Winco Lawfare Continues - Vote NO on Charter Amendments 17 & 18
Sep 20, 2024 7:53 pm
VOTE NO on Kimsey's Charter Amendments #17 & #18
Ballots will be sent out next month...
#17 Redistricting: Every ten years, after the census, districts for Clark County Council are redrawn. As you probably know, redrawing districts can be abused to change political outcomes and is something that both parties can exploit. This amendment would shift the current bipartisan process for redrawing Clark County Council districts, allowing the Council's majority party to select the Redistricting Committee. It grants significant power to an unelected bureaucrat, the so-called "redistricting master," a county GIS employee no less, to create new districts. The proposed amendment from Kimsey would change the current system, any changes would require a supermajority vote, making it difficult for the actual committee to alter the proposed districts. If passed, this would further centralize most of the power in one person, reducing the committee's role in the process. Although labeled as "non-partisan," the amendment will most certainly increase gerrymandering by the Council’s majority party. The current process ensures bipartisan representation, but the proposed changes would give more control to County employees and the majority party, likely leading to political manipulation disguised as nonpartisan reform.
Even worse, if passed, the amendment would enable a handful of County officials to create potentially biased legal opinions and financial projections required on petitions and ballots.
THIS IS A BACKDOOR APPROACH TO ABRIDGE OUR RIGHTS TO PETITION CHANGE IN OUR GOVERNMENT.
If approved, this will undoubtedly result in only county-approved initiatives having a chance of success—effectively silencing grassroots efforts and restricting the people's right to petition and self-govern.
WINCO CONTINUES LAWFARE TO STOP SIGNATURE GATHERING IN CLARK COUNTY - SUPPORT MY FIGHT
On Wednesday, September 18, 2024, the trial date was set for the lawsuit Winco Foods has filed against me. Despite knowing that I never directed anyone to gather signatures at their stores—and in fact, actively discouraged it—Winco is determined to take this case to trial so that they can reshape the policing policies here in Clark County, HINDERING FUTURE SIGNATURE GATHERING.
WATCH this video update here...
I want to express my gratitude for all your support during this time. Many of you have shared with me that you no longer want to shop at Winco because of the way they're handling this. This frivolous lawsuit is expected to cost me thousands of dollars in legal expenses, so any help you can offer would be greatly appreciated.
WINCO LAWFARE TIMELINE
- April 10, 2024: Winco Foods served me with a lawsuit, TRO, and Preliminary Injunction.
- April 10, 2024: I contacted Winco’s lawyer immediately to inform them of the misunderstanding, explaining that I have never gathered signatures at Winco stores or directed others to do so. In fact, I have encouraged volunteers not to target Winco.
- April 19, 2024: Judge Vanderwood granted a Preliminary Injunction, barring me and anyone on behalf of the REC Initiative from collecting signatures at the Brush Prairie Winco location.
- May 17, 2024: Winco’s attorney emailed me stating he would send documents regarding an agreement to avoid trial. However, I never received these documents, nor did I get a response when I followed up.
- August 23, 2024: While I was waiting for my Ethics Commission appeal case, the judge called my name for the Winco case. Winco's attorney, who had failed to file the required Status Report, told the judge that Winco wanted a trial and claimed I was unwilling to agree. This was a complete surprise to me. I informed the judge of the situation, and the Scheduling Conference was postponed to September 18.
- September 18, 2024: Judge Vanderwood set the trial to begin on April 21, 2025.
This has been a challenging journey, but your continued support keeps me going. Thank you for standing with me as we fight this unjust lawsuit.
Please Help Me Pushback Against Corporate Lawfare & Other Legal Efforts
COMING SOON: Judge Vanderwood Grills County Lawyer Over The Lack Of Due Process From Ethics Commission
ICYMI: Winco's Lawfare Against Me Could Cost $50,000
Since my last update, I’ve connected with an excellent lawyer currently handling another case involving Winco Foods. He’s willing to take on my case but requires a $50,000 advance. This attorney is the same one that recently filed lawsuits against King County regarding the Land Commissioners recount. I know that’s a significant amount of money—much more than I have—but it’s reasonable for a case like this, which will likely go to trial. Winco Foods seems determined to drag this into court, despite earlier indications from their attorney that we were close to an amicable resolution.
I’m reaching out to you—many of whom stood with me during the Mini-Initiative to stop unconstitutional mandates and the Restore Election Confidence here in Clark County—because I need your help.
I don’t have anywhere near $50,000. But if Winco succeeds, they will use this judgment to push for changes in policing policies in Clark County or even statewide, potentially restricting signature gathering at all Winco stores and possibly other grocery stores. This would be a major hurdle for future initiative efforts, a constitutionally protected right in Washington State.
Please give it to my legal fund, or if you know of any resources or organizations that might assist, I believe Winco Foods is trying to exploit my lack of resources to secure a judgment entirely in their favor.
Please Help Me Pushback Against Corporate Lawfare & Other Legal Efforts
Here are the facts:
- I never directed volunteers to gather signatures at Winco stores; instead, I encouraged them to focus on other locations like Fred Meyer and Walmart, etc.
- A volunteer, not knowing concerns about signature gathering at Winco, set up at the Brush Prairie Winco 3-4 times, but only briefly. Deputies who responded found that the gatherer wasn’t blocking entrances or causing disruption in any manner.
- Only because my name is on the Petition as the sponsor, Winco Foods served me with a Temporary Restraining Order, Preliminary Injunction, and lawsuit, making numerous false accusations and statements.
- Upon receiving the lawsuit, I immediately contacted the Winco attorney, explaining there must be a misunderstanding since I never encouraged volunteers to set up at Winco. I even reminded volunteers to stay away from Winco stores. Given the decentralized nature of our campaign, I wasn’t aware of every individual collecting signatures, some of whom simply mailed in petition sheets out of the blue.
- Throughout the summer, the attorney-led me to believe on several occasions that we would most likely reach a mutual agreement. However, after mentioning in May that he was preparing documents, he became unresponsive.
- Last Friday, while waiting for the Ethics Complaint appeal before Judge Vanderwood, I was surprised when the judge called the "Winco v. Robert Anderson" case, something that God ordained to put me in the right spot at the right time. Even more surprising was that Winco’s attorney was in court, claiming that I was unwilling to settle and that Winco was preparing to go to trial.
This is a spiritual battle, and I have no doubt this attack is not from flesh and blood but from spiritual forces that mean to harm to me for their advantage.
Please contact me immediately with support, prayers, and thoughts on additional resources so I can fight this corporate attack and possibly prevent signature gathering from being negatively impacted here in Clark County.
