Beth Sellars wrote:

How could you possibly simply be absent from the Ways and Means Committee during such a crucial vote to save the "Life Blood" of the arts in King County? How could you possibly be absent simply because you were mad about some sort of interaction between one another, of all things. You must realize, especially as Democrats, the impact your decision of absence now has upon the entire culture of arts in our struggling area.
I am stunned, embarrassed, and angered that such behavior can still occur in this environment.

Brian Hatfield responded:

Yes, how COULD I have forgotten that the arts in Seattle are so much MORE important than the jobs of mill workers (and the health and welfare of their families) in my district and throughout rural Washington…. Please forgive me.

Sellars:

I don't believe your heated absence during a vote to aid the arts in KING COUNTY had anything to do with your mill workers' health and welfare. The legislation was not an either/or competition with your rural Washington.
But I certainly now have a direct insight to your type of balanced approach to governing.

Hatfield:

My actions had NOTHING to do with a King County arts bill.

Sellars attached a report in which Hatfield told the Daily World that he left the meeting to make a point. Sellars wrote:

And your point being...to kill an important bill that was in no conflict with yours? To kill a bill
that would have helped to generate revenue for the state, including rural Washington, through expanded Washington State Convention Center usage? Just to prove a point that you were angry you didn't have enough votes to support your bill?
Playing politics is disgusting.

The senator responded:

My bill passed the Senate with 28 votes! It has somewhere between 55 to 60 YES votes in the House. In the House Environment Committee I had 10 of the 15 members ready to vote YES, but the Chairman refused to bring it up for a vote. Don’t tell me about “playing politics.”