Take a minute to [un]wind with our Sunday newsletter. Grab a cup of coffee and catch up on what you may have missed from [un]Divided this week.
Take action today!
Over the past few weeks, I’ve been urging you to call and email various lawmakers as we push to restore law and order on our streets.
A few updates on issues we’ve discussed:
A bipartisan effort to give officers more discretion in pursuing vehicles has hit a serious roadblock.
Senator Manka Dhingra, who chairs the Senate Law & Justice Committee, said this week she doesn’t have SB 5352 scheduled for a hearing.
As I wrote in an op-ed on Tuesday, Senator Dhingra said pushback over the current law is based on feelings, not facts.
“I think this policy has become so politicized that people are no longer looking at data or best practices, they’re having an emotional reaction to it,” she said.
More from my op-ed:
Dhingra did not entirely rule out changes to the law in her Tuesday remarks. She simply thinks those changes should originate elsewhere.
“I don’t believe that the legislature is the best body to now make changes given the politics around this issue,” she said.
How convenient!
She clearly believed that the legislature was the correct body to make changes to the pursuit law in 2021, but now that those changes are in question – let someone else deal with it.
Instead, Senator Dhingra said she thinks the Criminal Justice Training Commission should spend time studying best practices across the country, then come back to the legislature with recommendations. She called it “the only thing” she would entertain.
If she were so concerned about studying best practices, why didn’t she call for that in 2021 before Democrats thrust our state into a public safety crisis based purely off emotion?
You know, emotion. That thing you’re accusing the rest of us of using.
Dhingra’s opposition to the bipartisan changes doesn’t kill the effort, per se. Former State Senator Michael Baumgartner explained the maneuvering that could bring it to the floor for a vote anyway:
“Senate rules allow 25 members (a constitutional majority of the chamber) to bring a bill directly to the floor for a vote at any time. A Committee Chair can’t actually ‘kill’ anything that the majority of the members don’t want killed,” he wrote.
And that last line is important. Democrats in the state senate may try to use Dhingra’s opposition as cover not to take a politically risky vote, but if the bill dies every one of them is responsible.
So, what do we do from here?
If you haven’t emailed Senator Dhingra already, please do so. Keep it civil.
In addition, call or email the senator from your district and tell them to support pulling SB 5352 directly to the floor for a vote.
Call by using the toll-free legislative hotline and ask to be connected to your state senator (they can look up who that is based on your address): 1-800-562-6000
If you prefer to email, use the district finder from Future 42.
And speaking of our friends from Future 42 … I’ll just leave this right here.
One more call to action I have for you ahead of a very important sentencing tomorrow. While it doesn't involve the legislature, it does involve disrespect for the rule of law.
Tomorrow (Monday) at 9am, a repeat rapist will be sentenced on a sweetheart deal in Kitsap County Superior Court. Stephen Tyler Clayton was charged with raping three women, but prosecutors let him plead guilty to a single count of rape in the third degree.
That means he could spend just 12-14 months in jail.
Last week, I spoke with two of the women Clayton was charged with raping.
Alissa Drowns joined me Tuesday on KIRO Newsradio. You can listen to our conversation here.
Annette Lombardo joined me on Wednesday's podcast, you can watch our conversation here.
These women have become rockstar advocates for themselves, but if you want to be there to support them tomorrow - there are two ways:
In person
Protesters will be across from the Kitsap County Courthouse in Port Orchard from 8 to 10 am. If you're in the area, throw a sign together and consider joining them. The hearing will be held in Courtroom 272 at 9am.
Virtually
You can observe the proceedings virtually.
TO JOIN ZOOM MEETING
Use this link and enter Meeting ID 893-1928-9679
Password: 272
Let's show Kitsap County that it's not OK for rapists to get sweetheart plea deals and, more importantly, lets show these women that they're not alone.
If you watch one thing from [un]Divided this week...
Make it my interview with Richard Reeves, author of the book Of Boys and Men.
You can watch it here.
Richard was in Washington state this past week to advocate for the creation of a boys and men commission, which is currently under consideration in the state legislature. Read the bill here.
"How can we equip our boys and men to flourish? Because we want our boys and men to flourish just as we want our women and girls to flourish," Reeves argues. "I've come to believe quite strongly that unless there are institutions whose job it is to be drawing attention to the trends facing boys and men, just as there are for women and girls, the harder it is to get policy makers to pay attention to it."
If the bipartisan bill passes, Washington would be the first state to create a commission dedicated to the wellbeing of boys and men.
Housekeeping
Momma Kruse and my sister will be in town this week for WEDDING DRESS SHOPPING! I am way too excited. There will not be a show on Friday 1/27 as I take a day off to enjoy this experience with them. However, Miranda and I will be hosting a live virtual hangout with all of you on Thursday, so stay tuned for the info on that.
Thank you for your commitment to giving common sense a comeback! Have a great week.
