Dow Constantine
Dow Constantine (born November 1961) is a local Seattle, Washington state resident, appointed to the King County Council in January 2002. He is a progressive politician and Seattle's King County Executive.[1] Dow graduated in 1980 from West Seattle High School, where he remains an active volunteer. After serving as a legislative intern to 34th District State Sen. Phil Talmadge, he graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in political science. He continued his studies at the UW, earning a law degree in 1989 and a master's degree in urban planning in 1992. As a King County Councilmember, Dow is a supporter of the environment, salmon recovery, and expanding transit mobility.[2]
Progressivism
Dow Constantine is a strong proponent of big-government, higher tax policies. He is also strongly backed by the powerful Service Employees International Union.[3] Susan Hutchison has emphasized a few of the problems that Constantine's policies have created over the years:
| â | With hundreds of millions in projected deficits and critical services on the chopping block, our county's financial house is in disorder. We need a new direction in King County, with new leadership that does not believe the answer to every problem is a new fee or a higher tax.[4] | â |
Dow Constantine has demonstrated a commitment to liberal groups such as Planned Parenthood and is aligned with Planned Parenthood's commitment to providing reproductive healthcare choices for Washington.[5]
Shady connections
Constantine's treasurer, Jason Bennett, worked as a paid staffer to the political campaign. Bennett, in turn Constantine, also appeared to have violated campaign finance reforms that were enacted in 2002; under section 28 for RCW 42.17.020 and WAC 390-05-210, the law forbids a candidate, the candidate's campaign staff or any agent of that campaign, from purchasing advertising for that candidate or against the candidate's opponent.[6] Ads against Susan Hutchison were funded by two SEIU locals, Washington PAC and Washington Machinists Council, both of which also gave a combined $49,606 for pro-Constantine advertising. The smear ads were dubbed as an "independent" campaign against Hutchison; however, as it turned out, the SEIU political action committee has something in common with Constantine's own campaign: treasurer Jason Bennett.[1][7]
Angie Vogt of Federal Way Mirror filed a complaint with the state Public Disclosure Commission against the campaign of Dow Constantine. No further information has been revealed on the labyrinth of these shady connections.
References
- â 1.0 1.1 Angie Vogt. The trouble with Dow Constantine, Sep 28 2009.
- â http://www.dowconstantine.com/index.php?page=display&id=1
- â Keith Ervin. SEIU endorses Constantine, The Seattle Times, July 15, 2009.
- â Susan Hutchison to Run for King County Executive, Entrepreneur.com, PRNewswire, April 8, 2009.
- â http://www.dowconstantine.com/index.php?page=display&id=87
- â Derek Erwin. Violations Nationwide, Same SEIU Thugs, A 1-In-100 Blogger, November 16, 2009.
- â Keith Ervin. Labor unions back county exec candidate Dow Constantine, Seattle Times, August 5, 2009.