McKenna’s Gotta Go

Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna has worn out his welcome as far as I’m concerned.  Elected as a supposedly moderate Republican, he’s shown his true colors by joining the other Republican attorneys general who are suing to contest the contstitutionality of the new federal health care mandates.

And imagine the guy has the guts to whine that the Dems are beating the crap out of him over his stance!  What did he expect?  Milk and cookies?  This is peoples’ health we’re talking about, the right to see a doctor, to receive care for serious illnesses, the right to have one’s children covered as well.  Does McKenna think this is a dry exercise in constitutional law for people?  If so, he’s got another thing coming.  And if he doesn’t withdraw from this lawsuit, the governor and legislature should make their displeasure known by cutting funding for his office.  They especially should make no state funds available for participating in this fahrkochteh lawsuit:

Gregoire said she’s open to the idea of blocking Republican Attorney General Rob McKenna from using public money to a federal health care overhaul. Democratic majority lawmakers have raised the idea of adding such a ban to whatever budget proposal they ultimately agree to…Gregoire said that she believes in the independence of the attorney general, but that using public money to pursue litigation that she and other Democratic leaders are opposed to is “a different question for me,” she said.

Gregoire said she hasn’t been presented with any proposed state-funding bans targeting the lawsuit, so “I’ll wait and see.” But when asked if she’s open to the idea, she responded: “I am.”

If McKenna wants to pursue this then tell him to get his funding from the Tea Partyers so the voters will know on which side he stands.  The people of Washington (state) want this bill to work.  If McKenna doesn’t then he should go back to practicing law and let someone else become attorney general who will reflect the will of the people.

McKenna also partnered with other attorneys general on another dumb project, a letter to Hillary Clinton defending Israel’s invasion of Gaza (pdf of letter opposing McKenna’s position).  Clearly, this letter was a propaganda offensive devised either in Tel Aviv or the offices of Aipac (or both).  No doubt my good friends at Stand With Us NW encouraged McKenna in this looniness.  What business do state chief legal officers have taking any position on a foreign policy matter?  Let alone one that affects the actions of a foreign power?  This was the height of pro-Israel sycophancy.  And for what reason?  What important legal question affecting Washington state did this matter address?  Here’s a Bruce Ramsey column on the misadventure.

Again, if McKenna wants to insert his nose where it doesn’t belong let him become a pro-Israel Republican activist, let him join the board of SWU or the NW version of the Tea Partyers so we’ll know just where he stands.  But to take these positions as the attorney general of my state is disgraceful.  And we’ll remind him of these misssteps when he inevitably runs for higher office.

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• Dems blast McKenna over health bill challenge (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Gregoire on McKenna: “He Does Not Represent Me.” (And She’ll Enter the Lawsuit Herself if She Has To.) (slog.thestranger.com)
• Who wants to sue Rob McKenna? (horsesass.org)
• Impeach Rob McKenna (horsesass.org)