The Many Faces of Rob McKenna (photos)

(CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE)

H/t to Michael Hood.

"Rob McKenna: Crappy Lawyer or Total Dick?" (Or both)

David Goldstein:

Ignorance of the law is no excuse, especially for a sitting attorney general, but what McKenna and his staffers did to me last Thursday suggests something much, much worse. It appears that he attempted to use his office to bully and intimidate a working member of the press, to deny me my statutory and constitutional right to do my job, and perhaps even to provoke me into a physical confrontation that they could use as grounds for my arrest and prosecution (all I needed to do was shove back the staffer who grabbed my shoulders or the security guard who repeatedly bumped me while blocking my way, and it's my word against the AG's as to who assaulted whom). It was an arrogant, arbitrary, and illegal abuse of his office that displayed a total disrespect for the law. MORE...

(Updated) Rob McKenna's "Promises" (video)

UPDATE: Goldy elaborates:

Rob McKenna keeps promising to spend billions more on education, which is a good thing, I guess, except he won't tell us how he plans to pay for it, other than diverting money from revenue growth and efficiency savings that simply are not there. Essentially, either McKenna can't do math, or he's hoping we can't.

Think about it. Gov. Chris Gregoire's proposed half cent sales tax increase would raise a little more than half a billion dollars a year, and only stave off some of the proposed further cuts to education. Yet McKenna is proposing spending an additional $5 billion on education, without raising taxes.

No doubt it's smart politics for McKenna to run as the "education governor," but unless he backs it up with actual revenue, it's just plain dishonest. MORE...

Washdems, video (01:43).

FACT CHECK: "McKenna campaigns with faulty data"

Mike Baker (AP):

Rob McKenna launched his campaign for governor recently with a vow to curb the costs of personnel in state government, citing statistics that drew gasps from his audience of supporters.

Problem is, a couple of McKenna's key numbers were wrong, exaggerating the speed of government growth. MORE...

Howie P.S.: I can't remember the last time a public official got smacked around like this around here.

"Rob McKenna Media Availability" (video)

tvw.org, video (17:16):

State Attorney General Rob McKenna takes questions regarding his bid for the Governor's Office in 2012 during a rally held in Bellevue.

Coming to Washington state: "Tea Party Too" (video)

fusewashington, video (01:39):

Exposing Rob McKenna's conservative record in Washington.

H/t to Darryl.

WA I-1068: AG McKenna Says State Leg Can Regulate Pot

Sensible Washington:

Today State AG Rob McKenna told KUOW-FM that if 1068 passes the leg can impose civil regulations on marijuana, totally rebutting yesterday's claim by the ACLU of WA that the leg couldn't impose regulations for two years. We appreciate McKenna, who's an authority on initiatives, clearing the air. Link to the program is... below. Listen to the podcast at about 47:20. -Philip.

"Seattle asks Supreme Court to withdraw state from health care lawsuit"

seattlepi.com:

The City of Seattle asked the state Supreme Court Thursday to require Attorney General Rob McKenna to withdraw Washington from a multistate challenge to the constitutionality of the health care reform legislation Congress passed last month.

"Mr. McKenna would not have used the name of Washington State if he didn't think it would further the cause of health care reform opponents," City Attorney Peter Holmes told seattlepi.com Friday.

Holmes said he'd spoken to Mayor Mike McGinn, who supported his decision. He also conferred with seven of nine city councilmembers -- Sally Bagshaw and Sally Clark outstanding. Those seven support his actions, and Holmes said he believes "every city councilmember is upset with McKenna's actions.

Holmes said Seattle is the first city to take action against the multistate challenge.

"Mr. McKenna is a good man and a good lawyer," Holmes said. "But he overstepped his bounds because of partisan politics."

Last month, McKenna said he would join 12 other state attorneys general in trying to repeal the new, comprehensive national health care measure Democrats passed the previous night.

"I believe this new federal health care measure unconstitutionally imposes new requirements on our state and on its citizens,” he said in a statement last month. “This unprecedented federal mandate, requiring all Washingtonians to purchase health insurance, violates the Commerce Clause and the 10th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

"I'm concerned that the measure unconstitutionally requires all Washingtonians to purchase health insurance and places an extraordinary burden on our state budget by requiring Washington to expand its Medicaid eligibility standards in violation of our state's rights guaranteed under the10th amendment."

According to the city's petition, McKenna has "only the powers expressly given by the state legislature," none of which "grant authority for (him) to make the State of Washington a plaintiff in the Florida case without a request by the governor or any other state officer."

Gov. Chris Gregoire has since collaborated with three other governors in a letter to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder opposing the lawsuit and saying they "will stand by your efforts to protect this most historic improvement of health care for every citizen of this nation."

Holmes said he didn’t think there was any merit to the lawsuit, filed in Florida. He said health care reform would help urban centers such as Seattle, and agreed with statements in a City Council resolution supporting health care reform.

The city’s resolution also urged the Legislature to restrict McKenna’s budget authority to prevent any state funds from being spent opposing federal health care reform.

“This historic act by President Obama and Congress should in no way be undermined by a partisan political agenda,” stated Seattle City Council President Richard Conlin. “Seattle citizens who lack health care insurance or who are underinsured need this necessary and reasonable step toward providing health care for all citizens.”