Unsoeld Yanked From Fish Commission Governor, Democrats Question Gop Motives After Swift Vote Kicks Out Former Legislator

Sat., Feb. 14, 1998

Associated Press

At the very moment Friday that former Gov. Mike Lowry was having his portrait unveiled down the hall, Republican lawmakers in the state Senate were orchestrating the removal of one of his appointees to the Fish and Wildlife Commission.

The Senate voted 26-22, largely along party lines, to kick Jolene Unsoeld off a panel important in the struggle to preserve Washington’s dwindling salmon stocks.

One legislator said it was the first time in some 30 years that the Senate rejected a gubernatorial nominee to a commission. Others have withdrawn their nominations, but none has been defeated in vote since the mid-1960s.

Senate Natural Resources and Parks Committee Chairman Bob Oke, R-Port Orchard, arranged the vote.

He said the former Democratic congresswoman and state legislator had become “a lightning rod” for criticism because she interfered with middle management within the Department of Fish and Wildlife. He also complained that she alienated sports fishermen by aligning herself with tribes as the commission struggles with the responsibility of maintaining fish stocks.

“I don’t like doing this, but it’s gotten to the point that citizens are booing her during commission meetings,” Oke said.

Unsoeld did not immediately return a telephone call seeking comment, but she left a statement on her answering machine that blamed her ouster on “raw politics.”

Unsoeld was appointed to the Fish and Wildlife Commission in 1995 by Lowry and had served ever since without being confirmed by the Senate.

Gov. Gary Locke, who reappointed her last year after he took office, joined Senate Democrats in questioning GOP motives behind the vote, which occurred quickly with little advance notice.

“Clearly, it was not on the grounds of competence, energy or understanding of the issues. I fear this move was retaliation for her past political views,” Locke said in a statement.

Just before the vote, Republican leaders gave the governor’s office a few minutes to see if Unsoeld would avoid the public removal and just resign. She refused.

Every Republican except for Sens. Eugene Prince of Thornton and Shirley Winsley of Fircrest voted against Unsoeld’s confirmation.

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