PORT TOWNSEND — Democratic challenger Michael Haas has raised almost twice as much as Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney Scott Rosekrans in his effort to unseat the Democratic incumbent, according to state Public Disclosure Commission filings as of Tuesday.
Haas, 53, of Port Townsend has raised $11,470 from 41 campaign contributions, including $1,250 from Port Angeles lawyers John Black, Rich McMenamin and Shari McMenamin and Silverdale attorney Steve Bennett, as well as $1,900 from Sequim client Steven Fager and $100 Port Townsend lawyer Richard Davies.
Rosekrans, 62, of Port Townsend has raised $6,735 from 36 contributions, none of which is more than $200, and has spent $6,463.
He said he would not accept funds from a client whose case is pending and would not take funds from local attorneys.
Steve Fager, represented by Haas, and Tim Fager were charged in 2009 with allegedly possessing, manufacturing and intending to deliver marijuana and with defrauding a public utility by allegedly diverting electrical power.
The charges were dismissed after the late Jefferson County Superior Court Judge Craddock Verser suppressed the warrant to raid the Fagers’ property that was obtained by agents from the Olympic Peninsula Narcotics Enforcement Team, or OPNET.
Jefferson County has appealed the case before the state Court of Appeals.
“If I won the election, I would have to terminate my representation of [Steve Fager] once I am sworn in,” Haas said Tuesday.
“He’s innocent and never should have been charged in the first place.”
Steve Fager, interviewed Tuesday, said he would have donated to anyone who ran against Rosekrans.
“Mr. Rosekrans has cost me hundreds of thousands of dollars and years of my life,” he said, adding that Haas would have to recuse himself from future court hearings if he is elected.
Oral arguments on the case are Dec. 4, Fager said.
Richard Davies is the defense attorney in the third retrial of accused double-murderer Michael J. Pierce, who is charged in the 2009 murders of Quilcene residents Pat and Janice Yarr. Rosekrans is the prosecutor in the trial currently underway in Kitsap County Superior Court.
Rosekrans said he would never accept donations from a client because of the expectation, or appearance of an expectation, that he would owe that client.
The same kinds of issues would arise from accepting contributions from lawyers, he said.
“There’s no rule against it, but if it raises an eyebrow, it could be a problem,” he said.
“Why go there?”
Haas, an attorney and partner with Haas & Ramirez of Port Townsend and Bainbridge Island, said Rich and Shari McMenamin do not practice criminal law and rarely practice in Jefferson County. He added that Bennett is an old friend.
“I’m sure [Rosekrans] would have accepted money if [lawyers] had actually offered it to him,” he said
“To think I’m going to change my opinion or how I handle a case for 50 or a hundred bucks is absurd.”
Rosekrans said no lawyers had offered donations but that he would not have accepted the contribution.
Haas sent out fundraising appeals via email, letters and Facebook, he said.
His single greatest expense has been newspaper advertising, but he said he could not afford to send out mailers, which would have cost $3,500 for 10,000.
He also spent $1,855 on yard signs and campaign buttons, and sponsored holes at Rotary and bar association golf tournaments for a combined $225.
He has rung “thousands of doorbells” in getting himself known to voters, he said.
Rosekrans also did not send out mailers and did not aggressively seek donations
He’s doorbelled at about 3,700 homes, which just costs “shoe leather and gasoline,” he said.
He will have purchased four half-page newspaper advertisements by Nov. 4, he said.
Rack cards, also known as slim jims, and yard signs have been his greatest expense.
Ballots for the election were mailed to voters Oct. 15.
A list of Haas’ and Rosekrans’ campaign contributions and expenditures is at http://tinyurl.com/PDN-Campaigndollars.
Haas’ donors
Below are contributors from the North Olympic Peninsula who have donated $100 or more to Haas’ campaign:
■ $1,900: Steven Fager, Sequim.
■ $250: John D. Black, Rich McMenamin, Shari McMenamin, Stan Myer, Port Angeles; James Rotchford, Port Townsend.
■ $200: Deborah B. Jahnke, Vince Marquis, Port Townsend; Kathleen Wheeler, Sequim.
■ $150: Mary Beach McDowell, Gary McDowell, Port Townsend; Gary Corman, Port Hadlock.
■ $100: Susan J. Allen, Joan Best, Richard Davies, Noah Harrison, Chuck Henry, Susan Jacob, Ron Kosec, Sandra Kosec, Geoff Masci, John Piatt, Joseph Schodowiski, David Thomas, Port Townsend; Nancy Biery, Quilcene; Harry Gasnick, Port Angeles; Christopher Shea, Sequim; Melanie McGrory, Henner Schroder, Chimacum.
Rosekrans’ donors
Below are contributors from the North Olympic Peninsula who have donated $100 or more to Rosekrans’ campaign:
■ $300: Dale R. Kelley, Port Ludlow.
■ $100: Laurel Ankeny, Wendell Ankeny, Port Townsend; John Fabian, Juanita G. Luiz, Ron Nelson, Port Ludlow; Connie Gallant, Terry Reitz, Quilcene.
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Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5060, or at pgottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.
