Brad Klippert Communicates to Constituents on Why He Opposes Gun Control Legislation

Personally, I support each of the bills Klippert Opposes. Still, it's important to know why Klippert opposes them, and why it's very probable that a majority of our district's voters will agree with him, because Klippert will very likely run against Rep. Dan Newhouse in the 2022 Primary. So, here he is, followed by how the Tri-City Herald sees Bradley A Klippert, Republican, Representative, 8th LD.

Rep. Bradley A Klippert, School Resource Officer

I want to thank everyone who continues to contact my office with your frustrations, concerns, and questions about the policies moving through the Legislature threatening your Second Amendment rights.

Senate Bill 5078 – known as the high-capacity magazine ban – would limit the number of rounds in a firearm magazine. The majority party has tried to implement this ban several times and has failed each time. Right now, this policy is moving through the Legislative process. It passed the Senate chamber on a party-line vote, and the House Civil Rights and Judiciary Committee also along party lines. I, along with my Republican colleagues, are ready for a significant fight and debate on the House floor should this bill come before the full chamber in the coming week.

House Bill 1705 would ban so-called “ghost guns.” Many politicians believe because of these firearms' inability to be traced entirely, they should be banned from existence. Unfortunately, they fail to recognize that “ghost guns” obtained by law enforcement officers at crime scenes are more than likely firearms that a criminal has etched off and removed the serial number. All this bill would do is empower criminals and those who do not care about the law and make criminals out of law-abiding citizens who enjoy putting together their own firearms, many of whom are former military personnel or retired law enforcement professionals. This bill passed the House chamber on a party-line vote, and the Senate Committee on Law and Justice also along party lines. This bill should advance to the full Senate chamber in the coming week.

House Bill 1630 would establish restrictions on carrying and possessing firearms and other weapons in areas used in connection with meetings of local governments, school district board meetings, and certain election-related facilities. This bill is not about public safety and making communities safer. I believe this will create horrible unintended consequences. This bill passed the House chamber on a party-line vote and the Senate Committee on Law and Justice also along party lines. This bill should advance to the full Senate chamber in the coming week.

With violent crime on the rise and the push for early release of violent criminals out of prison, we should not be taking away the constitutionally protected rights of law-abiding citizens! I am adamantly opposed to any legislation limiting your ability to defend yourself, your family, neighbors, community, or business.

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The Tri-City Herald interviewed Klippert when he was a candidate for the 2020 State Election. To say the Editorial Board found him wanting is an understatement. They endorsed his opponent. Klippert won anyway, by about the same margin as Donald trump won in this disturbingly conservative district.

Klippert, who has served six terms, is an ultra-conservative who once co-sponsored a bill to divide Washington into two states — a harebrained scheme that cannot help our agricultural community. He lacks influence in the Legislature. After serving that long in Olympia, he should hold a position of power, but he does not.

And right now, with the COVID-19 pandemic, his views on this deadly disease are downright dangerous. Klippert disagrees with the governor’s handling of the coronavirus, and recently led a worship protest where attendees did not always wear masks or socially distance from one another. The U.S. Constitution allows for freedom of religion and a virus doesn’t stop that right, he said. His stance is alarming. Lawmakers who don’t believe the citizens of Washington are in an emergency of incalculable danger from COVID-19 are, themselves, a danger to us all. And Klippert is such a lawmaker.

He insists the number of cases of COVID-19 in Washington state don’t qualify as an emergency. Klippert does not seem to understand that our infection rate is where it’s at because of the governor’s restrictions. Without them, the numbers — and deaths — surely would be much higher. Klippert, who says he is the only school resource officer serving in the Legislature, has not evolved his focus in Olympia beyond law-enforcement related topics during his tenure.

Tech Day for Socially [Media] Challenged

Tech Day at the Richland Library

Last Sunday dawned bright and sunny and instead of taking a walk in the park, I headed over to the Richland Library for a “Tech Day” designed to help bring the IT-challenged into the age of social media mania. The BCDCC Communications Committee organized the event; DeNomy Dage, Kendall Miller, Micki McKinley, Bonnie, Andy, Jenni, Jessica, Heidi, plus assorted volunteers. We are gratful to them all.

