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Today in Olympia: Action Alert!!

2K views 9 replies 5 participants last post by  Todd Ripley 
#1 ·
All,

Here is a quick rundown of what happened today in Olympia, with an attached action alert.

I just walked in the door, operating on about 3 hours of sleep, so please forgive any typos or poor grammar...!

The nutshell:

Clyde McBrayer's "vote to NOT confirm" was passed out of the Senate Natural Resources Committee today during Executive Session, 5-2, with two absent. This means that the issue will now go the Rules Committee, where they can either 1. vote it down, and it's over, 2. vote it up, sending it to the floor for a full Senate vote, 3. table it, which would kill it, unless a majority of the Senate votes to take it out of Rules and take it directly to the full Senate for a floor vote.

Right now, the folks on the Rules Committee need to hear from us...and the consensus of the group down there today, with some advice from the politicos, is to be very brief, and to the point, with no antagonism at all. This is the message to send:

My name is __________, and I support the confirmation of Clyde McBrayer to the WDFW Commission.

Thank you.

*If you are representing an organization, or belong to an organization, or more than one, put that in, too. If you represent an organization, state an approximate number of folks who you are speaking for.

*If you live in the district of one of the members of the Rules Committee, in the e-mail you send to them, tell them that.

That's it...let the flood gates open on the e-mail server.

Here are the members of the Rules Committee that all need to hear from us...all phone numbers are 360-786-xxxx:

Brad Owen, Lt. Governor: Owen.Brad@leg.wa.gov 360-786-7700

Rosa Franklin: franklin.rosa@leg.wa.gov -7656

Lisa Brown: brown.lisa@leg.wa.gov -7604

Mark Doumit: doumit.mark@leg.wa.gov -7636

Tracey Eide: eide.tracey@leg.wa.gov -7658

Karen Fraser: fraser.karen@leg.wa.gov -7642

Mary Margaret Haugen: haugen.marymargaret@leg.wa.gov -7618

Adam Kline: kline.adam@leg.wa.gov -7688

Jeanne Kohl-Welles: kohl-welles.jeanne@leg.wa.gov -7670

Debbie Regala: regala.debbie@leg.wa.gov -7652

Harriet Spanel: spanel.harriet@leg.wa.gov -7678

Pat Thibaudeau: thibaudeau.pat@leg.wa.gov --7628

Bill Finkbeiner: finkbeiner.bill@leg.wa.gov -7672

Luke Esser: esser.luke@leg.wa.gov -7694

Mike Hewitt: hewitt.mike@leg.wa.gov -7630

Jim Honeyford: honeyford.jim@leg.wa.gov -7684

Stephen Johnson: johnson.stephem@leg.wa.gov -7692

Linda Evans Parlette: parlette.linda@leg.wa.gov -7622

Val Stevens: stevens.val@leg.wa.gov -7676

Joseph Zarelli: zarelli.joseph@leg.wa.gov -7634

These are the folks that really need to hear from all of us RIGHT NOW...this could go to the Rules Committee TOMORROW MORNING...or anytime tomorrow, or anytime Friday.

***********
A full report of the meetings and the hearing will follow in a little bit, getting these e-mails out is the important thing right now, so I have not typed out my notes from today yet.

Fish on...

Todd
 
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#5 ·
Flytier,

Ms. Spanel lives in Bellingham and has a long association with the commercial fishing industry/lobby. Commercial fishing interests contribute far more to her election efforts than the sportfishing interests in her district. Hope doesn't cause change. Action causes change. Not that you didn't already know that, but you made a statement beginning with "hopefully."

Sincerely,

Salmo g.
 
#6 ·
Salmo G,

My use of the word hopefully was on purpose because even though my wife and I and many others we know have contacted Ms Spanel on sportsfishing concerns in the past, she has always simply blown them off. I used the term in my prior post because I still would like to think that if enough sportsfishers contact her, she will not vote for commercial interests this time (as much a long shot as that is).

I am well aware of her voting record favoring commercial fishing over sportsmen. I am also very aware that she has extended family members who own commercial fishing boats as well as the commercial fishers from Bellingham and Anacordes along with the commercial fishermen from the Lummi, Nooksack, Swinomish, and Upper Skagit tribes contributing to her election campaigns. Her past record says she will vote for commercial fishing interests over sportsfishing regardless of how many letters, phone calls, or emails she receives from people in her district in favor of sportsfishing over commercials. That is why I said "hopefully" since past actions of sportsfishers have had no effect that I've seen on her vote when commercial fishing interests are on the table.
 
#7 ·
Word on the Hill right now is that Sen. Lisa Brown will not schedule a Rules Committee hearing to vote on Clyde, so unless his opponents can convince the entire Senate to take time off from the gas tax bill, the budget, and the gay marriage bill, it will die there in Rules, and we'll have prevailed.

This, of course, is tentative as of now, but looks to be where it is leaning.

Fish on...

Todd
 
#8 ·
Concerned Sportsmen!

Your efforts to make your loyalty and commitment to WDFW Commissioner Clyde McBrayer known to the powers that be has been outstanding. Most likely tomorrow will be the last day that the effort to remove Clyde can go forward...one more day.

I just spoke with Clyde, and he asked me to pass on his thanks and appreciation to each and every one of you who have made a phone call or sent an e-mail (or made dozens of phone calls and sent hundreds of e-mails!). They have been a great help, and there are dozens of Senators in Olympia whose interest in fisheries and the WDFW Commission has been piqued due to the overwhelming support shown by the concerned sportsmen of Washington over the past few days.

Clyde would ask that we all now stand down, as everyone there has received dozens, if not hundreds, of phone calls and e-mails, and all are aware of the situation. Please allow the Senate to do their jobs tomorrow, dealing with all of the other important issues that our State's lawmakers have to deal with.

For now, please refrain from anymore e-mails and phone calls to the Washington Senate.

Tomorrow is the last day that the Senate can move on this, and if something happens that we all need to react to, someone, or more likely several people, will get the word out as soon as possible if there are groups or individuals in Olympia who need one last targeted e-mail or phone contacts.

Thank you all so much for your concern and assistance for Commissioner McBrayer this week...it has been a testament not only to the power of the internet, but also to the power of the sportsmen when we all act in a concerted effort to preserve and protect our fish and our fisheries.

All of us who have been in Olympia this week, but most especially Commissioner McBrayer, are very thankful for all of the support from the sportfishing community.

Stay tuned for more announcements and information...

Yours in service to the resource,

Todd Ripley
Vice President Political Affairs
The Wild Steelhead Coalition
 
#10 ·
The hearing was never scheduled in Rules by Sen. Brown, and the attempt to take it out of Rules and put it in front of the Senate today failed.

Clyde will remain a Commissioner.

Details will be released in the near future, perhaps next week.

Fish on...

Todd
 
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