Dino Rossi campaign apologizes for sending e-mails to AquaSox fan list

Published 11:20 pm Wednesday, July 2, 2008

EVERETT— Republican Dino Rossi’s campaign apologized Wednesday to Everett AquaSox fans for using the club’s private e-mail list to solicit them for an upcoming fundraiser at the ball park.

Rossi, one of seven minority owners of the Seattle Mariners Class A affiliate, did not know the addresses of 5,500 names had been obtained for use in drumming up attendance for the Monday event, campaign spokeswoman Jill Strait said.

AquaSox General Manager Brian Sloan provided the information at the request of Everett businessman Tom Hoban, chairman of Rossi’s fundraising committee in Snohomish County and also a minority owner.

“The campaign believed that since we had received the list from AquaSox management, we had permission to send an e-mail about the upcoming event,” Strait said in a prepared statement.

“We were wrong. It is our fault for not double checking,” she said. “We apologize to AquaSox fans who received this e-mail.”

Solicitations went out Tuesday morning. By the afternoon, the team’s majority owners, Peter A. and Peter E. Carfagna, had sent their own e-mail to “express our sincere apologies.”

“We recently learned that our personal privacy policy was compromised in an attempt to solicit your support for a partisan political fundraiser,” they wrote.

“Although we did not authorize this communication nor were we aware of it in advance, we have justifiably received numerous complaints from you expressing your displeasure. We take full responsibility and again beg your pardon,” they wrote.

Sloan said Wednesday “the e-mail list is secured and fans will not be receiving any more e-mails from any political candidates.”

And the 13-year club veteran stressed the list has not been shared with any other political groups or sold to any business. As a result of Tuesday’s incident, he said no one, including owners, will be contacting those on the list for anything other than team-related activities.

The team knew of this Monday’s event because Rossi’s campaign rented out the bullpen barbecue area of Everett Memorial Stadium and paid full price for its use, Sloan said.

Hoban said Wednesday he felt as an owner he could use the list and is sorry if anyone contacted was offended,

“I viewed it as a baseball opportunity for fans and the event was open to anybody regardless of political party,” he said.

“My intention was not to exclude anybody. It is not a partisan event. It is a fundraiser for Dino but it is not targeting any one particular group,” he said.

He went on to say if Democratic Gov. Chris Gregoire wanted to hold a similar event at the ballpark for her re-election effort he would help, as an owner, to get the word out the same way.

Reporter Jerry Cornfield: 360-352-8623 or jcornfield@heraldnet.com.