Allen's Vulcan is becoming major player in Seattle politics | Seattle P-I

[Ediacara]

Friday, August 8, 2003

Allen's Vulcan is becoming major player in Seattle politics

By KATHY MULADY
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER

While all eyes focus on City Council contributions from the owner of a Seattle strip club, other donations connected to issues that might be more controversial, but less sexy, continue to flow to candidates.

Routinely, the biggest donations to City Council candidates come from state employees -- including legislators, policy-makers and friends at City Hall -- and the army of Microsoft Corp. employees who live in the Seattle area.

This year, Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen's development company, Vulcan Northwest, and its associates are emerging as big players in City Council races.

When the latest campaign contribution reports are filed Monday, a few will likely include generous donations -- some estimate a total of $15,000 at least -- from a fund-raiser Vulcan co-sponsored July 29 for incumbents Jim Compton, Margaret Pageler and Heidi Wills.

More at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer

[jono]

1. So what else is new?

:eyes:

Seriously though, it's SORT OF nice to see that the P-I is taking note of the hypocrisy behind the whole strip club thing. But the thing that galls me is that the P-I was a major player in making the strip club fiasco out to be so scandalous in the first place! They trashed Nicastro early, then later admitted that she wasn't the only one to take donations from Colacurcio.

Anyone who would have doubted that Vulcan (and specifically, Allen) were not major players in Seattle-area politics hasn't been paying attention. (Seattle Commons? Charter schools initiative? The lifting of the building height limit in S. Lake Union? Seahawks Stadium?) Seattleites should be more willing to question their influence. The Stranger did a piece about this story this week, too. I guess someone at the P-I reads the weeklies. :)


edited to add Seahawks Stadium. Ugh! :grr: