Author Archives: Laudan
Security remained tight at the state Capitol for yesterday’s opening of the 2021 legislative session. The Capitol Campus was fenced off from the public over the weekend after demonstrators had trespassed onto the grounds of Gov. Jay Inslee’s official residence Jan. 6. The governor also had called hundreds of armed National Guard and police to be present, effectively preventing other protests or demonstrations.
State Sen. Phil Fortunato, R-Auburn, condemned the recent incident at the governor’s private residence but called the response unnecessary and hypocritical.
“The people have a right to access their government, to protest, or be present for the deliberations of the Legislature,” said Fortunato. “Shutting ‘the people’ out when they have a right to be here is an affront to the democratic process, plain and simple. The governor’s response is unnecessary for what turned out to be a handful of protesters.
“Erecting fences to keep the public out and meeting them with an armed presence is just hypocritical considering how portions of the largest city in our state were taken over by armed protesters this summer. Remember how those events resulted in murders yet the whole uprising was ‘news to him.’ There was no such presence when far-left demonstrators have disrupted the Capitol Building. Now taxpayers, who pay legislators’ salaries, cannot access their government. It’s unacceptable.”
State Sen. Phil Fortunato, R-Auburn, issued the following statement on the news of today’s events in Olympia.
“If you believe in the Constitution, as I do, the behavior witnessed today in Olympia is unhelpful to those of us working to protect our rights.
While I support the open carry of firearms as protected by state law, using them as a prop and flaunting this right, sends the wrong message. Whatever point today’s demonstrators were trying to make is lost on the general public.
We have a right to demonstrate in front of the Capitol Building to send a message. You may disagree with the Governor’s actions or consider them infringements or violations of our personal rights as I do. However, breaching his private residence doesn’t send a message of policy disapproval rather it communicates a personal threat. Those are two different things.
I encourage the exercising of our rights. Want to have a rally and demonstrate? I’m there with you, but not to violate someone’s personal space in a threating manner.”
Last month I held a first-of-its-kind virtual town hall. It was a big success. We had a nice size crowd and were able to have an open discussion on a lot of great topics from transportation to taxes, COVID response and more.
It was such a hit, that I’m hosting another one to really focus on the upcoming legislative session that will start this coming Monday, Jan. 11. Please spread the word in our district. I take my job seriously of representing all my constituents in the 31st District, but that can’t happen if I don’t hear from you. I’m looking forward to speaking with you this Friday.
Please click the link below to join the webinar on the day of:
Join here!
Meeting ID: 959 0973 0399
Passcode: 696068
Or Telephone:
Dial: (253) 215-8782
Passcode: 696068
I’ve received a great deal of emails regarding a wide range of topics affecting you. As we prepare for the upcoming legislative session, I want to have a dialogue about your priorities, what I’m working on, and what you think I should be focusing on for our district. I’m looking forward to speaking with you this Friday.
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
Passcode: 895202
Or Telephone:
Dial: 1 (253) 215 8782
Webinar ID: 973 9586 1409
Passcode: 895202
Devastating impacts to state economy underscore need for special legislative session
Over the weekend, Gov. Jay Inslee announced a rollback of the progress on reopening Washington’s economy with renewed restrictions on small businesses in a modified lockdown right before the winter holidays. Among the changes are a slashing of retail capacity and the closure of in-person dining to stem an uptick of COVID-19 infections. State Sen. Phil Fortunato is contending that the latest restrictions don’t follow the science considering infection data and that the Legislature must assert itself.
“The Legislature needs to step up and assert its authority by not agreeing to any proclamations no matter how good they sound,” said Fortunato. “I haven’t voted to approve a proclamation since May, but too many are giving away our branch of government’s leverage and enabling this to continue. If just one of the four caucuses don’t agree, Inslee can’t keep extending his emergency powers.
“Of the data I have seen, restaurants and shopping aren’t where the infections are happening. It doesn’t make any sense to target these already battered industries right before the holidays. This could mean tens of thousands more Washingtonians will be out of work with no help from the state. It’s mean-spirited and unscientific.”
