The Democrat controlled Washington Legislature has been licking their lips over the prospect of drastically raising taxes ever since voters approved Initiative 960 back in 2007. The measure established a 2/3 supermajority vote for the legislature to raise taxes.
Well, in late February, tax-and-spend lawmakers got their wish and voted to suspend the I-960 roadblock, singlehandedly opening the floodgate for recent tax increases. The vote against I-960 was especially important for House Majority Leader Lynn Kessler, who led the recent $680 million tax hike vote in the House. It was so important for her agenda in fact, that she committed voter fraud to help pass it on a narrow 51-47 margin.
Above is a picture of House Majority Leader Kessler voting to suspend I-960. The only problem is she’s voting on behalf of Rep. Jeff Morris, her absent seatmate, after she had already cast her vote. The Evergreen Freedom Foundation, which broke the story, has evidence that this occurred multiple times on the House floor during this and other votes.
These actions are downright fraudulent and an embarrassing display of corrupt governance by lawmakers who evidently feel nothing but contempt for representative democracy. If Washingtonians wanted a pseudo-Kingdom where Rep. Kessler and friends could rule however they saw fit, they wouldn’t have established a legislature in Article 2 of the State Constitution, or the House rules that bar such practice. Further, if Washingtonians wanted what Rep. Kessler must commit voter fraud to achieve (namely at least $680 million in higher taxes), they wouldn’t have approved I-960 requiring the 2/3 supermajority rule for tax hikes in the first place.
In other news, Washington State’s Constitution under Article II, Section 9 also allows the House to expel a member found in contempt for violating the rules – again with a 2/3 vote of the chamber. Maybe Rep. Kessler can lend her skills to lower that standard to a simple majority vote as well. Then they can hold another vote – this time to throw her out.