Constituents of Washington’s 42nd legislative district, our state senator is not showing up to work, but we are still paying him. He has taken a new job at the EPA and spends his weeks in Washington DC while his seat in Olympia is empty. Doug Ericksen needs to resign his senate seat so a new senator can be appointed and we can have representation who shows up.
{Look up your district here: http://app.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/}
Suit up, pants peeps! Here is our strategy:
***TOWN HALL MEETING***
Senator Ericksen has no constituent events scheduled for the 2017 legislative seasion, so we are scheduling one for him. To be scheduled in march. You can read the invitation and sign it. Constituent signatures will be added to the letter, others will be updated on the campaign.
***WRITE A LETTER TO THE EDITOR***
Talking Points
- On 7 February 2017, Senator Ericksen will miss his committee meeting and has scheduled a pseudonym-using blogger to give a presentation, wasting taxpayer money by paying several senators to sit through a meaningless exercise.
- As our state senator, Doug Ericksen has agreed to be present in Olympia to represent people in the 42nd district.
- He has accepted another full-time job, and now spends his weeks work in Washington D.C.
- Unlike another republican state senator, Ericksen intends to keep BOTH JOBS “Reached by phone Monday, Ericksen said he does not intend to resign his state Senate seat — but instead will fly back and forth to do both jobs. “I am going to be racking up frequent-flier miles like you won’t believe,” he said.
- Senator Ericksen has been absent for 75% of meetings and hearings since starting his new job.
State taxpayers are still paying Senator Ericksen at his $45k/year for four months of work, and he is schedule to miss nearly all of it. - Senator Ericksen chairs the Senate Energy, Environment and Telecommunications Committee but is not present to run the meetings.
- On Tuesday, January 24th, the senate held a hearing for a bill sponsored by Doug Ericksen (and no one else), but senator Ericksen was absent because he was in D.C. Fifty-one people spoke in opposition to the bill, exceeding the capacity of the room.
- The entire schedule of Washington’s state senate is built around Ericksen’s schedule.
- If Senator Ericksen resigns now, a replacement will be nominated by his party, and we will be represented in the state senate for the ongoing session.
Contact Information
Cut & paste email addresses: letters@cascadiaweekly.com; news@ferndalerecord.com; editor@lyndentribune.com; letters@bellinghamherald.com
Bellingham Herald – post letter in story comments – http://www.bellinghamherald.com/news/local/article128339024.html
Cascadia Weekly – http://www.cascadiaweekly.com/contact
Ferndale Record-Journal – http://www.ferndalerecord.com
Lynden Tribune – www.lyndentribune.com
Northern Light – http://www.thenorthernlight.com/submit-a-letter/
***FOLLOW “WHERE’S DOUG” ON TWITTER***
Someone is keeping track of Senator Ericksen. Follow @wheresdoug42, RETWEET @wheresdoug42‘s tweets to political reporters and other interested parties. If you are a constituent of the 42nd district, use this hashtag: #42ndconstituent
Suggestions:
@Jim_Brunner @keithKOMO4 What a waste of taxpayer money. #wheresdoug42 http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/politics-government/article131138229.html
@keithKOMO4 @Jim_Brunner @melissasantos1 42nd district constituents are looking for our state senator. Help us find Doug? #wheresdoug42
@altUSEPA We are in Washington’s 42nd legislative district and we are looking for our state senator. Have you seen Doug? #wheresdoug42
***WATCH SENATOR ERICKSEN’S PRESS CONFERENCE – 2 Feb 2017***
If you missed it, you cans see the recording here: http://www.tvw.org/watch/?eventID=2017021067
***STAY TUNED FOR QUICK-RESPONSE LETTERS***
We need to highlight every missed vote and absence from a hearing. Basically, we want his constituents to know that he’s not showing up for work. Where will those letters be sent? To local papers. We’ll need to act quickly when he misses critical votes in Olympia so keep an eye out.
***LOCAL EVENTS***
Pantsuit Bellingham plans to hold one or more actions to highlight that Doug Ericksen isn’t showing up for work. Where will those be held? Here, in his district. His voters need to know he works for them and he’s just not showing up for work.
Many have asked about events elsewhere, to put pressure on the state or visit his office. Pantsuit Bellingham recommends you put your energy here, in his district, talking to his voters, letting everyone in the 42nd know that Doug just isn’t showing up for work.