By Cindy Alia 12/1/21
By now you have probably heard in the news about unvaccinated Representatives and Constituents being barred or banned from the capitol which threatens the foundational “separate but equal” concept of our three branches of government through direct representation and through directed citizen involvement in person at the public forum of the capitol. This ban is not law, but has been created as a House Rule by the House Rules Committee. However, in our current governmental 21 month emergency declarative state little notice is paid attention to the differences between law and policy.
Those on the House Rules Committee who voted for this policy must be named and rebuked - four House Democrats – Jinkins of Tacoma, Majority Leader Pat Sullivan, Lillian Ortiz-Self of the 21st District and Majority Floor Leader Monica Jurado Stonier of the 49th District. These representatives have ignored and probably forgotten the constitution's Article 1, Section 1: POLITICAL POWER. All political power is inherent in the people, and governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed, and are established to protect and maintain individual rights.
Representatives J.T. Wilcox, Joel Kretz, and Paul Harris all voted against the policy.
This move attempts to create a special class of citizens who will have better access and more direct involvement in lawmaking than do others, diminishing the inherent political power of some, while enhancing that of others. This is constitutionally forbidden by the Washington State Constitution: Article 1, Section 8: IRREVOCABLE PRIVILEGE, FRANCHISE OR IMMUNITY PROHIBITED. No law granting irrevocably any privilege, franchise or immunity, shall be passed by the legislature. While house rules are not considered law, if they become law through a partisan vote of the legislature and are not revocable during session, then it is prohibited action.
Aside from the ignoring of and careless disregard of Section 1 and Section 8 of the Washington State Constitution, Declaration of Rights, several other laws have been disregarded. These Representatives, in recognition of the unlawful and disrespectful treatment of Representatives and Constituents have filed suit for injunction against the Rules Committee's plan and policy - Rob Chase, Jennifer Graham, Bob McCaslin, Robert Sutherland, Jim Walsh, and Jesse Young. They have been joined by Constituents.
You can read the legal filing by clicking here it is well written and inclusive of laws broken under the causes of action sections, of which there are seven.
We at CAPR are grateful for the filing and to the Representatives and Constituents (plaintiffs), and should join them in their efforts by calling our own Representatives and complaining about the illegal behavior of their fellow representatives. You can find your district and representative along with contact information at this link Power being inherent in the people requires an exercise of that power.
December 1, 2021