007 4:48 PM
2

Where do I sign?

Recall Chopp. Right, good one.

Posted by Fnarf | April 24, 2007 4:53 PM
3

@1 - yeah, right. Not gonna happen.

But I'm all for this one for Pat.

Posted by Will in Seattle | April 24, 2007 5:01 PM
4

Right on for the recall *and* the independent ethics review. Hopefully they'll dig beyond Pat's open purse. The comment from Mic Dinsmore in today's P-I asserting that "there have been many, many recipients over the years" of this kind of payout really says it all, bluntly and blatantly.

Posted by Explorer | April 24, 2007 5:21 PM
5

So, where does Bob Edwards stand in all of this?

Does he remember the memorandum?

Does he remember a vote?

Does he remember a discussion of giving Mic Dinsmore a plush golden parachute from the taxpayer pocket?

Posted by NapoleonXIV | April 24, 2007 9:45 PM
6

The King County Democrats adopted the same resolution calling for an investigation and possible censure/resignation of Pat Davis that was adopted by the 46th District Democrats. This issue is picking up steam with more and more groups. Time for the Port pull back the curtain and hold some folks accountable.
Also... where is Bob Edwards on this? Someone should do a PDC request of Edwards' emails around the time of this memo to see if there is a smoking gun.

Posted by Grassroots Democrat | April 24, 2007 11:00 PM
7

Meanwhile, tonight the King County Democrats voted Unanimously to have Port Commissioner Pat Davis and any other potential Port Commissioners be investigated and censured if found to have done this.

Which means No Endorsement for Pat Davis, if the truth is as has been reported in the media.

Posted by Will in Seattle | April 24, 2007 11:00 PM
8

Will @ 7:

Pat Davis is not up for re-election until 2009. We had a chance to take her out in 2005, but somehow enough Democrats supported her to re-elect her. That has always been baffling to me.

Posted by ivan | April 25, 2007 8:29 AM
9

The Dems are awfully quick to turn on their endorsed candidate. I don't think anyone should hang Pat until the ethics board has made a ruling. Lots of he said/she said in this story. Pat's not up for election this year but Bob Edwards is. Let's keep an eye on that one too.

Posted by watcher | April 25, 2007 9:25 AM
10

Watcher @ 9: We're basically in a situation where three port commissioners (Creighton, Hara, Fisken) flatly deny that the topic of Dinsmore's extra compensation was discussed by the board and Dinsmore and Davis say that it was. Somebody's lying--who do you think it is?

Posted by J.R. | April 25, 2007 10:34 AM

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