The following remarks were delivered to the Whatcom County Lincoln Day Dinner on March 23, 2024, in Ferndale, Washington.
I struggled with what to talk to you about tonight.
Well, that’s not true. I didn't struggle with what to talk to you about – I struggled with whether I was brave enough to say what I wanted to say.
When I'm invited to speak to groups, I don't want to offend anyone or be too controversial. So, I reached out to a few of your fellow party members to ask whether any topics were off limits or wouldn't go over well with the crowd.
I got some good advice.
Then I decided to ignore that good advice entirely.
Too much is at stake to be polite.
As we sit here tonight, we are in the final battle of a war.
A war that has pit sanity against insanity.
Pragmatism against idealism.
A war that has sacrificed the public good, in favor of a twisted idea of progress.
It's a war that began long before I moved here 15 years ago. It started silently and it was mostly waged in the shadows.
Most of us didn't even realize that a war was being fought. We were too caught up in our own lives and our own problems. Besides, things didn't seem so bad, so long as we weren't on the front lines in Seattle.
The battles were small at first, and so were the casualties.
Then, before we knew it, that war was on our doorsteps – and it was raging out of control.
We thought it would never reach us. And we were wrong.
Because too many of us sat on the sidelines, one side is no doubt winning the way decisively.
They have won battle after battle after battle. They have spent the past 10 years forcing their way of life and their values and their idea of progress on everyone in their path – with little resistance.
Until now.
We are in the final battle.
And they never anticipated that so many people would suddenly join the fight.
No matter how much damage has been done leading up to this point, everything comes down to this moment.
This battle will decide whether we have enough fight in us. This battle will determine whether we have what it takes to win, or whether we surrender this state we love to the very ideology that has all but destroyed it.
In many ways, Bob Ferguson is the final battle.
I believe a Ferguson governorship would be the point of no return.
It’s not just about Bob Ferguson. It’s about what he represents: complete one-party control of our lives.
Which is why I have committed to using every ounce of influence I’ve built up and every opportunity at my disposal to make people understand just how dangerous he is – and just how important it is for those of us who understand that, to put petty disagreements and purity tests aside and focus on the difficult task ahead.
To the extent that I have personally strayed from that mission, I apologize.
You may know that I have endorsed Dave Reichert and am actively campaigning on his behalf.
But the truth is that I have no loyalty to Dave Reichert.
I have no loyalty to the Republican Party.
I have loyalty to my family.
I have loyalty to my husband.
I have loyalty to my neighbors and my friends.
I have loyalty to this state that I call home.
I have loyalty to our country and to the Constitution.
And therefore, my loyalty lies with whoever I believe is most likely to be voted into a position to protect those things.
My endorsement of Dave Reichert is nothing more than an assessment of probabilities.
It’s that simple.
But to be clear, Republicans are blessed to have two candidates willing to lead the side of sanity into this final battle. Two men who have spent their entire lives in service to others. And who willingly put themselves under a grueling spotlight that not a single one of us in this room – myself included – could endure without some of our flaws being illuminated.
For Dave, that spotlight has led to questions about his commitment to the cause of conservatism.
For Semi, the spotlight has led to questions about mistakes from his past.
But let me say clearly: there is not one person in the race for governor who I would not go to battle with against Bob Ferguson.
For the time being, I will proudly stand side-by-side with Dave and take whatever arrows come my way. I've been called a RINO and even a socialist. A wolf in sheep's clothing. A member of the establishment. Someone who quit her high-paying job in news to tell the truth, a member of the establishment? Give me a break.
Too many people have lost sight of the bigger picture. The bigger battle.
And I am not innocent in this. While I spend most of my time pointing out the policy and personal failures of Bob Ferguson, I have also used up energy dismissing Semi Bird's campaign as not realistic. As a distraction.
That ends today.
And if it is Semi Bird who advances in the race for governor, I will stand side-by-side with him if he'll have me. Just as I hope every person in this room would stand side-by-side with Dave.
In fact, if Republicans split the vote in the primary and Democratic State Senator Mark Mullet advances instead, I will knock on doors for him until my legs give out beneath me.
