Spokane Democrats Skip Meeting With Nethercutt East Side Republican Legislators Talk With Gop Congressman In Olympia
Spokane Democrats skipped out as U.S. Rep. George Nethercutt came to town to meet with Eastern Washington legislators Tuesday.
State Rep. Lisa Brown said she missed the afternoon session with the Spokane Republican congressman because she had other meetings to attend.
Rep. Dennis Dellwo, the only other Democrat in Spokane’s delegation, called his absence “more inadvertent that intentional.
“I remember being invited, but it wouldn’t fit in my schedule,” Dellwo said.
Nethercutt met with the Eastern Washington caucus to hear lawmakers’ concerns and to talk about the federal budget and its impact on the state.
“I came down really to communicate with the Senate and the House about the federal cuts,” he said. “I wanted a chance to talk with them before the session got under way.”
Brown did attend a morning transportation meeting with Nethercutt but said he mainly listened rather than talked about federal plans.
Rep. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, said Nethercutt’s visit was helpful and encouraging to lawmakers who are tired of the federal budget impasse.
“The president has fired a lot of rhetoric out there, which has been used by some to create fear in our budgeting process, but it looks like they’re going to move together and accomplish our goals,” Schoesler said. “They’re not that far apart.”
Schoesler also said it was good to hear that Nethercutt is standing by his campaign promises. “Our message is getting out. Our delegation in Washington is standing up for lower taxes and less government.
“We have to look at the opportunity we have to work with federal programs at the state level and improve them,” Schoesler said.
Nethercutt said he holds no grudge against Dellwo and Brown but said he had hoped the meeting would be a bipartisan discussion.
“I think they missed an opportunity,” he said. “There was a room full of people who did attend, and I think they left with something from it.”
, DataTimes