For those who may not have seen this Joel Connelly

Strange Bedfellows
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/seattlepolitics/archives/142376.asp
Initiative 1000 passes $1 million mark

Despite a fundraising letter from ex-Gov. Booth Gardner that warned of a
monied, ruthless opposition, backers of the state's assisted suicide
initiative - Initiative 1000 - are outraising foes by a10-to-one margin.

In figures filed with the state Public Disclosure Commission, the Yes on
1000 committee has raised $1,116,960 plus $21,562 worth of in-kind help from
the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington.

The Coalition Against Assisted Suicide has reported raising $87,352, with
$2,286 in in-kind help from its chairman Chris Carlson.

The largest contributions to Yes on 1000 have come from out-of-state, led by
two big donations totaling $300,000 from the Oregon Death With Dignity PAC.
Other committees making major donations include the Euthanasia Research and
Guidance Organization, and the the Final Exit Networks of Georgia and
Illinois.

Gardner, a wealthy Weyerhaeuser heir, is the biggest individual donor with
$120,000
in contributions.

The largest donation to the Coalition Against Assisted suicide has been
Georganna Cliff of Spokane, who has given $15,000.

The Yes on 1000 campaign has also spent $1.026 million, largely to get on
the ballot.

The "death with dignity" campaign has proved a font of life for the
Northwest's liberal political consultants.

PCI Consultants Inc. has been paid $193,077 for work in signature gathering.
Active Roots Consulting, with a specialist in volunteer signature drives,
has been compensated to the tune of $67,500.

M & R Strategic Services, which advertises itself as specializing in the
"highly tailored campaign strategy," has taken $75,000 from the assisted
suicide campaign.

Two of the state's best-known Democratic consultants have been deeply
involved in the campaign from its inception.

A longtime strategist for ex-Gov. Gary Locke and Rep. Jim McDermott, Blair
Butterworth has been paid $27,000. Christian Sinderman, who has worked for
Sen. Maria Cantwell and a bevy of state office and legislative hopefuls, has
collected $21,663.

Others providing the campaign with consulting services have included MNP
Partners, MJM Associates, Mark Morgan, Beth Foster Consultants, and Michael
Snyder.

The Yes on 1000 campaign has even paid back $2,500 to Oregon Death With
Dignity in consulting fees.

Sinderman and Butterworth have shown a certain sensitivity about involvement
with the assisted suicide campaign.

After news of his involvement became public earlier this year, Sinderman
delivered an e-mail account of the death of his grandfather.

"The final visit I had with him, he told me he wished he could die on his
own terms, with me and my kids there, instead of afraid and alone," he
wrote. "This campaign is my opportunity to honor that wish, if not for him
than for others."

 "While there is rarely honor among thieves, in this case there is at least
a personal connection to the issue I am flacking this year," he added.

 Butterworth described the suicide of his 89-year-old grandmother, who threw
herself off her 8th story balcony in Bath, England, because "she decided she
wanted to leave the world on her own terms."

And Butterworth made an assumption about the religious beliefs of the
columnist -- myself - who had posed arguments critical of the initiative.

 "I respect your faith, but in terms of public policies that reach belong
it, I'd feel better if you kept it to yourself," he wrote.

What a weird thing to say to an Episcopalian. It's the sort of remark that
leaves a bad odor, and makes one wonder if religion-bashing will become a
favored put-down of this ballot campaign.

 Posted by *Joel Connelly <joelconne...@seattlepi.com>* at June 30, 2008
4:58 p.m.

· Return to Initiative 1000 passes $1 million
mark<http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/seattlepolitics/archives/142376.asp>

*
Dan Kennedy, CEO
Human Life of Washington <http://www.humanlife.net/>
Affiliate of National Right to Life
14400 Bel-Red Rd Suite 207
Bellevue, WA 98007

V-425.641.9345    F-425.641.9635
Center for Life Principles <http://lifeprinciples.net> - A Project of Human
Life Ed. Foundation
National Right to Life <http://nrlc.org>
*

This transmission may contain privileged and/or confidential information and
is intended for use only by the person(s) named above.  Except for the
intended recipient, or an employee or agent responsible for delivering this
message to the intended recipient any review, dissemination, or duplication
of this communication is strictly prohibited.  If you have received this
e-mail in error, please notify the sender immediately by return message and
destroy all copies of this message and any attachments.  Any views or
opinions presented in this e-mail are solely those of the author and do not
necessarily, represent those of Human Life of Washington.