Over the weekend, the Washington State Republican Party sent out a statement perpetuating false lines of attack against my friend Jason Rantz for his diligent and factual reporting on gubernatorial candidate Semi Bird.
This statement was detached from reality and not reflective of a serious or morally consistent political movement.
As an independent podcaster, I’ve chosen to lend my voice and 15 years of earned credibility to candidates, causes, and policies that I believe will help move our state forward and unwind destructive one-party rule. While not a Republican myself, I’ve spoken at countless GOP events, campaigned on behalf of Republican candidates, testified in Olympia in favor of Republican bills, held rallies in support of Republican-backed initiatives, donated to Republican causes, and platformed Republican candidates who otherwise get little media attention.
Recent comments from the Party have led me to reassess my involvement in some of those activities.
First, a bit of background.
Despite photo evidence showing Semi Bird wearing military badges he did not earn, and a 2009 letter Bird wrote and signed admitting to committing “nothing less than a fraud against the United States Army,” loyalists have been duped into believing it’s all made up. Some are even parroting Bird’s outlandish claim that he is being targeted because he’s black. He’s compared the stories about him to a public lynching and suggested it’s on par with the treatment of blacks during the civil rights era.
Yikes.
In 13 years covering Washington politics, Semi Bird is the most flawed political candidate I’ve ever covered – and it’s not even close.
Even before the credible accusations of stolen valor, there were already a laundry list of lies and deceit from Bird going back decades – enough to paint a clear picture of what kind of man he is. He lied about being court martialed when asked about it in 2022, claiming it was his cousin by the same name. He hid a felony gun charge. He only admitted to a bank fraud conviction when it was reported by The Seattle Times. He has dismissed 911 tapes that capture him berating dispatchers and throwing his wealth in their face.
I’ve long ago lost faith that Bird supporters will see through his façade. Nor is it my job to try to convince them.
It is often said that the job of the media is to hold powerful people accountable. But that’s not exactly right. The job of the media is to give citizens the information they need to hold powerful people accountable – if they choose to use it.
The Seattle-based press corps has failed in that regard for too long. It’s one of the key reasons I quit my job at FOX 13 to go independent. Like Jason Rantz, I have focused the vast majority of my energy on the party in power and the very real threat posed by a consolidation of that power. Democrats are dangerously close to reaching supermajorities – which would allow them to act on their worst impulses.
I continue to believe that electing Bob Ferguson as governor would lead our state down a path it cannot recover from. But it is now clear that petty party loyalties matter more to the State Republican Party than avoiding that fate.
Furthermore, the Party is willing to throw vocal and effective allies under the bus in the name of protecting a deeply flawed candidate who has little chance of making it past the August primary.
“Washington Republicans must not let media-fueled controversies turn us against each other,” Friday’s statement from the WA GOP read.
Reporting on the existence of a letter Bird himself wrote and signed is not the media “fueling controversies.” It’s the media doing its job. Sad that it takes Rantz, a conservative radio host, to be the one to properly vet a conservative candidate. The Right has long valued that brand of watchdog reporting – unless it’s exposing one of their own, it seems.
If possible, a statement from the Snohomish County Republican Party was even worse. It called Rantz’ reporting “vile and deceitful.”
“The Snohomish County Republican Party finds no merit in the allegations of stolen valor, firmly denounces the actions of those who resort to such depths and implores Bonneville Media Group, and its hosts, to retract these statements, condemn such conduct, and take necessary steps to prevent future instances of such deceptive behaviors from its hosts and or employees.”
The statements come at a time when both Rantz and I are being inundated with hate and threats from Bird supporters – both veiled and direct. While I have not spoken about it publicly until now, these threats have warranted the involvement of law enforcement and made my family feel unsafe in our own home.
Make no mistake, the WA GOP is aware of this vitriol – but still chose to fan the flames by blaming the "media" for Bird's own behavior.
Considering these statements, I will be taking a step back from GOP-sponsored activities from now through November and into the foreseeable future. I will be refocusing my efforts on our show and pushing harder than ever to convince voters to declare independence from the poison nature of political parties.
There are a handful of GOP-related events I already have on my calendar, and I will make good on those commitments. I will also maintain my support of several candidates and causes:
Dave Reichert is the only chance we have of beating Bob Ferguson in November. He has stayed out of the political infighting, maintained his fiercely independent nature, and shown himself to be a morally strong leader. I will do everything in my power to support his campaign in the coming months.
The Let’s Go Washingtonian initiatives benefit every single working-class person in our state, regardless of party. I will continue to push for the passage of all three initiatives already on the November ballot, as well as I-2066 should it gather the necessary number of signatures by July 5.
My partnership with Future 42 has nothing to do with political party, but rather good policy. Their work is important in turning the state around and I'm proud to help play a role in it.
I continue to believe Washington needs political balance. While the two-party system is destructive, a one-party system is even worse. What has changed for me over the past week is the belief that the Republican Party is somehow fundamentally different than the Democratic Party and, thus, more worthy of my time and talents.
In truth, both serve their own needs first and the needs of the People of Washington second.
Shame on me for not seeing that sooner.
As a proud Independent, it's time to act like one.
