REDMOND, WA – Today, Let’s Go Washington (LGW) received word that Invest in Washington Now, Northwest Progressive Institute, SEIU, and the WEA are making wild and ridiculous claims about the sign in process. It’s clear that LGW’s many detractors will do whatever they can to try to distract from the train wreck that is the income tax bill and take whatever action necessary to suppress the voices of those who disagree with them.
These organizations regularly send communications regarding bills for which they want their supporters to voice support or opposition for. The portal is government owned and operated and provides a platform for citizens across the state who cannot attend hearings in person.
In response to their allegations, Let’s Go Washington founder, Brian Heywood, issued the following statement:
“Even with their wildest claims, this is still the most unpopular bill in history. These attempts to minimize the concerns of voters don’t change the outcome, it just emphasizes how desperate they are to downplay the clear and historic rejection. The legislature set up this process for people to make their voices heard. Encouraging voters to communicate with their lawmakers is one of the most meaningful activities people can engage with in a representative government.
NPI, WEA, and SEIU aren’t defending democracy, they’re attacking the process because they don’t like the result. Instead of resorting to procedural complaints and innuendo, they should acknowledge the obvious: this is the most unpopular bill our state has ever seen. When will NPI, SEIU, the WEA, and the majority party accept that when it comes to the income tax, no means no.”
The majority party and their affiliated PACs are quick to claim fraud when voters voice an opinion that is in opposition to their own. From questioning the legitimacy of the initiative process to suggesting that those opposed to higher taxes are bots or dishonest actors, they have demonstrated a pattern of dismissing public participation in lawmaking. Their continued fear-based rhetoric and attacks appear aimed at distracting from a simple fact: people do not want an income tax.
Reach out to hherzberg@letsgowa.com for questions to ask the above organizations about how they plan to mount a case without any legally substantiated information.