There's a quote associated with the Apollo 13 mission: "Failure is not an option."
That sounds nice, but failure is an option. Not only is it an option, it’s a distinct possibility. To act otherwise would be foolish.
It's not easy to overturn 40 years of precedent. And it's damn sure not easy if you don't have a united front.
Not only do all of you in this room need to be united, but you need to bring in people who have never been on your side before. Independents and moderate Democrats.
How do we expect to do that if we're not even on the same page?
The machine that you're up against is immense. It has almost endless funds, a media ecosystem that skews in its favor, and a base that spends more time getting out the vote than complaining about how we vote. And they are more power hungry and determined to win than ever before.
Democratic Party Chair Shasti Conrad wrote this a few months ago: "With supermajorities, we can clean up the state constitution. My goal for 2026."
If there is something more damaging than one-party rule, it’s one-party rule that even a veto can’t rein in.
And they won't stop there.
I have every belief that if Bob Ferguson wins in November, and if Democrats strengthen their majorities, they will seek to remove the people's right of referendum and initiative.
This past year while Let's Go Washington collected signatures in an unprecedented effort to overturn key Democratic policies, the state party used a tip line to encourage harassment, intimidation, and vilification of citizens engaged in the lawful initiative process.
While that was happening, Democratic Secretary of State Steve Hobbs said nothing about it publicly. Speaker of the House Laurie Jinkins said she was "saddened" that so many citizens would dare use their rights under the Constitution to push back against bad policies.
Initiatives and referendums are the last remaining check people in this state have on Democratic control. We would be foolish not to believe that they will work to get rid of it.
All of that said, let me be very clear.
It might not sound like it, but I have never been more optimistic about an election year in all my time in Washington.
Truly.
There is a perfect storm of scenarios that are aligning ahead of November.
The success of the Let's Go Washington initiatives prove that people across this state and across the political spectrum are waking up. They are starting to understand just how bad one-party rule has been.
Three popular initiatives are heading to the ballot. One to repeal the carbon tax, another to make the long-term care tax optional, and a third to repeal the unconstitutional tax on capital gains.
At the same time, Democrats were forced to pass three other Republican-backed initiatives into law – which only serves to add credibility to the overall effort.
Restoring reasonable police pursuits, strengthening parental rights, and codifying "no state income tax" into law will all take effect on June 5.
On top of all that, this legislative session was disastrous for Democrats, despite complete control in the House and Senate. Some of their key priorities failed to gain traction thanks to immense pushback from the public.
That includes rent control, paying striking workers, and various bills that would have made life easier for violent criminals.
So, let’s recap: 800,000 voters signed onto initiatives to push back against Democratic policies. Democrats had a horrible session, which was capped off by having to vote three initiatives into law. And now, they're so focused on keeping the other initiatives from passing that they must divide up their war chest and their political capital to do it.
All of it, leaving a perfect opportunity for Republicans to win the governor's mansion for the first time in 40 years and restore divided government to Washington.
Not for yourselves, not for your party, but for the good of the state.
To that end, there's one more point I want to make tonight.
I'm a student of history, and I particularly enjoy reading about President Grant. While history hasn't looked back at his presidency very fondly, there is a lot about him that I respect.
One is that he didn't seek out power. People believed in him enough to give it to him.
The second is that he was gracious in victory.
So, if the day comes and the battle I spoke of is won, we have one important – albeit difficult task – and that is to be gracious in victory.
To realize that those who let ideology get the best of them and took us down a dark path are still our fellow citizens. Our fellow Washingtonians. For the state to move forward and for us to repair what has been broken, we can't forget that.
General Grant wrote of the Confederacy's defeat:
"I felt like anything rather than rejoicing at the downfall of a foe who had fought so long and valiantly, and had suffered so much for a cause, though that cause was, I believe, one of the worst for which a people ever fought, and one for which there was the least excuse."
He was talking, of course, about slavery.
