Calvin Goings is a master of politics. While I tend to think he’s a pretty decent dude (all things considered), I’ve also learned to be a little skeptical when Goings sends a press release my way. He has a way of manipulating any situation to his advantage. 

So, when my inbox lit up earlier this week with a press release from Goings, I tried my best to weigh the situation honestly.

“The Pierce County Council’s Rules Committee voted to kill legislation that would have safeguarded public notice of pending legislation,” the release stated.

“The proposal by Councilmembers Calvin Goings (D-Puyallup) and Tim Farrell (D-Tacoma) would have required that all new laws and proposed amendments be publicly filed with the Clerk of the Council at least 24 hours in advance of a vote.

“The Republican controlled Rules Committee voted against the ordinance on a party-line vote.”

The release makes it sound like the big, bad Republicans put the kibosh on a proposal intended to give the public more information about legislation set to be voted on. (The committee vote referenced in the press release happened on Tuesday, Aug 26.) 

 

Who doesn’t want to see the public receive fair warning when legislation is about to be voted on? How could Republicans vote against such an idea?

 

These were the questions floating in my head, meaning the Goings press release had done its job. I couldn’t help but recall a certain July 8 vote by the Pierce County Council where the Republicans voted down a proclamation that would have created a gay pride day in Pierce County. Their stated reason for doing so: they hadn’t been given 24 hours to mull it over.

 

That rationale seems to fly in the face of the Republican vote to kill the “sunshine” legislation — exactly the point Goings seemed to be making with his release.

 

“I spell hypocrite B-U-N-N-E-Y,” said Goings by phone, referring to his Republican adversary for the County Executive position, who along with Republican Councilmember Terry Lee voted to kill the sunshine legislation. “The majority on the Council voted against a proclamation creating a gay pride day, saying ‘we shouldn’t do things at the last minute.’ We were dumbfounded when they voted to kill this legislation.”

 

It makes for a nice sound-byte, but the political motives behind Goings’ press release also seem crystal clear. Councilmember Lee was quick to point out some of the drawbacks of the proposed sunshine legislation — including, with a council that only meets every Tuesday, a 24-hour waiting period quickly becomes a week before action can be taken.

 

“What we do as elected officials is react to the public,” says Lee. “What this proposal would have done is prevent us from reacting to the public. It would put an unnecessary wrench in the process.”

“(Goings) has created quite a bit of hero legislation, intended to help him get elected County Executive,” continues Lee. “I believe this is just political grandstanding.”

 

In this case, Goings and Lee may both be right. There’s no doubt Goings can grandstand with the best of them. There’s also no doubt that Republicans rejecting the gay pride proclamation on the assertion that 24 hours wasn’t given for the Council to digest it, and then voting to kill legislation that would have mandated such notice for all legislation reeks a little of hypocrisy.

 

Of course, it all reeks of politics. That’s what we’re really talking about here.