CMR ad from Jan. 7

An advertisement ran Jan. 7 thanking Cathy McMorris Rodgers for standing up for Washington’s locally owned community pharmacies as evidenced by her co-sponsoring four house bills, on two of which she was called an “original co-sponsor.”

Like most of us who have not recently taken civics 101, you might be impressed by the commitment and initiative she’s taken on behalf of her constituents. However, a co-sponsor is only a legislator who has agreed to give their support to the bill; “original” co-sponsor signed up on the day the bill was introduced. That’s it. There can be multiple “originals.” But, give credit where credit is due, CMR did vote more than once not to fix but to eliminate the ACA that gives health care benefits to millions.

As an election looms in our near future, it is critical that we educate ourselves, pay careful attention to details, and know who is footing the bill for the ads. Now that the GOP has installed an office in Spokane to support vulnerable 2018 house seats — CMR’s being one — there will be a tsunami of ads in pleasing pastel print paid for by national moneyed special-interest groups who by law cannot directly contribute to a candidate. As you read, remind yourselves, the devil is in the details.

Eileen Malone

Spokane