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gregoirewithcourntney_ap.jpg
Courtney Gregoire, far left, was yesterday appointed to fill a seat on the Port of Seattle Commission. (AP Photo/File)

Just when I thought local government couldn't get any more corrupt

BY Dori Monson  on March 5, 2013 @ 11:03 pm (Updated: 3:57 pm - 3/6/13 )

Dori writes...

Has there ever been a more glaring example locally of cronyism and nepotism?

I've long said there is no more corrupt government agency than the Port of Seattle. From a boozing CEO who charged taxpayers for his drinks, to the outrageous property tax they assess local residents, to the disgraced commissioner who tried to get a $50,000 per year internship for his "friend," to the current effort to increase commissioners' salary a shocking seven-fold - from $6,000 to $42,000 per year.

Amazingly, commissioners voted 3-1 Tuesday night to give themselves that huge raise. It appears heading for passage. Knock me over with a feather.

So what family does this corrupt agency turn to to rehab its image?

The Gregoire family of course.

Along with voting to give themselves the gigantic raise, the Port commissioners also voted Tuesday to appoint Christine Gregoire's 33-year-old daughter Courtney Gregoire to fill their open seat.

Commission President Tom Albro said she stood out for her "strategic understanding of the vision..."Zzzzzzzz...

Five words into his endorsement I got so bored with the politi-speak, I couldn't finish reading the sentence.

I'm sure Gregoire was the best person in the world to land the coveted Port Commission spot. Just as I'm sure that Courtney Gregoire was the best person in the world last October when the outgoing governor named her daughter to the board of trustees for Seattle Community Colleges.

Mommy never worked one day in her adult life in the private sector. At least Courtney Gregoire also works as an attorney for Microsoft. A private sector job. But, like her mom, she is building a career based on cronyism.

Welcome to Washington State - where's there's never enough money and there's never enough jobs.

Unless your mom was governor.

Dori Monson, KIRO Radio Talk Show Host
Dori Monson is host of The Dori Monson Show on KIRO Radio (weekdays Noon-3) and the pre-game and post-game host for the Seattle Seahawks Radio Network. There are three words that Dori thinks best describe him - competitive, competitive and competitive.
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Comments (41)


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  • ron prevost wrote...
    Since when has there ever been a limit on corruption.
    March 6, 2013 5:51 am
    By ANY Government?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Clearwater3 wrote...
    Ron McKenna never has held a private sector job either,,,
    March 6, 2013 6:54 am
    ...but that didn't seem to stop Monson from supporting him. Huh - could it be that he once again demonstrates his partisan hypocrisy? I think it's also interesting that despite how important Monson apparently thinks this outrage is, he couldn't even bother to hear the other side out. Shocking, I know.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Papoon wrote...
    Right Wing Dori
    March 6, 2013 6:58 am
    I agree
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • RareClarity wrote...
    Clearwater3 "...hypocrisy?"
    March 6, 2013 7:54 am
    Of course, there is a limit on hypocrisy. Yes, in the State of Washington, we promote family values but not as much as we promote family members.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Citizen of Krazy Town wrote...
    @clearwater: Except for that decade as an attorney at Perkins Coie
    March 6, 2013 10:51 am
    There I fixed it
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Ricoli wrote...
    To Clearwater3
    March 6, 2013 6:08 pm
    Who is Ron McKenna, you idiot?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • mynorthwester wrote...
    According to Dori
    March 6, 2013 7:06 am
    The only type if corruption comes from the government never the private sector and its also always those corrupt liberals
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • calapete wrote...
    get a life Dory
    March 6, 2013 7:47 am
    what a waste of bandwidth you are.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • mnpat wrote...
    Thanks Dori
    March 6, 2013 7:55 am
    You know your correct when the liberals attack.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Clearwater3 wrote...
    Here is her bio from the US Dept of Commerce, her former employer. Anyone who thinks she is unqualified is an idiot...
    March 6, 2013 8:01 am
    Courtney Gregoire became the Director of the National Export Initiative (NEI) for the International Trade Administration at the United States Department of Commerce on April 26, 2010. As Director of the NEI, Courtney is responsible for leading the International Trade Administration’s implementation of President Obama’s goal to double U.S. exports in the next five years and support two million U.S. jobs here at home. Courtney previously served as the Director of Legislative Affairs for the Department of Commerce. Before joining the Obama administration, she served as Legislative Director and Chief Counsel for United States Senator Maria Cantwell. She previously worked as a policy assistant with the Domestic Policy Council in the Clinton White House. Courtney began her career at K&L Gates, an international law firm, counseling companies on legislative and regulatory matters. Courtney graduated Phi Beta Kappa and magna cm laude from Willamette University and received her law degree from Harvard Law School. Originally from Olympia, Washington, Courtney currently lives in Washington D.C. with her husband Scott Lindsay.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • mynorthwester wrote...
    Haha
    March 6, 2013 8:04 am
    What a shocker that Dori would forget to mention anything about that
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Clearwater3 wrote...
    Why let the truth get in the way of a good story?
    March 6, 2013 8:15 am
    Monson won't say anything that doesn't support his narrow worldview. But lies of omission are still nothing but lies, and the people that perpetuate them are nothing but liars.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Zoeller wrote...
    Clearwater3: You need to change your name to (Sewerwater1)
    March 6, 2013 9:52 am
    Talk about lies and omission’s = "Ron McKenna never has held a private sector job either,,," Really? (After graduating from law school, Rob McKenna worked as an attorney at the law firm of Perkins Coie, one of the 50 largest firms in the country, where he practiced mainly business and regulatory law from June 1988 to January 1996.)
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Clearwater3 wrote...
    Right you are...
    March 6, 2013 10:06 am
    ...my point is that there is NOTHING WRONG with working in government, and there in nothing inherenty superior about working in the private sector.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • SeattleNative wrote...
    What is inherently wrong...
    March 6, 2013 11:34 am
    ...are people who've never worked private sector jobs making regulations that affect the private sector.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • po_guy wrote...
    Why read MOnson
    March 6, 2013 11:04 am
    if you dislike his political views? I detest Burbank and his left-wing daddy on KIRO, so I just refuse to read or listen to their prattle...
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • kato1967 wrote...
    blah blah blah
    March 6, 2013 10:17 am
    She built that resumé on the stregth of her political connections. She is nothing more than a partisan hack who will one day be annointed by King County as the Governor of the State of Washington.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • po_guy wrote...
    She may be qualified on paper,
    March 6, 2013 11:03 am
    but politically she ought to be disqualified, especioally since mommy is involved. 'Nuff said...
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • uralnutjobs wrote...
    she worked for clinton when she was no older than 21?
    March 6, 2013 12:20 pm
    dont think she met her goals under obama's trade comission either.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Moondoggie wrote...
    Yah!!!
    March 6, 2013 8:24 am
    Auntie Maria Cantwell got her a job working on Capitol Hill, and Uncle Obama gave her a job too.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • longwayhome wrote...
    She's not Gov. anymore
    March 6, 2013 8:36 am
    And dorky is still slamming her. I believe the young person in question is well qualified for the job and it's very common for persons in Govt. to help their friends and siblings. True corruption is the question "why is dorky still on the air"?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Moondoggie wrote...
    longwayhome
    March 6, 2013 9:16 am
    "it's very common for persons in Govt. to help their friends and siblings." And that your reason for saying it's OK? Wow! I sure wouldn't want you on my side of an argument.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Jeff Schroeder wrote...
    Po Po Doughy
    March 6, 2013 10:09 am
    The little man is whining again. Wahhhhh wahhhhhhh everyone wants my my guns/my money/my my my me me me me me.....
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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