In a news conference, Inslee indicated that the state would be mounting some response to help those affected, but Fortunato, R-Auburn, points out that legislative input is desperately needed. For months he has called for a special legislative session, yet Inslee has resisted and chosen instead to govern through proclamations. Fortunato points out that legislators’ continued approval of proclamations has enabled Inslee to continue his “authoritarian” rule.
“The governor should not be allowed to continue to unilaterally make these kinds of decisions,” Fortunato said. “The job of appropriating money is the Legislature’s role. The lack of engagement with us has resulted in these kind of nonsense regulations that will put people up a creek without a paddle. Hoping the U.S. Congress will step in is not a plan.”
As counties in Washington continue counting ballots cast in the 2020 general election, 31st District Sen. Phil Fortunato has asked Secretary of State Kim Wyman to wait on certifying the election results until her office is certain the number of ballots cast exactly matches the number of voters known to have voted.
“With so much attention placed on the presidential election, especially since the outcome in some states is still undecided, it’s more important than ever that our state and local election officials get it absolutely right when it comes to the ‘one person, one vote’ principle before any election results are certified in Washington,” said Fortunato, R-Auburn. “That principle is a cornerstone of our entire country’s democratic foundation. Eroding it means eroding confidence and faith in our form of government.”
Nov. 24 is the deadline for Washington county auditors and election directors to certify their counties’ general election results. Wyman and Gov. Jay Inslee have until Dec. 3 to certify the statewide election results.
Fortunato said he was personally affected by this issue when he narrowly lost his re-election bid as a 47th District state representative in 2000.
“After my loss that year it was revealed how in the 47th District election, 81 people had voted twice and there were more ballots than voters once special ballots and so on were removed,” Fortunato said. “Those kinds of numbers should concern anyone, and I want Secretary Wyman and our county elections officials to ensure such an incident doesn’t happen this year or ever.”
Fortunato today sent a letter to Wyman making the request. Part of it reads: “One of the essential bedrock principles of our democracy is “one person, one vote.” Ensuring that no individual has been able to cast more than the one ballot they are entitled to is critical to maintaining confidence in our electoral system. That is why I respectfully ask that you do not certify any election results this year until you can be absolutely certain that the number of ballots cast directly coincides with the number of voters known to have actually voted in the general election. Such a review will help reassure voters that no person was able to erroneously cast more than one ballot.”
Fortunato says he plans to introduce legislation next session that would allow the secretary of state to engage people to try to register and vote “illegally” as agents of the Office of Secretary of State, much like the Liquor Control Board does by hiring underage kids to illegally buy alcohol.
“My idea would be to see how many times someone could register and vote,” said Fortunato. “If the extra registrations were not caught and the illegal ballots made it through the vote count, the ballot tabulations would be given to a county canvassing board to pull those ballots in question from the final tabulation. The object would be to find flaws in the system.”
Legislature should convene in October
Republican efforts to convene a special legislative session, led by state Sen. Phil Fortunato, R-Auburn, to address the state’s response to the COVID-19 epidemic since April have largely gone unheeded by Gov. Jay Inslee.
Instead, the governor has chosen to sideline the Legislature, issuing executive orders, with little to no input from lawmakers. Now, with another declared emergency for wildfires around the state, it appears that Inslee has no option but to allow the Legislature to officially meet, as Fortunato points to a law concerning catastrophic events.
“I believe the decision about whether to engage with the Legislature has been taken out of the governor’s hands,” Fortunato said. “I have personally felt that no emergency exists anymore as it relates to managing COVID. Lawmakers should be debating many of these policy and spending decisions. Inslee keeps on insisting that Washington is in a state of emergency, so I’m going to take him at his word. Under the law, the Legislature must come back into session. It’s that clear.”
In a letter to Inslee, GOP state senators cited Revised Code of Washington 42.14.030, which stipulates:
“…In the event of a catastrophic incident, the governor shall call the legislature into session as soon as practicable, and in any case within thirty days following the inception of the catastrophic incident. If the governor fails to issue such call, the legislature shall, on the thirtieth day from the date of inception of the catastrophic incident, automatically convene at the place where the governor then has his or her office…”
Lawmakers asked the governor what his plans were under this statute so that they can begin planning. Receiving no response yet, Fortunato is urging his colleagues to proceed.
