Incumbent Dicks Funding Fuels Challenger Paul Richmond's Donations

Written by: Paul Richmond on Jun 27, 2008 12:28 AM EDT

In the aftermath of some particularly egregious votes by incumbent Norm Dicks, nets roots activists have begun giving large numbers of small contributions to his Primary Opponent, Paul Richmond, a Democrat.  In the past few hours Paul Richmond has received more than 450 contributions from the Democrats based website Act Blue.  www.actblue.com/page/bushdemocrats  This funding is a result of Dick’s recent votes.

Dicks recently broke with the majority of Democrats and voted to grant retroactive immunity to those telecoms that took part in warrantless surveillance of U.S. Citizens.  While some such as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called this a “compromise,” others such as Senator Russ Feingold called this a capitulation by fellow Democrats. Dicks had also broken with the majority of Democrats and voted to give the Bush administration an additional $165 billion to continue the war and occupation of Iraq with no provisions for an exit.   

Richmond is a lawyer, media, producer and community activist with a two decade history of fighting to preserve Constitutional Rights.  Richmond entered into the race out of a concern for what was being done to the Constitution. 

“This isn’t the first time the incumbent has voted against our most basic liberties,” said Richmond.  “He supported the Patriot Act which attacks rights to legal process under the 4th, 5th, and 6th Amendments; handed over Congressional power and allowed the President to start an illegal war; voted for the Defense Authorization Act that allows the military to be used against citizens for the first time in 130 years; and co-sponsored the Homegrown Terrorism Act which will study which “ideologies” ought to be illegal.”

“Voting against the Constitution in the name of National Security has become the Norm for this incumbent,” said Richmond.  “Obviously there are many people who are tired of this Norm.”

New York Times, June 20, 2008., Eric Lichtblau, Deal Reached in Congress to Rewrite Rules on Wiretapping, http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/20/washington/20fisacnd.html?_r=3&hp&oref=slogin&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

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