Complaints filed over Rob McKenna's attempt to quash Buildergate investigation

Progressive advocacy network and Northwest Progressive Institute ally Fuse Washington announced late this morning that it is filing several complaints against Rob McKenna alleging that McKenna illegally used his authority as Attorney General to quash the investigation into the Buildergate fundraising scandal by providing cover for Dino Rossi's efforts to ignore a subpoena.

Fuse says:

The complaint alleges that McKenna violated the Ethics in Public Service Act, and was filed with State Auditor Brian Sonntag as provided for under State law. Fuse also filed a public disclosure request seeking additional information about McKenna's actions, as well as an ethics complaint with the Washington State Bar Association.

"It's difficult to explain the Attorney General's actions in this matter as anything other than an effort to provide Dino Rossi's campaign with legal arguments to support his attempts to dodge a subpoena," said Aaron Ostrom, Executive Director of Fuse. "His involvement in this case is highly inappropriate and very unusual. In fact, we have been unable to identify any other instances where the Attorney General weighed in with legal analysis on a citizen suit that he was not a party to without being asked by the court or appropriate official."

If you're not familiar with what McKenna did, here's a quick explanation of what happened. A few weeks ago, retired justices Faith Ireland and Robert Utter sued the Building Industry Association of Washington and announced their intent to sue Dino Rossi over his involvement in the Buildergate fundraising scandal.

Lowney & Smith PLLC, which represents the justices, quickly sought to compel Dino Rossi to testify under oath by asking the court to approve a subpoena.

The BIAW and Rossi immediately began fighting the subpoena in court. But they also turned to their good old buddy Attorney General Rob McKenna for help.

McKenna acted quickly, sending out a highly unusual letter to all the parties in the Buildergate case suggesting that retired Justices Ireland and Utter had not met jurisdictional prerequisites and procedural requirements necessary for a citizen enforcement action. The letter also stated that the Attorney General's office did not believe the lawsuit in King County Superior Court should continue.

The AG's letter, which amounts to an attempt to give Dino Rossi a Get Out of Jail Free card, was then hyped in press releases sent out to the media.

And that leads us to today. Here's Fuse again:

The AGO issued the letter and its analysis without any request from the King County Superior Court or any other appropriate official.. The Attorney General's Office refused to retract the letter despite a formal request accompanied by evidence of how it was being misused by Dino Rossi's lawyers.

The Northwest Progressive Institute strongly denounces Rob McKenna's unwelcome interference in the Buildergate investigation. McKenna is obstructing justice by inappropriately using his office to influence the Court on Dino Rossi's behalf. This is an outrageous misuse of power and it must end.