Judge tosses out Reed recall

Thurston County Superior Court Judge Chris Wickham today ruled that a pair of right wing ideologues' attempt to start a recall to remove Secretary of State Sam Reed from office cannot move forward.

The Associated Press:

Martin Ringhofer, a Boeing Co. employee, and Seattle resident Linda Jordan argued that mistakes made by Reed led to Democrat Christine Gregoire ultimately winning a third count and the election by 129 votes.

Judge Chris Wickham's ruling came after nearly three hours of arguments in which Ringhofer and Jordan attempted to prove there was sufficient evidence that Reed, a Republican, was guilty of misfeasance and malfeasance for certifying the election on Dec. 30 while questions still remained over the validity of votes, and some counties were late in certifying the results.

The recall effort was a ridiculous and pathetic attempt to chastise a state official who has done a noble job of guiding the state through this tumultuous process. Thankfully, it's now dead.