The Columbian | Serving Clark County, Washington

The Columbian is often accused of being a “liberal rag” by the conservatives, which the Clark County Democrats find baffling when The Columbian continues to print columns by conservative columnist Ann Donnelly while offering no alternative view as a counterpoint. Thanks to Donnelly’s latest piece of fiction, I am writing to clear up some of the so-called facts.

First of all, the Clark County Democrats will not be holding precinct caucuses in February. In the past, we have held precinct caucuses in February at joint locations with the Republicans. However, this year, the decision to forego precinct caucuses was made by the Washington State Democratic Central Committee. As a result, the Clark County Democrats will not hold precinct caucuses in February. The Clark County Democrats will hold legislative district caucuses and the county convention on April 10, 2010 and strongly encourage participation by Clark County Democrats.

Stick to what you know

Second, it is very disingenuous for Ann Donnelly to say that Barack Obama supporters caused the same kind of havoc at the Democratic Party convention that the Ron Paul supporters caused at the Republican Party convention. Despite a turnout of 2,000 people, neither Ann Donnelly nor a single reporter from The Columbian attended the Clark County Democratic Party county convention in 2008. So what Donnelly prints in The Columbian as hearsay is nothing more than that. The Obama supporters had larger numbers than the Clinton supporters, but the convention was orderly and no disruptive behavior occurred.

Perhaps in the future, Donnelly could stick to writing about Republican Party functions and events that she is familiar with and stop inventing information and speculating about Democratic Party functions and events. If The Columbian chooses to continue printing Donnelly’s columns, then to be fair, perhaps The Columbian could find a local writer to offer an alternative viewpoint.

We have important elections coming up in 2010 and it does not serve The Columbian’s readership, the general public, or the integrity of the elections process to cause mass confusion about the process by printing inaccurate information. Members of the Clark County Democrats and Clark County Republicans met with the publisher and editors of The Columbian back in November 2009. It was a cordial meeting in which both parties tried to impress upon The Columbian how crucial it is for the paper to provide accurate information so that the public can be informed and fully participate in the political process. Yet, right out of the gate, The Columbian lets Ann Donnelly throw a wrench into the system. Unfortunately, it seems as though not much has changed and our pleas for truth and fairness have fallen on deaf ears.

Dena Horton is chair of the Clark County Democratic Central Committee. (http://www.bluedonkeys.com.)

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