“We’ve given the executive enough time and leeway, but it’s apparent that the voice of the people needs to be heard,” Fortunato added. “I’m urging my colleagues to convene as soon as possible to deal with the significant budgetary impacts of this shutdown, no later than October 6-8, and do the job we were elected to do – represent our constituents. The law is clear that we should finally get to work.”
Many are concerned over the governor’s use of emergency powers during this COVID-19 outbreak. Few remember that they were granted under the 2019 SJR 8200, which passed with voter approval by 65.5%. As usual the small change had an unintended consequence. The constitutional change was quite simple, it added: “catastrophic incident” to the already in place “or enemy attack.” When passed, the legislature was thinking about volcanic eruptions, earthquakes or a tsunami event. No one was thinking biological.
The biggest infringement of civil liberties began when the governor unilaterally started picking winners and losers in our state economy. His determination of “essential” and “non-essential” businesses and industries created such a financial hardship on some small businesses that many have already or will soon look to declare bankruptcy.
I have yet to hear why it was okay for construction on low-income government projects to continue, but residential and commercial projects had to stop. Why could you sell a house, but not a car? The governor’s recent rules on church services are so absurd it is hard to believe that they were developed by an elected official with any reason. You can attend a church service drive-in movie style, windows rolled up (car running because you would need the AC on otherwise you would cook in your car with current temperatures), and you cannot receive any handouts or food. The food part is a reference to Catholics and Christian denominations who receive Holy Communion, which the governor’s office refers to as a “cracker.” You can drive up to a McDonald’s afterward, roll down your window and get handed a bag of food with no problem at all.
My contention is that the emergency has passed. The original goal of the “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order was to flatten the rates of infection so as not to overwhelm our health care system. That happened. Therefore, he no longer has emergency powers. That does not mean that we should not still be implementing health safety protocols, but we are all adults and it’s time to trust the people. If a business does not have a health protocol in place that people are comfortable with, they won’t go there.
There are other consequences to a prolonged shut down; an increase in suicide, drug abuse, domestic violence and child abuse. It is time to end this heavy-handed approach that is leading us toward economic destruction. We can and must strike a balance. We can keep people safe, reduce risk of further infections and let people use the information and guidance we’ve developed to safely return to work. We don’t want the so-called cure to be worse than the disease.
With respect to the constitutional issue, perhaps we count this as a lesson learned and work to roll back that recent change.
Senator wonders why governor didn’t personally meet with Taiwanese envoys
Representatives from the government of Taiwan Friday delivered hundreds of thousands of masks that will be given to medical workers and first responders working to limit the spread of COVID-19 in Washington. Sen. Phil Fortunato said what should have been a cause for celebration all the way to Gov. Jay Inslee’s office has instead raised questions about why the ceremonial hand-off of life-saving equipment had to take place away from official state-government premises.
“If what I’m hearing is true, I’m dismayed at how the governor’s office has reacted to this significant gesture of goodwill from someone trying to help the people of Washington,” said Fortunato, R-Auburn. “I’m still trying to get more information, but it appears that the governor’s office may have kowtowed to communist propaganda and pressure to isolate Taiwan to such a degree that he couldn’t even been seen receiving these life-saving materials for our citizens.”
Taiwan, officially known as the Republic of China, has been recognized as an international leader for its response to the COVID-19 outbreak. However, the World Health Organization has shut out Taiwan because of long-standing tension with its communist neighbor, the People’s Republic of China.
“I’m glad that two Republican state leaders – Secretary of State Kim Wyman and Sen. Keith Wagoner, who are unafraid to show gratitude for a selfless act made possible by the Taiwanese people – stepped in where Governor Inslee would not,” Fortunato added. “They, like me, do not think it is in our interest to publicly snub friends who honored us with this gift of vital materials, even if that angers an oppressive regime whose own handling of this outbreak is questionable.”