Ad Against Powers Has False Implications

The ad: “Who is John Powers,” a 30-second television commercial produced by Citizens for Fair and Open Government, a new political action committee. It shows a series of images, including an empty lectern, the River Park Square parking garage, the Spokane County Courthouse, stacks of dollar bills and a falling picture of mayoral candidate Powers with a youth football team.

A man and a woman make a series of statements off-camera about Powers, questioning his connection to the controversial downtown project and his firm’s work for the city. It ends with the two announcers repeating. “We don’t know anything about John Powers.”

One local television station refused to run the ad, and two others removed it because of questions about statements it contains.

The allegations: Announcers on the ad make a series of statements: “River Park Square developers wrote John Powers a check.” Powers campaign officials say that while Betsy Cowles, president of River Park Square LLC, sent him an unsolicited check for $300, Powers told his treasurer to return it, and called Cowles to say he did not feel it was appropriate to accept it.

“Powers’ law firm took over a quarter-million from the city in legal fees.” Powers belongs to Paine Hamblen Coffin Brooke and Miller, one of the city’s largest firms, which received money for work done under contract to the city last year. Powers helped mediate a dispute between the Park Board and city financial staff, and other members of the firm did work regarding the city’s insurance defense and human resources.

None of the work involved the mall or the parking garage.

“Powers said the city should stop suing River Park Square to get back our money.” In campaign appearances, Powers has called for mediation or binding arbitration to settle the growing number of lawsuits surrounding the garage. The city’s lawsuit asks that the city not be required to loan money to developers to cover unmet expenses from the garage.

Opponent’s reaction: Powers said the ad tries to divide the community.

Committee’s response: PAC campaign manager Brendon Hill said the committee will clarify some points in the ad and resubmit it.

Analysis: The ad is designed to hint at more than it actually says, and take advantage of concerns over problems with the garage. By mentioning the payments to the law firm in the middle of comments about the garage, it seems to suggest a connection between the firm and the mall project that does not exist. It tries to imply there is something unknown and therefore sinister about Powers, who has lived in Spokane for nearly 20 years but is new to politics.