Forum: General

Thread (Discussion): GOP tactic undermines efforts to protect public

One person's dirty politics is another's fair comment. But when campaign material spreads misinformation and fear that undermines public safety, it crosses a line that ethical people must reject.

Such a campaign came to Snohomish County this week, the product of an Olympia-based Republican political action committee, the Speaker's Roundtable. Automated telephone calls were made to about 10,000 homes in Lake Stevens, Marysville, Mill Creek, Everett and Bothell with a dire and official-sounding warning: A Level 3 sex offender had been released in the community. The 30-second message went on to blame two local Democrats - state Reps. Hans Dunshee and John Lovick - for refusing to vote on a bill that would put child rapists in prison for life.

Folks in Lake Stevens already knew that a Level 3 sex offender, Jeffrey Derrel Henderson, had recently moved into their community. But for everyone else who received a call (it was left on recording machines if no one was home), a seed of false fear was planted. In some homes, no doubt, children heard the message.

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