Public Periscope

Such a deal

Gypsy leader and longtime litigant Jimmy Marks generated little interest in his latest media ploy. He took out classified ads last week, trying to sell his interest in “1 Gypsy 40 million civil rights law suit crime against humanity.” … Apparently there’s no market for what he thinks he can get by winning the claim. “Your own golf courses, Riverfront Park, your personal merry-go-round & the new Gypsy Coliseum,” he offers in the ads, which appear in The Spokesman-Review, Washington Post, New York Times and San Francisco Examiner. “Cost me 500 bucks,” Marks said. … Based on the way the great legal minds at City Hall jumped on a chance to pick up Grover Marks’ piece of the suit, we’re surprised they didn’t make an offer. Then maybe they could have negotiated with themselves to settle the whole mess.

Something to say

Washington’s judicial candidates finally will be able to talk about something more than their resumes, their rankings in law school and their undying love of justice when they take to the stump. The state Supreme Court made a change last week that gives voters a shot at discerning what candidates actually think. … Their Honors deleted a section from the Code of Judicial Conduct that had banned candidates from speaking out on “disputed legal and political issues.” Candidates still can’t make promises of how they would act in office or commit themselves to cases or controversies that might come before the court. … The change is significant - and probably a needed constitutional adjustment. In other states, Supreme courts have said similar bans are unfair infringements on political speech.

Vox populi

Washington members of United We Stand America, the Ross Perot-spawned activist group, spent a few days strategizing recently and told pollsters they think: a) voters in 1994 were more anti-incumbent than pro “Contract With America”; b) a candidate’s stand is more important than a candidate’s party; c) they’ve got lots left to do.

Yo, Mikey

Republican presidential hopeful Bob Dole of Kansas may be angry at the film industry, but Democratic Gov. Mike Lowry clearly is not. He’ll go a little Hollywood on Thursday when he signs new tax breaks for motion picture production companies that film in Washington state. … Lowry will take to the set of “Assassins,” a new Sylvester Stallone movie being filmed on Puget Sound, to “ink the pact,” as they say in Variety. Stallone isn’t scheduled to appear, but director Richard Donner, of “Lethal Weapon” fame, may say a few words. … To be fair, there’s no way to be sure this is one of those movies with gratuitous violence that so upsets Dole. “Assassins”? Stallone? It’s probably a tender love story.

, DataTimes MEMO: “Public Periscope,” published Mondays, is compiled by Jim Camden from staff and wire reports. If you have a question about government, growth or development, we can help find an answer. Write The Spokesman-Review, Box 2160, Spokane 99210. Or call Cityline at 458-8800 on a Touch-Tone phone, then press 9120 to leave a message.

This sidebar appeared with the story: HOT TOPICS Wednesday: The City Plan Commission once again will discuss Moran Prairie annexation as well as the Major Institutional Master Plan and the Mixed Use Overlay Zone. 1:30 p.m., City Council chambers, lower level, City Hall.

The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Compiled by Jim Camden from staff and wire reports