Spin Control: Gonzales stopover didn’t stop presses

U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales’ trip to Spokane wasn’t exactly a gold mine for news. One of the participants in the “round-table” discussion on gang enforcement confided that the AG got essentially the same presentation as Sen. Maria Cantwell did a few months back – a bit shorter, actually, because he was on a tighter schedule.

Gonzales didn’t stop any presses with his comments at the “media availability” right after the task force meeting. He couldn’t comment on the investigation into the death of Otto Zehm; wouldn’t comment on the firing of former U.S. Attorney John McKay or the subpoenas coming out of Congress. He did promise that the government would enforce the law and prosecute gang activity – which is comforting, but not really worth typing in a special bulletin that will “crawl” across the bottom of Inland Northwest television screens.

Protesters were generally well-behaved, despite the arrests of two demonstrators for refusal to follow the orders of Spokane police who were trying to secure certain areas around the West Central Community Center. Both Rebecca Lamb and Dan Treecraft were later released on bond, with court appearances set for later this month.

About the most surprising thing at the demonstration was the appearance of a group of self-styled anarchists calling themselves Alternative Solutions and Possibilities, or ASAP, who said they were against everything from the war in Iraq to the loss of low-income housing in downtown Spokane.

While energetic and enthusiastic, they had a slight tendency to be didactic, and could use a little wardrobe advice from Queer Eye for the Anarchist Guy. Their wardrobes consisted of black, black and more black, on a sunny day that got into the mid-80s. While black may be the official color of the international organization, there is surely an exemption in the anarchist’s handbook allowing for wearing white between Memorial Day and Labor Day. (Or is that Emily Post?)

No disrespect to West Central

Some Spokane City Council members were surprised to find Gonzales in town on Wednesday and not terribly pleased that they had to read about it in the morning paper or hear about it while passing through City Hall, as opposed to some official word. Mary Verner, Joe Shogan and Nancy McLaughlin showed up at the community center, only to be told the round-table was restricted to law enforcement types, so they watched the press conference.

Nor did they like the suggestion that the location of the meeting was somehow tied to gang activity in the neighborhood.

West Central does not have a gang problem, McLaughlin said: “I think we have a city-wide gang problem.”

That’s why the name is familiar

A news item out of the other Washington last week recounted the sentencing of J. Steven Griles – former lobbyist, former Interior Department honcho – who got whacked with an extra prison term for trying to excuse his lying to Congress during the Jack Abramoff probe. Griles plea bargained for five months, but the judge gave him 10 months after saying he was still trying to make excuses.

Griles was briefly a named-partner in the Lundquist, Nethercutt & Griles lobbying firm. The second named-partner is probably more familiar, as the former congressman from Eastern Washington for l0 years. Griles left the firm after the investigation was announced.

Don’t dribble and drive

Anyone planning to anesthetize sore knees, ankles, wrists or other body parts after that last Hoopfest game should do so with a designated driver handy.

This becomes particularly good advice today, when the penalties for repeat drunk driving arrests get tougher.

As of now, anyone who gets a fifth conviction in 10 years for driving under the influence is facing a Class C felony and up to five years in prison.

Driving drunk is a bad idea, any time. But it would be particularly stupid to be one of the first persons charged under the new law and wind up with a prosecutor and a judge just dying to use it.

Catch the candidates

Spokane residents might want to brace themselves for the onslaught of candidate forums. Because the primary has been moved up to Aug. 21, the usual practice of waiting until after Labor Day to get serious about politics is as outdated as VHS tape.

The League of Women Voters is having city candidate forums on the evening of July 11, starting at 5:30 p.m., in the Spokane City Council chambers. They’ll be taped for later rebroadcast.

Earlier that day, the Inland Northwest Business Alliance will have mayoral candidates Dennis Hession, Al French and Mary Verner at a luncheon forum at Europa Pizza.

On July 25, a “living-room style” debate sponsored by Vorpahl Wing Securities will include mayoral candidate Michael Noder. It’s scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. at CenterStage. Tickets are free and available by calling (509) 747-1749. The fifth mayoral candidate, Robert Kroboth, has a campaign strategy that includes not doing debates.

This week’s schedule might be fairly light because of Wednesday’s holiday.

Hession has breakfast events at 7 a.m. Monday in Comstock Park and 7 a.m. Tuesday in Coeur d’Alene Park.

Look for him, and plenty of other candidates, to be pressing the flesh in Riverfront Park on the Fourth.