UPDATE: Builder testimony contradicts Rossi's testimony

With new testimony from officers of the Master Builders Association, we are getting a clearer picture of Dino Rossi's involvement in the MBA's campaign with the BIAW to build a powerful war chest to elect Rossi governor.

Here is an excerpt from the law firm representing the plaintiffs, Smith & Lowney PLLC:

Dino Rossi testified under oath that he did not talk to the Master Builders officers about fundraising for the governor's race. The President of the Master Builders [Doug Barnes] under oath says he did.

This is important because it appears that Dino Rossi lied under oath about the central dispute in this lawsuit.

At the heart of our case is the allegation that Mr. Rossi called top officers of the MBA about BIAW's efforts to raise money for the 2008 governor's race – a fundraising effort that has been deemed illegal by the State Attorney General.

In his deposition, Mr. Rossi specifically denied talking with MBA President Doug Barnes about the 2008 governor's race. However, Barnes testified that he had a detailed conversation with Mr. Rossi about the BIAW's request for funds for the 2008 governor's race...

Barnes' testimony makes it clear that Rossi's so-called efforts to bring BIAW and MBA together was about bringing them together to fund independent expenditures in the 2008 governor's race, and that Rossi was aware of this.

Rossi admitted that he was considering running for governor at the time of these contacts, and if so, he shouldn't have been soliciting donations for his own campaign.

Barnes' testimony also undercuts Rossi's testimony that he did not know that the BIAW was trying to create a pot of money for the 2008 governor's race.

The entire conversation between Rossi and Barnes centered on providing campaign cash for the governor's race.

Finally, Dino Rossi specifically denied that he talked about the race for governor when he had lunch with MBA officers while the BIAW solicitation was pending. Yesterday morning, MBA President elect John Day testified yesterday that Rossi's potential run for governor was the central focus of the lunch meeting.

Whew! That's a whole lot of contradictions. I bet Rossi wishes he had used a few more "I don't recalls" instead of providing false testimony.

It's down to the wire on this important election, but it's not too late to shine a light on illegal campaign finance negotiations.

I am now wondering why the BIAW asked Rossi to convince the MBA to donate money to their governor's race war chest? Is it because they already knew that the MBA wanted Rossi to run for governor? In that case, he would be a pretty convincing spokesperson to make their case.