Rob McKenna

Romney, Santorum, Gingrich, Paul… Who Does Rob McKenna Support?

misty — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 21:50:21 +0000

Back in January, Rob McKenna told King 5’s Robert Mak that he would choose a presidential candidate by the time he attended his local caucus on March 3. Now, he is copping out of making a choice, refusing to tell voters if he supports Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum or any of the other GOP contenders.

The real question is, why would McKenna suddenly change course and refuse to publicly back a candidate?

It’s because the GOP slate is toxic, and he’s more closely aligned to the GOP frontrunners than voters may realize….

McKenna Misuses Office to Advance Discriminatory Views on Marriage Equality

misty — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 19:58:47 +0000

AG’s Proposed Ballot Measure Includes Language Designed to Overturn Marriage Equality Law

Attorney General Rob McKenna released his proposed language for a ballot referendum designed to overturn the state’s newly enacted marriage equality law.

McKenna, a marriage equality opponent, used language that anti-marriage equality forces on the national level have designed and poll-tested to campaign for laws that uphold discrimination against same-sex couples.

“Rob McKenna is misusing his public office to advance his discriminatory views on marriage equality,” said Reesa Kossoff, communications director for the Washington State Democrats. “McKenna has confirmed that he would personally vote to overturn the law – and now is using his role as Attorney General to help take away rights that proponents of equality just won.”

McKenna’s referendum states: “The bill would redefine marriage to allow same-sex couples to marry, apply marriage eligibility requirements without regard to gender, and specify that laws using gender-specific terms like ‘husband’ and ‘wife’ include same-sex spouses.”

The National Organization for Marriage, one of the leading organizations fighting against marriage equality, suggests that a sentence using “redefining marriage” is the single most effective message to use in the fight to preserve discrimination. Nowhere in the text of the marriage equality law does the phrase “redefining marriage” appear.

The many faces of Rob McKenna

misty — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 19:39:04 +0000

Why is McKenna backing out of choosing a Presidential nominee?

misty — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 23:50:17 +0000

Yesterday, the Associated Press reported that Rob McKenna backed out of his previous commitment to make a choice between Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, and the rest of the GOP presidential contenders.

In January, McKenna told King 5’s Robert Mak, “I will attend my local caucus. It is a wonderful tradition, certainly.” He also told King 5 he would “have to [choose a candidate] at that point.”

The real question is, why would McKenna suddenly change course and decide against publicly picking a candidate?

“Rob McKenna knows Romney, Santorum, and the rest of the GOP slate are toxic and completely out of touch with Washington voters,” said Dwight Pelz, chair of the Washington State Democratic Party. “No matter whom he picks, McKenna risks exposing that he’s more in sync with GOP presidential candidates than voters realize.”

On issues like overturning the state’s newly enacted marriage equality law, overturning the Affordable Care Act in its entirety – including preventing insurance companies from denying coverage to people with pre-existing conditions and allowing children up to age 26 to be covered under their parent’s insurance – allegiance to the Tea Party, and scrapping environmental regulations, McKenna is in lockstep with the GOP presidential frontrunners. [See below for background on all of these issues]

Countdown to Rob’s big decision

misty — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 19:23:37 +0000

As Republican presidential contender Rick Santorum descends on Washington State to drum up support for the March 3 caucus, GOP voters must want to know — would back Rick Santorum?

“As aspirant to higher office in Washington State, Rob McKenna surely must have an opinion on who should be at the top of the Republican ticket,” said Reesa Kossoff, communications director for the Washington State Democrats. “With his renewed surge, would they back Rick Santorum if he were the eventual nominee?”

Santorum, a vociferous opponent of marriage equality, is solidifying his Tea Party credentials, visiting Olympia on the same day Washington makes history by signing marriage equality into law. McKenna is an opponent of marriage equality – McKenna has vowed to vote against equal rights for same-sex couples in the likely event the issue hits the ballot this fall.

With the Super Tuesday nominating contests three days later, Washington’s GOP caucuses could have a significant impact on who will be the Republican nominee for president. McKenna told King 5 that he would back a candidate by the time he participates in his local caucus on March 3.

View our countdown clock and take our poll — Who do you think that Rob will support for President?

Countdown to Rob’s Big Decision

misty — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 22:30:53 +0000

With the GOP nominating contest coming to Washington on March 3rd, whom is Rob McKenna going to choose?



Days	Hours	Minutes	Seconds

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Say YES to equality, and NO to Rob McKenna

misty — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 02:54:01 +0000

The State Senate has passed an historic bill bringing marriage equality to our state. The State House is expected to pass the bill too. Sign our petition telling Rob McKenna that you disagree with his discriminatory stance opposing marriage equality.

http://robmckennaforgovernor.com/equality/

Where is Rob McKenna on the Reproductive Party Act?

misty — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 02:46:20 +0000

The Reproductive Parity Act is a piece of legislation introduced in the Legislature that would provide a legal guarantee that all women have access to a full range of reproductive health services. Jay Inslee has come out in favor of it. But where does Rob McKenna stand? Huffington Post took a look on that issue.