President Grant believed so much in being gracious in victory, that even when the enemy – an enemy that fought for something he detested so much – even when he defeated them, he realized at the end of the day that they would still be his fellow Americans. And that the only way to move the country forward was to treat them as such.
We cannot see our fellow Washingtonians as the enemy, disagree as we may. If we don't find a way to be gracious in victory and focus on moving everyone in this state forward, then we will be standing here 20 years from now, even worse off than we are today.
So go, fight for what and who you believe in. Even if we’re fighting for different people. But do not let those fights distract from the real battle ahead. The only battle that matters.
And do not lose sight of what it is that we're fighting for – a government for the People.
We're fighting for this state and every single soul in it.
And that is the only cause that matters.
Thank you.
A state lawmaker will push to make homeless people a protected class – and this time, she may have the votes to do it. Federal judge compares banning men from women’s spaces to “whites only” laws. Pennsylvania commissioner openly admits to counting illegal votes. No, the media didn’t actually believe its own Trump rhetoric.
Prefer to listen: https://audioboom.com/posts/8610909-buckle-up-things-are-about-to-get-crazy-11-19-24
Criminals arrested for misdemeanors will be booked into jail again – four years after a pandemic halt. FBI still hasn’t solved ballot box arsons. LA Times is wiping the slate clean after editorial board lost touch with voters. Chuck Schumer is hilarious. Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena!
Prefer to listen? https://audioboom.com/posts/8608754-are-the-covid-era-excuses-finally-over-11-14-24
Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy are tapped to overhaul our federal government. Washington and California drivers should prepare for sticker shock at the gas pump. Dow Constantine destroyed King County, now he hopes to land a cushy seven-figure gig. Trump’s cabinet is coming together.
Prefer to listen? https://audioboom.com/posts/8608081-the-department-of-government-efficiency-11-13-24
These remarks were delivered to the Snohomish County Lincoln Day Dinner on May 17, 2024.
During a visit to Eastern Washington, Brandi sat down with Congressman Dan Newhouse (R-WA04) to discuss the fentanyl crisis, fuel costs, border security, Chinese land acquisition, and how he was able to survive his vote to impeach Donald Trump.
The following remarks were delivered to the Kitsap County Lincoln Day Dinner on June 2, 2023, in Bremerton, Washington. They are shared here as prepared and edited for print.
((REMARKS))
It is an honor to be here tonight, especially considering my friend Dori Monson was here last year as your keynote.
Dori was one of the last true government watchdogs in media. He took the responsibility seriously.
He was fierce.
He was fair.
He was unflinching.
He believed that if left to its own devices, government would move further away from the People.
In a lot of ways that’s already happening.
May I propose a toast to our friend Dori, to what he stood for, and to why we’re all here tonight – our shared mission to keep a government of the People, by the People, for the People.
When I’m invited to speak at events like these, there are always a few people in the room who are confused why I’m here. There is certainly a segment of Republicans in Washington who don’t understand why a self-titled moderate independent who has been critical of the former president and his claims of a stolen election would be invited to be a keynote at...
A state lawmaker will push to make homeless people a protected class – and this time, she may have the votes to do it. Federal judge compares banning men from women’s spaces to “whites only” laws. Pennsylvania commissioner openly admits to counting illegal votes. No, the media didn’t actually believe its own Trump rhetoric.
While our studio is still offline after Tuesday's storm (along with 400K+ other homes and businesses), the Bomb Cyclone won't keep us from you! Join Brandi today at 12pm for a LIVE Q+A in lieu of our regular show.
https://mynorthwest.com/4012043/dave-ross-colleen-obrien-retiring-co-hosting-seattles-morning-news/
An alternative headline could be “Boomer Broadcasters Bolt”. I have some conflicting opinions about Dave Ross over the years. I used to think he was a saner voice from the center left but over time I think he became more of an apologist for the destructive progressive politics here and often overlooked the decline of public safety in Seattle. His downtown tour in 2020 with Gee Scott was ridiculous and to me showed his cognitive dissonance from reality, and the last straw for me. When he did address any current problems he would wax nostalgic about how bad things were in Atlanta when he lived there. Ok Dave we’re like Atlanta now? Awesome I guess. Anyway, Happy Trails to Dave Ross, and to Colleen O’Brien, although I think Colleen looks to young to head off into the sunset. Maybe she’ll start a podcast…
In an internal memo to board members earlier this month, obtained exclusively by unDivided, MultiCare’s Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital, located in Tacoma, Washington, said it will be taking a more “holistic approach” to gender treatment for juveniles beginning in September.
