Framing Republicans in King County

In an attempt to create confusion and distrust in local elections, some lightweight political terrorist is trying to frame Republicans for interference with voting.

The alleged interference is in the form of signs telling voters that balloting ballot drop stations are "under surveillance."  The sign has a scannable QR link to the King County Republicans website.

The presence of the link should dissuade anyone from believing the Republicans are behind this.  Why would the culprit be so bold?  Anyway, when you go to the website, there is only the standard party organization stuff and nothing about balloting control.  Local media reporting the story put their bias on display by assuming the Republicans actually are behind this.

It's an obvious false flag operation.  You must wonder if anyone will fall for it.

In fact, this might be a crime.  Because there is actual voter intimidation going on, whoever posted the signs may face criminal prosecution.  But you can be sure the Republican Party had nothing to do with it.

King County Elections asked the Sheriff to investigate.  

(Chronical)

State of the income tax challenge

Last year, the State Legislature enacted a 7% tax on gains from the sale of stocks, bonds, businesses and other investments, if the net income  exceeded $250,000.  The Legislature, and present State Attorney General Bob Ferguson, claim that makes the tax  a sales tax.

Opponents of the new tax say a capital gains tax is an income tax.  The case is being handled by former State Attorney General Rob McKenna.

In march, the Douglas County Superior Court struck down the new tax.

The state appealed the decision. On Wednesday, the State Supreme Court agreed to hear the case directly, bypassing the State Appeals Court system.  The action is titled  Quinn v. State of Washington.

The 14th Amendment of the state's constitution states all taxes in the state must be "uniform upon the same class of property." Property is defined as "everything, whether tangible or intangible, subject to ownership."

(Freedom Foundation)

Gun Control - The Ten Round Limit & Supreme Court Rulings.

In a case that may have bearing on on Washington state citizens (see WA Senate Bill 5078), the Supreme Court of the United States issued orders in two other cases. ANJRPC v. Bruck and Duncan v. Bonta, challenge New Jersey and California laws that ban magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds of ammunition.  The National Rifle Association's Institute for Legislative Action brought both actions.

The Third and Ninth Circuits, over dissents, had upheld the bans by balancing the state governments’ safety interests with the restriction on the right to keep and bear arms. Then both cases were appealed to the Supreme Court. 

On June 30th, SCOTUS vacated and remanded both cases back to the lower courts to rehear them and to apply the text-and-history test that it adopted in Bruen—not the interest-balancing tests that the courts applied previously. This is a good result that effectively gives us a second and better shot at winning the cases.  (SCOTUS summary disposition - pdf)