Reproductive Parity Act: Washington Considers Groundbreaking Abortion Rights Law
First Posted: 1/13/12 05:02 PM ET Updated: 1/13/12 05:10 PM ET

As state legislatures across the country debate and pass measures designed to roll back women’s abortion rights, lawmakers in Washington state have introduced a rare, groundbreaking reproductive rights bill that would require every insurance policy in the state that covers maternity care to also cover abortions.

Washington already has 14 insurance coverage mandates on the books, including contraception, mammograms, and prostate cancer screenings. It also uses its own Medicaid funding to subsidize abortion care for low-income women. Supporters of the new bill, called the Reproductive Parity Act, said it won’t change much in the state, since it is already very friendly to women’s reproductive rights, but it will protect women from any new barriers to abortion that would be imposed by the Affordable Care Act.

“This bill is about ensuring that all Washington women have health insurance coverage that includes the full range of reproductive health care options, including abortion,” said Rep. Eileen Cody (D), who sponsored the bill. “As we implement the federal health care reform law, we need to ensure that we have no erosion of our existing laws in Washington that protect women’s reproductive rights.”

After his health insurance bill passed, President Barack Obama signed an executive order to ensure that no federal funds could be used for abortion services under the new state health insurance exchanges. The Reproductive Parity Act would be the first law in the nation to ensure that the language of the ACA’s abortion provisions would not affect any woman’s abortion coverage in Washington.

Abortion is already becoming a wedge issue in Washington’s highly competitive gubernatorial race. Rep. Jay Inslee (D-Wash.), who is running for governor and has a strong pro-choice record in Congress, immediately pledged his support for the bill. Republican candidate Rob McKenna, who currently serves as the state’s Attorney General, has avoided taking a stance on the issue.

“Regarding the proposed parity act, I look forward to reading the bill when it becomes available,” he said Wednesday during a Facebook Q&A.

A Washington blogger points out that the text of the bill was already available for McKenna to read.

McKenna’s dodge could help him win over anti-abortion advocates in the state, who strongly oppose the proposed mandate.

“To mandate that we violate our conscience is tyranny,” Dan Kennedy, CEO of Human Life of Washington, told the Seattle Times last week. “There’s no subtle or soft way to put the truth.”

Where is Rob McKenna on the Reproductive Party Act?

misty — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 02:43:25 +0000

Reproductive Parity Act: Washington Considers Groundbreaking Abortion Rights Law

“Regarding the proposed parity act, I look forward to reading the bill when it becomes available,” he said Wednesday during a Facebook Q&A.

A Washington blogger points out that the text of the bill was already available for McKenna to read.

McKenna’s dodge could help him win over anti-abortion advocates in the state, who strongly oppose the proposed mandate.

“To mandate that we violate our conscience is tyranny,” Dan Kennedy, CEO of Human Life of Washington, told the Seattle Times last week. “There’s no subtle or soft way to put the truth.”

Watch our new video “Promises”

misty — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 23:54:21 +0000

$6 billion in unfunded spending promises at a time when we are facing a $2 billion deficit? Rob McKenna may pretend to be a fiscal hawk, but he is not who he says he is. Since June, he has made $6 billion in spending promises without offering a single concrete proposal on how to pay for them.

Our new video, “Promises” calls McKenna out for what he is – a typical politician who makes billions in campaign promises he knows he can’t keep. Watch “Promises” and then spread the word on email, Facebook, and Twitter.

State Legislators are meeting in special session, making painful decisions about how to deal with our state’s $2 billion budget shortfall. Washingtonians deserve someone who will be straight with them about the serious challenges facing our state, not someone who makes billions in unfunded promises just to get elected.

Rob McKenna launched his campaign by saying that we need a leader who “believes in accountability and in balancing budgets, not in making promises which can’t be met or funded when times are tough.”

How quickly he’s changed his tune. When asked by the Seattle Times last month about how he would pay for his campaign promises, McKenna said those questions were”getting ahead of the issue.” Even former Republican Governor Dan Evans told the Seattle PI, “I don’t know if he can do it totally.”

Help us make sure people know the truth about McKenna’s billions in unfunded campaign promises. Share “Promises” with your friends today.

http://www.wa-democrats.org/promises

CITATIONS
[2011-2013 Biennial Budget, fiscal.wa.gov; History of SHB 2776, 2010; Excellent Schools Now; After School Alliance; OSPI; Washington Higher Education Coordinating Board, 6/30/11; Seattle Times, 6/30/11; Washington State Fiscal Information Website, Accessed 11/10/11 ]
[McKenna for Governor, 6/8/11]
[Seattle Times, 11/8/11, SeattlePi.com, 11/8/11]