The exercise was meant to help the “resistance” use the power of social media to concentrate forces, and aid in focusing issue activism. Of particular importance was teaching trainees how to set up a Facebook account and follow event planning on sites such as:
Democrats of the Mid-Columbia
Democrats of the 8th Legislative District Washington
Indivisible Washington State 4th Congressional District
Love Not Hate Tri-Cities
March for Science Tri-Cities
Tri-Cities Citizens Climate Lobby

There was also a discussion of how to use Facebook and Twitter to “share” meaningful articles and dialogue, whether in our local Tri-City Herald, in the New York Times, or on the Daily Kos, etc. Any digital site worth reading will provide sharing logos for Facebook and Twitter, as well as Google+ and email. Click on the logo and the article is shared. Check the very bottom of this post and you’ll find those symbols and a few others.

Jessica Gonzales showing how to use Google Docs, with an assist from Kennedy

Jessica did a presentation on Goggle Docs, showing how to create and share documents, as well as how to create Goggle forms, which is useful for a number of things, including collecting information for volunteer organizations and/or events.

Bonnie Kendall, a recent devotee, did a presentation on Twitter and discussed how simple and straightforward it is to craft a quick, but meaningful 140-character message using hashtags (#) and the ‘at’ [@] symbol to share and direct a ‘tweet.’ She suggested “following” at least 20 people/sites, and “lurking” a bit once a Twitter account is set up in order to learn the ropes. You can start by following Bonnie (@BonnieKendall6).

After the presentations and general discussion, help stations were set up, with Mickey McKinley pushing tables all over the room, and one-on-one help was provided to those seeking additional instruction.

It was a great occasion. We should do it again.

Ann Fraser trying to talk her dad, Steve into actually using the Facebook account he set up.

Larry Haler Coffee, January 2, is Postponed

The coffee with our 8th LD Representative originally scheduled for today has been postponed to later in January. As soon as we have a new date and time, we will post it here.

Larry Haler Coffee, January 2

Representative Larry Haler will be having a local event on Monday, January 2, to discuss the upcoming legislative session. It runs from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at his Richland district office located in the CSA Building, 719 Jadwin Ave. Let’s show him that his constituents are not all happy with the bills he is sponsoring.

Homework for those attending Larry’s public coffee discussion is to read up on the bills that have been pre-filed for the next session sponsored by Larry. See bills 1003, 1005, 1011, 1012, 1017, and 1033. Link to the pre-filed bills.

In Case You Missed It

The 2016 Election results are in. Benton County voters went in a big way for Donald Trump, favoring a man his own Republican Party stalwarts called unqualified and unfit to be President, by 59% to 33% over Hillary Clinton.

Among 3rd party candidates, Gary 'What's an Aleppo' Johnson garnered 6% of the vote, cast by republicans who just couldn't bring themselves to vote for a lying, cheating, confidence man.

Senator Patty Murray, a long-time friend of our region, lost in our county to Chris Vance, former Chair of the Washington State Republican Party, and one of the few republican candidates with the courage to refuse to endorse Trump. Murray won statewide, of course.

Incumbent Dan Newhouse edged out Superbowl Ring Wearer, Clint Didier, 54% to 46%, leaving Didier to ponder his next elective office run.

Governor Jay Inslee was soundly defeated in Benton County by Bill Bryant, 62% to 38%. Inslee won statewide, leaving county republicans once again calling for secession from the liberal-left West.

One surprise was incumbent AG Bob Ferguson winning the vote in Benton County, 55% to 45%, over little-known Libertarian candidate Joshua B Trumbell, who stressed his experience working in his father's auto body shop.

Rebecca Francik and Gary Downing both lost their races for 16th LD seats 1 and 2, respectively, by similar 40+% margins. They worked exceptionally hard in their campaigns, and we owe them a debt of gratitude for running.