(Guest Writer: TIMMY!!!)
Over the years, Democrats' union supporters have consistently funded the opposition campaigns to our initiatives. Nonetheless, voters have voted for our initiatives anyway. So Democrats' union supporters adopted a newstrategy: blocking our initiatives from getting on the ballot. Despite that, we've still managed to overcome their anti-First Amendment efforts and voters have continued to vote for our initiatives. So now they've gone tothe next level: ordering their allies -- Democrat legislators -- to pass anti-initiative laws to help public employee unions' efforts to stop the signature gathering process.
We've known about it for years but never before has their crass anti-initiative plot been more nakedly exposed than by their own secret internal memos (provided to us recently by a whistleblower, a high-ranking official in their public employee union): "Keep an eye out. The best way to beat this is at the signature gathering stage. Please let us know if you see those paid signature hunters in your area and let them know in no uncertain terms what their job will do to your job! Every signature we stop is one more Eyman has to pay for." --Washington State Council of County and City Employees (AFSCME - AFL-CIO) "If you see a signature gatherer, call us. We want to do all we can to stop them." -- Washington State Council of County and City Employees (AFSCME- AFL-CIO) "Keep an eye out for signature gatherers. Mr. Eyman wouldn't have been able to qualify his initiatives if it wasn't for the paid signature gatherers. We need your help to track these mercenaries." -- WashingtonState Council of County and City Employees (AFSCME - AFL-CIO) "If you see a signature gatherer, we suggest you ask signature gatherers if they are being paid, find out their names and take their pictures (alone). 'We would like to identify as many as possible.'" --Washington State Council of County and City Employees (AFSCME - AFL-CIO) Scary, very scary.
And to help clarify what they mean by "let them know in no uncertain terms", here's a formally filed declaration by Danielle M. (last name not included to protect her safety) in King County Superior Court in May, 2004:
On Saturday, May 8th, I was working in front of the Wal-Mart in Renton. I was collecting signatures for Initiative 884, Initiative 864, Initiative892, Initiative 891 and Initiative 872. I was also collecting signatures for Initiative 861 regarding child molestation, but I was volunteering and not expecting to be paid for my work in regard to that petition. While collecting signatures that day and on every day that I collect signatures, I register people to vote if they are not currently registered. I do not get paid for registering people to vote.
On Saturday, May 8th, while I was in front of Wal-Mart, I was approached by three people. One was a Caucasian male carried a sign approximately 5 feet by 5 feet which said something to the effect "Don't Sign Initiative 864 Please." I do not know his name. The second was a woman carrying a similar sign which said "864 Cuts Librarians & Firefighters." I do not know her name. The third was Leslie E. Nichols. He was over 6 foot, 2 inches tall and approximately 280 lbs.The three of them spoke to each other and appeared to be working together.
On several occasions, Mr. Nichols and the other two people repeatedly boxed me into a corner using their signs or shopping carts and their presence to keep people interested in signing petitions or registering to vote away from me.
The man with a sign forced himself in between me and people who, after reading the petition for Initiative 891, asked me for a pen. An elderly customer of Wal-Mart was shaking as the three harassers yelled and she asked me if I was scared. She told me she was going to make a complaint to Wal-Mart. Shortly later, the manager of Wal-Mart came out tothe front.
The woman repeatedly shouted at me and shoppers, yelling that I was a thief and was going to steal the identity of anyone who signed anything. She said "it was all lies" and she offered a black marker to those who were signing petitions so they could strike their signatures.
On several occasions, Mr. Nichols followed me around the front of theWal-Mart in a harassing manner. I tried to stay away from him, but he and the other two repeatedly followed me. He screamed at me and people who were interested in signing petitions or registering to vote. He yelled that I was responsible for firing librarians and firefighters and that all the initiatives were the same.
He also stood so close to me I could feel his breath on the back of myneck. He would grit his teeth and flail his arms or hold his hands behind his back and then suddenly reach out in a manner that was threatening to me.
On another occasion, a Hispanic gentleman who spoke only Spanish to me was excited about the opportunity to register to vote because he had been recently naturalized. He was in the process of pulling out his identification when Mr. Nichols reached across me and slapped his large hand over the clipboard which I was holding and which contained the blank voter registration card. His reach was toward the Hispanic man's wallet which he was in the process of opening. The Hispanic man said to me in Spanish "I'm sorry, but I can't stay," and immediately ran away to his car.
Then, the police came as Mr. Nichols was following me across the front of the store. Then the large man went to a car to get a sign. The police took his name and spoke to me as well. The police also told him that he could not talk to people at the same time I or someone else was talking to them. Shortly thereafter it started to rain and I left.
Because of these harassing incidents, I have not been out collecting signatures since, and therefore my opportunity to work has been severely limited. I am afraid of meeting Mr. Nichols or his associates again. I have suffered significant emotional distress as a result of the Defendants'conduct.
Mr. Nichols has been seen in front of the same Wal-Mart in Renton on several days. I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of Washington that the foregoing is true and correct and was executed by me this 21st day of May, 2004.
Danielle M.-- END --
Last year and this year, people testified before various legislativec ommittees about the harassment and intimidation they've endured while gathering voter signatures. We're in the process of asking them to file their own formal declarations.
House Bill 2019 requires anyone who gathers voter signatures for an initiative to publicly identify themselves and where they live. House Bill 2601 requires anyone who is compensated for gathering signatures to register with the government, obtain a license, provide a photo and home mailing address, and have this information publicly available throughout the signature gathering stage. These bills are being pushed by the most union-funded Democrat legislators, prodded by the most powerful special interest groups in our state including the Washington State Council of County and City Employees (AFSCME - AFL-CIO). Now we know why.
Thankfully, there are legislators like Senator Pam Roach (R-Auburn)with Senate Bill 6612 and Representative Cary Condotta (R-Wenatchee) withHouse Bill 3173 who are sponsoring and promoting the "Valid Voter SignatureProtection Act" which protects valid voter signatures and anyone who gathers them. They and the bills' co-sponsors understand that without heroic citizens willing to offer voters the chance to sign initiative petitions,there is no initiative process. Call Speaker Chopp today -- 360-786-7920. Tell him or whoever answers the phone that you want him to stop all anti-initiative bills, including HB 2019 and HB 2601. If he/they dodge and say "we don't care what you say if you don't live in the 43rd district" tell them that these bills take awaythe First Amendment rights of EVERYONE, not just people in the 43rd. If he/they dodge and say "don't bother us, contact the bill's sponsors" tell them that the bill sponsors are bought-and-paid-for by the unions and they won't listen -- HE'S THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE -- HIS JOB IS TO KILL OFF BAD BILLS -- don't let him or his staff blow you off. If Democrats insist on making it their top legislative priority and making it their legislative legacy to gut the initiative process and squelch free speech, let's make sure it doesn't happen without a fight.
Best Regards, Tim Eyman, Jack Fagan, Mike Fagan, & Mike Dunmire
(Thank you Tim, for your permission to print this on my website! I hope you let me interview you soon! -Dexter)
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