The move comes after former MultiCare therapist Tamara Pietzke wrote a blistering report for The Free Press in February, detailing several cases where she was expected to promptly refer youth to the hospital’s gender clinic without first exploring possible reasons the teen might be experiencing gender dysphoria – such as social influences, abuse, or depression.
That is about to change.
The hospital’s July 17 letter to board members, titled “Updates to Mary Bridge Children’s gender health services,” strikes a cautious, but clear tone: the hospital no longer believes skipping such steps is in the best interest of the children who come to them for care.
As a result of our review – and based on the best clinical evidence available today – we will enhance our holistic approach to gender-affirming health care for adolescents. Based on the most up-to-date science, we believe this enhanced approach will provide the best and safest course of treatment for our young patients.
The hospital said it will rely on “experts in behavioral health, endocrinology, adolescent medicine, and social work” to determine the best course of care for kids complaining of gender dysphoria. Perhaps most importantly, the hospital wrote it will “work collaboratively with families to support their needs.”
The changes seem in-line with concerns Pietzke spelled out in her Free Press exposé. In one case, she said she was directed to refer a 13-year-old patient to the gender clinic, despite clear signs of trauma that were unlikely to be resolved with gender hormone therapy.
In an interview on unDivided following The Free Press report, Pietzke detailed numerous struggles the teen patient faced that could be contributing to her feelings of gender dysphoria: Her mom tried to kill her sister. She watched adult movies at home. Her mother had engaged in bestiality. The teen told Pietzke she would “age regress” and sit in front of the TV for hours, watching Teletubbies and sucking on her thumb. She dressed as a “furry” at school – wearing animal ears and a tail.
“Here we are, trying to get a letter for this child to start testosterone and there’s all these other things at play,” Pietzke said. “I wanted to process all the different things that were going on – trouble making friends, trauma history – there was just so much there. So much to unpack.”
Instead, she said the directive from higher ups was clear: “That I would just sign off on whatever was asked.”
Reached for comment about the July 17 letter indicating changes to gender care for minors, Pietzke called it “encouraging.”
“It’s very emotional to see the letter. I’m very grateful to know that my voice has counted in some small capacity.”
Still, she has reservations.
Specifically, she wonders how “experts in behavioral health, endocrinology, adolescent medicine, and social work” will be utilized differently than before.
“We’ve had those people in place before, so how are they going to be taking on a different role where you’re not just fast-tracking people?”
She said she is also skeptical that, as the letter stated, the hospital has been reevaluating practices at the gender clinic since last fall. During that time, she said staff were going through mandatory gender-affirming care training.
“Where I was met with so much hostility for raising any questions or concerns. If that’s true, if they had been looking into it since then, it didn’t trickle down to the supervisors or anyone else in mental health.”
After she quit her job at MultiCare – and was subsequently terminated from another job after her report in The Free Press – Pietzke has gone into private practice where she offers therapy to patients of all ages.
Despite lingering questions about the changes spelled out in the letter, she said she appreciates the broader political implications MultiCare must be balancing.
In a state where lawmakers have prioritized and expanded access to gender treatment for juveniles, in some cases without parental approval, the move could mark a substantial shift away from such life-altering care – changes that will likely be met by a fair share of criticism.
“I have so much respect for the fact that they’re willing to make any changes at all,” Pietzke said. “I know what I, as an individual, the hostility l was met with. I can only imagine the level of concern they have as to how this is going to be received by people.”
“I hope that we’re starting to make the world, or at least our area of the world, a little safer for kids.”
unDivided has reached out to MultiCare for comment and clarity on the forthcoming changes. This story will be updated accordingly.
