Letters for Friday, May 29

SCDCC endorsement

On Sunday the Spokane County Democrats held their endorsement meeting, where the party issued endorsements in several important races. Two of the most closely watched contests were the vacant legislative seat previously held by Tim Ormsby and the race for Washington’s 5th Congressional District.

Rather than demonstrating clear leadership by uniting behind the candidates they believe are most electable, the party chose to endorse multiple candidates in both races. In the 5th Congressional District race alone, five candidates received endorsements. While this approach may appear inclusive, it also raises questions about whether the party is avoiding difficult decisions instead of providing direction to voters.

Paul Dillon and party leadership had an opportunity to strengthen Democratic chances in November by consolidating support early behind a single candidate. Instead, the endorsements risk dividing support and weakening the party’s influence.

The same pattern occurred in the 3rd Legislative District race, where both candidates were endorsed. This leaves many wondering about the purpose of the Spokane County Democratic Central Committee if not to identify and support the strongest candidate.

Voters look to party organizations for guidance and leadership. If local parties are unwilling to make clear choices, the value of these endorsements becomes increasingly unclear.

Richard Posie

Cheney

Baumgartner joins rage against SPLC

At a May 20 House Judiciary Committee hearing, Rep. Michael Baumgartner praised the Southern Poverty Law Center for the $6.3 million verdict that bankrupted the Aryan Nations near Coeur d’Alene and drove white supremacists from our region 26 years ago. He then called the SPLC “an almost militant weaponized arm of a progressive Marxist political project” and “a detriment to society as a whole.”

The hearing was titled “The Southern Poverty Law Center: Manufacturing Hate.” Ranking Member Jamie Raskin said its purpose was “silencing civil rights advocates while emboldening extremist groups.”

Raskin is right. This is retribution against the SPLC for decades spent exposing the white nationalist ideology that influences Trump administration policy.

On Jan. 27 Baumgartner signed a Supreme Court brief in Trump v. Barbara, arguing that children born in the United States to undocumented parents should not receive citizenship. The brief was authored by America First Legal Foundation, co-founded by Trump’s deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller and Gene Hamilton, Project 2025’s DOJ chapter author. The SPLC published Miller’s emails in 2019, documenting his promotion of white nationalist ideology. Hamilton’s organization filed requests targeting the SPLC in 2023, after it designated Moms for Liberty, a Project 2025 partner, as an extremist group. A month before the hearing, Trump’s DOJ indicted the SPLC on accusations outlined by Hamilton’s network.

At the hearing, Baumgartner defended Moms for Liberty and questioned whether the SPLC is “interested in racism being solved.”

Baumgartner should look in the mirror.

Grant Fredericks

Spokane Valley