It’d be simpler without the appeal

Spokane Mayor Jim West doesn’t like the wording of the ballot synopsis for the recall petition he faces, and, let’s face it, Superior Court Judge Craig Matheson’s synopsis is a little long on detail.

About the only things the judge left out were the Internet handles such as RightBi-Guy and Moto-Brock used in the e-mail exchanges involved in the allegation of misusing the office.

It’s probably not surprising that West would object to the level of detail, particularly since recall sponsor Shannon Sullivan’s original charge merely said he “solicited internships for young men for his own personal uses.”

West says he doesn’t fear the election; he just wants a fair shake on the ballot. And the law says he’s entitled to an appeal, which will begin its journey through the state Supreme Court on Thursday.

But a lawyer who has studied the state recall law (and wishes to remain anonymous, like most people who get anywhere near Spin Control) points out the statute automatically gives West a recourse other than his appeal.

The law says he gets to write his own statement, up to 250 words, that would appear on the ballot along with the synopsis the judge wrote. That’s more words than folks get on this newspaper’s letters to the editor page, and we all know what kind of trenchant comments they squeeze between the headline and the signature.

Hizzoner can say whatever he wants, and no one – not the auditor, the county prosecutor’s office, Judge Matheson or the nine members of the Supreme Court – can do so much as change a comma to a semi-colon.

So next to Matheson’s synopsis, he could say something like “There’s nothing illegal about dating 18-year-olds, and Jim West has been the best mayor in Spokane that anyone outside of a nursing home can remember.”

Or “Mayor Jim West has improved the economy, streets, lifestyles, business climate, ecology, cosmology and aura of Spokane, so removing him would take us back to the dark days when council members sued the city and mayors dreamed up dumb things like building rooftop gardens and serving chocolate-covered strawberries at poverty symposiums.”

Or “Mayor Jim West is a victim of rapacious muckraking and unrelenting yellow journalism, and if he is removed from office, nothing will protect other good citizens of Spokane from the evil Cowles media empire.”

Or simply “Keep me. I’m better than what you might get.”

Of course, West’s 250 words, coupled with Matheson’s 117 words, could make for a ballot that voters need a speed-reading course to wade through.

So how about this? West scraps his appeal, and the ballot synopsis gets winnowed down to “Select One: ‘Jim West should be removed as mayor’ or ‘Jim West should stay on as mayor.’ ” The reasons why can be argued out in the ensuing campaign, and everyone agrees to abide by the majority votes.

Lighting up our lives

A group of young disaffecteds who say they want to spur activism and political debate has formed itself into an oxymoronic sounding group, the Spokane Lack of Action Committee, and done what every nascent political group does: sent an incendiary e-mail to the news media.

The SLAC-ers notice of nativity includes a photo of American flags burning at the under-the-freeway skate park, allegedly on the Fourth of July, “not long before the fireworks went off.” (From the looks of the picture, it was shot in the afternoon, but one person’s “not long” can be shorter than another’s.)

The picture might have had more impact if it contained recognizable faces. As is, we see three sets of legs and lower torsos. Bold statement, that.

And if they really wanted to make a statement, they could have burned the flags someplace other than the deserted skate park – perhaps outside the gate at Fairchild, in front of Naval and Marine Reserve Center, one of the National Guard armories or even down in Riverfront Park – where folks might have engaged in some countervailing discourse … like loosening a few of their teeth.

The e-mail says the group “plans to hold future demonstrations in an attempt to create awareness and discussion about current political activities.” The rest of us can hardly wait.

What’s in a title?

Initiative svengali Tim Eymann just can’t get used to calling Christine Gregoire by her title. A few months back, he called her “Governor-for-now Gregoire” in a press release about his latest ballot measure. Now that the courts have ruled she’s governor for the next four years, he’s switched to Queen Christine.

At least it rhymes.

Fruit or cheese with that whine?

And speaking of people who just can’t get over losing the revote lawsuit, there’s the Building Industry Association of Washington. It’s in a royal snit because Chelan County Superior Court Judge John Bridges refused to disallow the votes of felons the lobbying group dug up. The judge refused to go along with the theory that felons vote like everyone else in the neighborhood, so the tallies for Gregoire and Rossi could be reduced proportionally.

While some of the group’s complaining in their newsletter “Building Insight” can be chalked up to frustration over their guy not winning the lawsuit (or the governor’s mansion), some of the commentary had that tell-tale hint of sour grapes, such as executive VP Tom McCabe’s snide comment to “Grow Up Judge Bridges” … because the judge had an earring.