Thurs, May 2, 2024

To: Our thousands of supporters throughout the state
(cc’d to the media, house & senate members, and Governor, and other candidates for office)

From: Tim Eyman
Fighting for Taxpayers for 27 years

Two weeks ago, I sent out a lengthy explanation of how much Bob Ferguson hates the initiative process.

I also reported on all the things he’s done over the years to try to sabotage initiatives he doesn’t like. 

You can read it again here: Would Bob Ferguson violate the law to sabotage Jim Walsh’s initiatives? Of course he would.

The feedback I received was that I “over-explained” it. 

Folks lost sight of the forest because I was too busy identifying each individual tree.

So let’s try this again:

* For decades, the Democrats have hated the initiative process because voters consistently vote in favor of our tax-limiting initiatives.

* For decades, the Democrats have tried to pass bills that would have made the initiative process even more difficult (bills always backed by Ferguson) — working together, we’ve largely beaten back their anti-initiative bills.

* In 2018, the Democrats tried to sabotage an initiative. Thanks to my lawsuit (Eyman v Wyman), superstar attorney Joel Ard convinced all 9 judges on the state supreme court to “undue” the sabotage.

* In 2021, the Democrats passed into law Inslee’s capital gains income tax.

* The Democrats obviously knew that I or someone else would sponsor a “repeal the capital gains tax” initiative

* So in 2022, the Democrats passed a new law that sabotages all future tax cutting initiatives.

How?

By empowering the Attorney General to insert a “sabotage sentence” into the ballot title for any tax initiative.

The AG has to do this by July 23.

Here’s how bad it’ll be:

* INITIATIVE 2109 — Jim Walsh’s “Repeal Inslee’s Cap Gains Tax Initiative” ballot title currently reads:

This measure would repeal an excise tax imposed on the sale or exchange of certain long-term capital assets by individuals who have annual capital gains of over $250,000. Should this measure be enacted into law? Yes [ ] No [ ]

But that law the Democrats passed in 2022 empowers the AG to insert this “sabotage sentence” into it:

This measure would repeal an excise tax imposed on the sale or exchange of certain long-term capital assets by individuals who have annual capital gains of over $250,000. This measure would decrease funding for early learning, child care, and school construction. Should this measure be enacted into law? Yes [ ] No [ ]

You might as well say it’ll murder little kittens too. 

* INITIATIVE 2117 — Jim Walsh’s “Repeal Inslee’s Cap & Trade Initiative” ballot title currently reads:

Initiative Measure No. 2117 concerns carbon tax credit trading. This measure would prohibit state agencies from imposing any type of carbon tax credit trading, and repeal legislation establishing a cap and invest program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

But the AG is itchin’ to insert this “sabotage sentence” into it:

This measure would repeal an excise tax imposed on the sale or exchange of certain long-term capital assets by individuals who have annual capital gains of over $250,000. This measure would decrease funding for climate change mitigation, transportation, and education. Should this measure be enacted into law? Yes [ ] No [ ]

You might as well say it’ll destroy the planet.

* INITIATIVE 2124 — Jim Walsh’s “Allow Workers to Opt-Out of Inslee’s Long Term Insurance Initiative” ballot title currently reads:

This measure would provide that employees and self-employed people must elect to keep coverage under RCW 50B.04 and could opt-out any time. It would also repeal a law governing an exemption for employees. 

But the AG desperately wants to undermine it by inserting this “sabotage sentence” into it:

This measure would provide that employees and self-employed people must elect to keep coverage under RCW 50B.04 and could opt-out any time. It would also repeal a law governing an exemption for employees. This measure would decrease funding for long term medical, dental, and mental care for senior citizens. Should this measure be enacted into law? Yes [ ] No [ ]

Gimmee a break!

There’s already been polling with and without the “sabotage sentence” in the ballot titles. 

Not surprisingly, public support drops by 10 points when the AG inserts the “sabotage sentence” into the initiatives’ ballot titles.

I believe the law the Democrats passed in 2022 is clearly unconstitutional.

As the ACLU wrote: “We are opposed to the interjection of government sponsored speech on one side or the other of a political debate. Here, the primary purpose of placing this ‘information’ on the ballot is to sway voters into voting against the initiative. This goes beyond mere provision of information, and is designed to sway voters. The State should not use its power to tilt the electoral playing field. Proponents, opponents, and the media already do an active job of informing voters; there is no need for the State to provide an ‘official’ version of that in a prominent place on the ballot, where no other statements for or against are allowed.”

The only way someone can challenge this law in court is if they have “standing.”  

And as far as I can tell, the only ones who have standing are Jim Walsh and the good folks at Let’s Go Washington.

I urge you to urge them to challenge this horribly destructive law.

And I urge you to recommend, as I do, superstar attorney Joel Ard to handle it.

He’s absolutely brilliant.

I’ll continue to keep you updated on this.

Is it any wonder why Bully Bob Ferguson is trying so hard to impose a lifetime ban on all my future political activity?

I urge you to help me fight back against the AG’s abuse of power by donating to the Tim Eyman Legal Defense Fund so that Richard Sanders can get this ridiculously unconstitutional ruling overturned.

Mail your check to:
Tim Eyman Legal Defense Fund
17404 Meridian Ave E #F PMB 176
Puyallup, WA, 98375

Or donate online:
By GiveSendGo (credit/debit card)
By Paypal (donate using PayPal or using a credit/debit card)

With your help, I will keep fighting for the people across our nation with initiatives, lawsuits, lobbying, and helping elect more freedom-loving elected officials.

I love you all.

Onward!

Tim Eyman

You can call or text me anytime: 509-991-5295

You can email me anytime: Tim@TimDefense.com
(I can’t access any of my other email addresses — grrr!)

For more details on this, go to: TimDefense.com