In the Aug. 27 edition of the Whidbey News-Times Terry Sparks wrote about Clyde Shavers for a 10th Legislative District House seat, “Don’t be fooled. There is more to the story.” Now we know he was right. Do the people who voted for Shavers still believe his life models honor and integrity, qualities desired in elected public officials?
The Seattle Times editorial on Nov. 14 decries the special interest cash that influenced voters (in effect bought votes) this election. The Service Employees International gave more than $6 million of which $2 million went to New Direction PAC. Most of Clyde Shavers’ flyers were paid for by New Direction, not grass-roots citizen groups.
Shavers claimed to be an attorney despite failing the bar exam. He said the 10th District was “his community” even though the home he owns is in King County, he rents a vacation rental on Whidbey, and he is employed in some capacity by a Seattle law firm.
Did the Democratic Party vet Shavers prior to endorsing him and pouring money into his campaign?
Joe Fitzgibbon, chair of the House Democratic Campaign Committee, said he believed Shavers had “fallen short” and his expectation is “that he learn from this.” Don’t the Democrats have a higher standard than that for candidates they promote and bankroll?
What about the voters who want to rescind their votes for Shavers as The Herald Editorial Board withdrew its endorsement of him after the truth became public?
How can this travesty of an election be fixed? Will the “honest” and truly qualified candidate, Greg Gilday, be awarded the victory because his opponent purposely lied and misled the voters?
Claudia L. Talmadge
Oak Harbor
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