Michelle Caldier launched her political career with dirty campaign tricks that diminished the value of political discourse and added greatly to voter mistrust in the political process.
She was elected based on a maliciously misleading attack on Larry Seaquist, resulting in a years-long libel suit.
Seaquist was the incumbent and remains one of the most highly regarded Democratic leaders in the State. After a joint meeting, he took a photo of her automatic hardtop convertible car, thinking it looked cool. Caldier is hardly seen in the photo and is completely unrecognizable. (It was taken from behind the car, as the roof retracted.) She accused him of stalking her and other completely made-up nonsense. She put out crudely photoshopped mailers, basing her campaign on slander and false innuendo. The judge in the libel suit acknowledged that her actions were “unquestionably misleading and ignoble.” The case was dismissed because the judge concluded that this kind of misleading info is sadly de rigueur in politics.
This prompts our response – just because you can – doesn’t mean you should! In the 26th District we feel there are enough issues to debate without sinking to devious tricks, deliberately fake personal attacks and mudslinging.
https://www.thenewstribune.com/opinion/article236787158.html
This is what the Legislative Code (RCW) has to say about political discourse:
(5) “The legislature finds that defamatory statements, made with actual malice, damage the integrity of elections by distorting the electoral process. Democracy is premised on an informed electorate. To the extent such defamatory statements misinform the voters, they interfere with the process upon which democracy is based. Such defamatory statements also lower the quality of campaign discourse and debate, and lead or add to voter alienation by fostering voter cynicism and distrust of the political process."
https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=42.17A.335
Michelle Caldier's Record:
https://app.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/ WA
'Shine a Light on the Right' focuses on the records and activities of our statehouse reps to help voters in Washington State's 26th Legislative District make informed choices and impart reliable information with fellow voters who share our progressive values. Our goal is to keep you informed, incensed, and inspired to action!