Last time around, remember, the U.S. Chamber's shameful and unsuccessful attempt to hide its $1.5 million smear of Senn behind a dummy name, the Voters Education Committee, filled the news in the final days before the primary. That helped bury Mark Sidran, Senn's Democratic opponent and a more responsible candidate, on Election Day.
Now, the same geniuses are back, meddling not only in the race between Senn and Republican Rob McKenna but also in other contests.

The U.S. Chamber has sent an endorsement of George Nethercutt, GOP challenger to U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, using the mailing list of the Spokane Chamber of Commerce. And it may have used the same list for a mailing supporting Republican Cathy McMorris over Democrat Don Barbieri for the 5th District seat in the U.S. House.

That latter mailing has angered many members of the Spokane Chamber, of which Barbieri is a former chairman, reports Bert Caldwell, business columnist for the Spokesman-Review in Spokane. The organization's executive committee voted last week to send a letter objecting to the national group's rejection of a previous request for cooperation with local chambers.

That request, from local chambers including those in Seattle and Spokane and the Association of Washington Business, went to U.S. Chamber President Tom Donahue. Oct. 1, Donahue responded, defending the Senn smear and the attempt to conceal his group's identity, and promising more of the same.

"We will aggressively continue our efforts to inform the public of key issues that affect states' legal environments," Donahue wrote.
But not of who is behind those efforts, apparently.

Thanks to that attitude, it's not hard to see who the primary victim of this outfit's smears will be -- any organization with "chamber of commerce" in its name. -- J.F

Posted by Carla at October 28, 2004 10:36 AM