Powered by Tableau A Washington, D.C., group that researches money in politics has created lists of what organizations spend what on whom, congressionally speaking. MapLight also has put its research on a map that allows you go see that information with a few clicks of…
Spokane Police Guild officials announced in a news release Monday that the union "embraces" a police reform resolution that the Spokane City Council is likely to approve tonight. "The Guild wants to thank the Council members for recognizing that many of the steps presented in…
Spokane attorney Dick Leland is the new district director for Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers. The congresswoman's office made the announcement today that Leland, who worked for the Farm Credit System before becoming a lawyer, is her pick to replace the former director of her Eastern…
Saturday Night Live's opening sketch, as usual, was political. Not the funniest ever, but a few good moments.
If you weren't up getting another beer or more chips for the quacamole during half time Sunday, you might've seen this commercial featuring Clint Eastwood, who declared it was "half time in America." The ad is, on its face, a push for the cars made…
A political blog in the other Washington, The Daily Caller, suggests a certain congresswoman from this Washington could have a shot at the No. 2 spot on the GOP presidential ticket this fall. The blog quotes a Republican strategist, Kellyanne Conway, as saying Cathy McMorris…
A historic building slated for the wrecking ball could get a friend in the Spokane City Council. Late last year, Washington State University-Spokane announced it would sell a 102-year-old warehouse called the Jensen-Byrd building so a development company could tear down the brick building and…
OLYMPIA – House Republicans, who say they are fed up with the slow pace of budgeting process in a session where that was supposed to be the main thing the Legislature tackled, argued Thursday for a new approach. The state should set aside what it…
OLYMPIA -- Gov. Chris Gregoire's proposal to place a $1.50 per barrel fee on oil refined in Washington state appears close to dead. Two key Senate Democrats said as much today in separate settings. Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island, chairwoman of the Senate Transportation…
OLYMPIA -- House Republicans, who say they've been essentially shut out of the budgeting process in a session when the budget was supposed to be the main thing the Legislature tackled, will be releasing their plans for K-12 programs today. They call it "Fund Education…
OLYMPIA – With votes to spare, the state Senate passed a bill to allow same-sex couples to marry in Washington, sending it to the House of Representatives where it also has enough votes to pass. A full gallery erupted after senators passionately but respectfully debated…
OLYMPIA 7:58 p.m. Same-sex marriage bill passes the Senate 28-21. 24 Democrats and 4 Republicans voted yes; 3 Democrats and 18 Republicans voted no. Gallery erupts. 7:56 p.m. Sen. Ed Murray, D-Seattle, commends other senators for the quality of the debate. Tomorrow, people who disagree…
OLYMPIA -- The Senate convened to consider the same-sex marriage bill right at 6 p.m., then promptly went into caucus to discuss amendments. Lt. Gov. Brad Owen, who presides over the Senate, welcomed the people in the full gallery...and asked them to conform to accepted…
Sen. Ed Murray, left, and his partner Michael Shiosaki discuss the same-sex marriage bill. OLYMPIA -- The state Senate will be debating the same-sex marriage bill in front of a full gallery and possibly late into the evening. But it has the 25 votes needed…
OLYMPIA -- The Senate gave the final OK today to the new boundaries for Washington's legislative and congressional district lines. The boundaries, drawn up by the state Redistricting Commission and approved by that panel on Jan. 1, rearrange state legislative districts and add a 10th…
OLYMPIA -- Debate over the same-sex marriage bill is scheduled for 6 p.m. this evening in the Senate. Sen. Ed Murray, D-Seattle, the bill's prime sponsor, estimates a couple hours for debate, although it could go longer. Will probably depend on the number of amendments,…
OLYMPIA – While a House committee considered plans Tuesday to cut wages for some of the state's lowest-paid private workers, a Senate committee tried to emphasize the state doesn’t pay the salaries of its highest-paid public workers. The House Labor Committee considered five different changes…
Drum circle in the Capitol Rotunda. OLYMPIA -- The best thing about the Capitol is one never knows what one will find going on in there. Sometimes it's a dairy princess serving up ice cream bars. Sometimes its the cattlemen offering 'burgers. (S-R reporters have…
OLYMPIA -- A debate of the same-sex marriage bill on the Senate floor is all but locked in for Wednesday, but the time is still up in the air. The Senate has its regular session scheduled for 10 a.m. Wednesday, but that's in the middle…
The Spokane City Council unanimously agreed Monday that marijuana should be able to be possessed legally by people who have a legitimate medical need for the drug. The council approved a nonbinding resolution endorsing a letter that Gov. Chris Gregoire and Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln…
OLYMPIA – In the wake of a campaign season that saw a single donor spend nearly $21 million on an initiative to change state liquor laws, a House panel approved a proposal that requires political ads for or against a ballot measure would have to…
OLYMPIA -- By a single vote, the House Judiciary Committee approved a bill to allow same-sex marriage in Washington, turning down a pair of amendments by a Spokane Valley legislator. Rep. Matt Shea, R-Spokane Valley, argued that all business owners with a religious objection to…
U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell's campaign released its campaign contribution reports from the last quarter of 2011 which shows it had just over $4 million "on hand" as of Dec. 31. (On hand makes it sound like the money is sitting around on someone's desk, or…
OLYMPIA -- The House Judiciary Committee is scheduled to vote on the same-sex marriage bill this afternoon. Expect a repeat of last week's hearing in Senate Government Operations: some efforts by Republicans to modify it, but enough votes to send it to the full House.…
OLYMPIA – Gestures are important in politics. They can be grand, even when seemingly made on a small scale. Or they can just be small. Among the small gestures considered most legislative sessions are requests to add some emblem or design to state license plates,…
The Spokesman-Review's political team keeps a critical eye on local, state and national politics.
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