Sorry for the delay, but this week’s Q&A is very special: I went to Seattle earlier this week to co-moderate debates between Supreme Court Justice Jim Johnson and challenger Stan Rumbaugh and Justice Richard Sanders and challenger Charlie Wiggins (the other challenger, Bryan Chushcoff, didn’t show. Neither did Chief Justice Barbara Madsen, who is running unopposed).

The candidates discussed their views on judicial activism, victims’ rights,  the relationship between the Legislature and the court, medicinal marijuana, the high-earners income tax on the ballot, gun rights, opponents’ allegations and much, much more.

Here’s the video:

On a related note: Have you received your ballot yet? They were sent out this week, so check your mailbox. In the case of the candiddates in the video above, if one gets more than 50 percent of the vote they win. No general election required.

Tags: elections, Q&A, supreme court

The Supreme Court issued an opinion today on Brown vs. Vail – over whether using a three-drug cocktail constituted “cruel and unusual” punishment. The decision: Since Washington has already moved from a three-drug cocktail to a one-drug system in March, the Department of Corrections argued that the constitutional challenge was “moot.” The court agreed.

That means Brown — Cal Coburn Brown, who was convicted of kidnapping a woman at knifepoint in 1991, then sexually assaulting and torturing her for 36 hours before killing her — can be put to death. Brown was joined in the lawsuit by two other convicted killers.

Brown’s execution date is set for Sept. 10 — though further legal challenges could cause delays.

In the unanimous opinion written by Justice Debra Stephens, the court wrote: “It is the policy of the State of Washington to execute inmates condemned to death by use of lethal injection, now under a one-drug protocol. The legislature properly delegated authority to the Department to develop and implement the death penalty protocol. And we decline to issue a declaratory judgment invalidating the Department’s use of the substances involved in lethal injection on the basis of state and federal controlled substances acts. As a result of the Department’s adoption of a one-drug lethal injection protocol instead of three-drug protocol on March 8, 2010, the Appellants’ constitutional challenge to the protocol is moot.”

Tags: death penalty, supreme court

The Supreme Court will hear a disagreement between State Lands Commissioner Peter Goldmark and State Attorney General Rob McKenna — in November.

The short background: An Okanogan County utility wants to condemn some state forest land to put a power line through it. A district court judge ruled that the utility could do so, but the state — specifically, lands commissioner Goldmark, wanted to appeal. McKenna refused, and Goldmark took it to the Supreme Court (which meant getting another lawyer in the process).

On Nov. 18, oral arguments in the case will be heard in Olympia.

Goldmark said in a statement that he’s pleased with the Supreme Court’s decision to take up his case. “It is a critical constitutional question of whether or not the Attorney General has the discretion to make policy for issues under the purview of another statewide elected official.”

Tags: Attorney General, Goldmark, McKenna, public lands, supreme court

I’m headed up to the capitol now for two press conferences. The first, with Attorney General Rob McKenna, will cover the U.S. Supreme Court decision this morning that petition signatures are a public record.

The second, at 10:30, is with Gov. Chris Gregoire. Gregoire is going to announce a new budgeting process. This press conference will be shown later today on TVW.

Check back here in a few minutes for all you need to know.

Tags: Budget, Gregoire, McKenna, supreme court

I’m rushing to a conference call with Secretary of State Sam Reed and Attorney General Rob McKenna, but here’s an initial report on Reed’s reaction to their hearing in front of the U.S. Supreme Court over whether signatures to initiative petitions are a public record: It went “very, very well.”

Here are his full remarks, via Dave Ammons, his communication director: “In my opinion, it went very, very well.  I feel guardedly optimistic that we’ll prevail. The questioning really favored our point of view.”

Justice Scalia at one point said “Democracy requires a certain amount of civic courage.”

“The questions were about the harassment aspect and did that concern amount to enough to therefore deny open and transparent government, is it a problem of sufficient weight to overrule what the people have voted in the way of open public records?”

Check back in a few minutes for the text and audio of the conference call.

Tags: R71, supreme court

Tags: Budget, Marty Brown, R71 lawsuit, Rob McKenna, supreme court, taxes

Lt. Gov. Brad Owen just ruled that Sen. Don Benton is right — the $3 municipal court fee to pay for publicly funded Supreme Court races does not constitute a solid enough nexus. Therefore, passing the bill to publicly fund Supreme Court races will take a two-thirds vote.

Tags: supreme court

The House State Government and Senate Government Operations committees each held a hearing today on a bill to publicly fund Supreme Court races.

Why? In 2006, $4.3 million was spent on three Supreme Court seats in Washington, according to John King, policy chair of Washington Public Campaign. He told the House that money comes from big spenders with equally big agendas — and that means more moderate candidates will be edged out. “This bill aims to counter any movement toward bankable votes,” he said — candidates would have to get a certain number of signatures to get on the ballot.

And Katy Sheehan with the League of Women Voters told the House that public funding for Supreme Court campaigns would work toward combating corruption and promote citizen interaction. “The recent U.S. Supreme Court opinion will likely aggravate the trend” of spending on campaigns. She said the bill is effective because it only gives money to candidates who have shown — through signature gathering — that they have broad public support.

Here’s a discussion on the very topic, featuring former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Gerry Alexander, former U.S. Senator Slade Gorton and more:

Tags: public funding, supreme court

Here’s a handy run-down of what happened today:

- Chief economic forecaster Arun Raha said revenue collections for the past two months are actually higher than he forecast in November. Yet …

- A comprehensive review showed the state’s economic climate hasn’t improved relative to other states.

- The state could save around $10 million by streamlining information services for five agencies and potentially $277 million for privatizing liquor stores.

- House Speaker Frank Chopp said the state needs to create a moral budget without cutting the most vulnerable and Rep. Richard DeBolt said the state needs to encourage business development, which will finance a healthy future.

- The Senate Health and Long-Term Care Committee discussed banning BPA.

- Chief Justice Barbara Madsen was sworn in.

Want more? Watch Legislative Review at 11 o’clock tonight or 7:45 tomorrow morning.

Tags: Legislature, supreme court

Chief Justice Barbara Madsen and former Chief Justice Gerry Alexander just switched chairs, meaning: It’s official.

She said the experience was overwhelming before turning to Alexander so he could speak a few words. Alexander said he was surprised when he took the office that he didn’t get a gavel. So he presented Madsen with an engraved gavel.

“It’s not just some cheesy piece of wood I found in the back yard and had carved up,” he said. “This item was carved from the wood of a Big Leaf Maple tree” he said. The tree was 8 feet in diameter and stood near the Governor’s mansion. The stump can be seen today. “It is believed this tree predated the 1909 construction of the mansion. I want you to know I got this piece of wood legitimately … I didn’t steal it!”

Madsen then spoke. “It’s going to be difficult not calling you Chief,” she said. “When I thought about this ceremony, it seemed like an appropriate time to share my vision for the Judiciary,” she said. “As a public defender, I learned that there is some good in every person,” she said, adding that she also learned about diversity.

Tune into TVW now for the live ceremony.

Tags: gavel, Madsen, supreme court