Washblog

So, why don't some Reps in Olympia want to hear from the Netroots?

I'm building the pages to contact the House committees, and I notice that at least two members (so far) of OUR legislature have asked to have their email addresses removed from the list.


  • Judy Warnick - Asst Ranking Minority Member of the House Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee(R-13), and
  • Steve Hailey (R-9)
  • Zack Hudgins (D-11) - Vice Chair of the House Select Committee on Environmental Health

I asked leg.wa.gov Support, and confirmed that this was intentional.  So, my question now is why?

Why doesn't our representative for Ellensburg, home of Central Washington University, or Kittitas, capital of Kittitas County, or Moses Lake, location of the Grant County Airport, want to hear from her constituents?  Of course, Judy Warnick would say that she does, she just wants to force those citizens to jump through additional hoops and use the telephone or snail mail.

Why doesn't our representative for Ritzville, capital of Adams County, or Asotin, capital of Asotin County, or Pullman, location of Washington State University, or Cheney, location of Eastern Washington University, want to hear from his constituents?  Of course, Steve Hailey would say that he does, he just wants to force those citizens to jump through additional hoops and use the telephone or snail mail.

I don't know if the standard email format works for these two Representatives, but if it does, that format is lastname.firstname@leg.wa.gov.  I'm considering whether I should include email addresses using this format on the forms I'm building, but I'd like confirmation from someone in those districts what those email addresses actually are, and if they work at all.  If someone wants to check and get back to me about that, please do.

And if I find any other Representatives or Senators, from either party, who choose not to make it as easy as possible for their constituents to contact them.  I'll add their names to this post.

< IMPEACH? Hell yes! Senator Eric Oemig comes out swinging | Response from Sen. Murray >

Poll

Should all Elected Officials have email addresses?
Of course! They represent us!
Yes, but only for their friends and campaign contributors
No, why should they want to hear from us?
Only Geeks would notice!!

Votes: 24
Results | Other Polls
Display: Sort:
   COuld be they can't tell the diiference from a computer :) I'd rather have Caitlin!

Dave Gibney Pullman

by gibney on Tue Feb 13, 2007 at 09:01:35 AM PST

* 1 none 0 *


which does not mean Good For You. Their Legislative e-mail addresses are public records and public property. You and I pay taxes to set them up and maintain them.

If perception is reality, then the world must be flat and the sun must revolve around it.

by ivan on Tue Feb 13, 2007 at 09:37:05 PM PST

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I've been able to confirm both email addresses as valid, so they're on the form for the House Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee.

Ivan's right, they are public elected officials, and their contact information is public, whether they like it or not.  Can't stand the heat? ...

by chadlupkes on Wed Feb 14, 2007 at 08:22:26 AM PST

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  • No clue by eridani, 02/21/2007 09:41:40 PM PST (none / 0)
Found another one to add to the list.  Zack Hudgins (D-11).  The email address hudgins.zack@leg.wa.gov works, so I'm going to use it on the forms.

Anyone from the 11th want to make a guess why his email is not on the list?

by chadlupkes on Sun Feb 18, 2007 at 09:46:17 AM PST

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Why folks are getting upset about this is beyond me.  

Not everyone is an Internet wizard.  Not everyone is comfortable with e-mail.  Not everyone wants to wade through a couple hundred pieces of spam every day.

Yes, "Netroots" is becoming a force in politics.  This is a good thing, and it's also a good thing when our elected officials use every available method of keeping in contact with their constituents.

But, as long as they're honest, hard-working, diligent and honorable, that will do.

Beyond that, I expect them to be reasonably approachable and to respond to correspondence.  If that means writing them a letter instead of sending them an e-mail, I'll live.  

I can spring for the thirty-nine cents.

by jbarelli on Sun Ma