Peninsula Daily News news services
Pierce County Executive John Ladenburg kicked off his campaign for Washington state attorney general with endorsements this month from some of the state’s top Democrats, including Gov. Chris Gregoire.
Gregoire called Ladenburg the “people’s advocate.”
But Ladenburg won’t get any support from one high-profile Democrat — state Rep. Lynn Kessler.
Kessler, the state House majority leader and one of the three legislators who represent the North Olympic Peninsula in Olympia, said she has no plans “now or ever” to endorse Ladenburg.,
The Hoquiam Democrat is concerned that Ladenburg has been outspoken about open-government legislation she and McKenna championed this year to force cities and counties to record their executive sessions.
The recordings would only be provided to a judge if questions arise that the government bodies are violating the state’s open public meetings law.
The bill went down in flames, a result of intense lobbying by local government officials.
Ladenburg told The Columbian newspaper of Vancouver earlier this week the measure “would not be a priority for me.”
For one thing, he said, it would be too expensive to implement, because a simple tape recorder cannot distinguish among voices.
“The superior courts tried it, but it didn’t work,” he told The Columbian. “The technology required is akin to studio technology.”
If an audio tape is going to be used as evidence, he said, “you’d better know who said it and when.”
Hearing those comments, Kessler said there are easier ways to know who said what rather than using expensive recording devices, such as using depositions, sworn statements and simply asking someone, “Is that your voice?”
“Local governments are, obviously, still afraid of my bill even now and are trying to come up with every kind of excuse possible to avoid it,” she said.
