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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Spin Control

Accusations highlighted AG debate between Dunn, Ferguson

Dunn v. Ferguson debate AG clip: “I was doing doughnuts…”

Jonathan Brunt - The Spokesman-Review

For all the attention on this week's debate between the two main gubernatorial hopefuls, it was really the showdown between two of the candidates for attorney general that was more exciting.

And above is the link that highlighted it all, an exchange that started with a question about the death penalty. Democrat Bob Ferguson opposes the death penalty, but pledged to uphold the law. Republican Reagan Dunn supports it. But that really wasn't what made the interaction interesting. What makes it a fun listen is the accusations thrown first from Dunn at Ferguson, then Ferguson at Dunn, and then Dunn's rather successful attempt to diffuse Ferguson's accusation with the line: "That was 25 years ago. I was 17, and I was doing doughnuts in a parking with snow. I'm sorry."

The back-and-forth leaves questions that still need to be answered. The Ferguson campaign has since clarified that Dunn was indeed 17, not "a law student" when Dunn faced the "very serious charge that contained the possibility of time in jail" -- as Ferguson labeled it in the debate. Ferguson also said that Dunn received a year probation as part of his sentence.

After the debate Dunn explained that the case resulted from him "sliding around in a primer gray Camaro with bad tires."

He said he first faced the charge of reckless driving but that it was reduced to negligent driving. He said he paid a $50 fine, was charged as a juvenile and that he was not placed on probation, "not that I know of, anyway."



Jonathan Brunt
Jonathan Brunt joined The Spokesman-Review in 2004. He is the government editor. He previously was a reporter who covered Spokane City Hall, Spokane County government and public safety.

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