State Sen. Pam Roach goes overboard

HOW do you solve a problem like Pamela? Whenever there is a political storm in Olympia, Sen. Pam Roach of Auburn is often nearby — sometimes in the center of the squall

The Senate Republican Caucus banned Roach for at least one year from the caucus room, where colleagues discuss legislation and strategy. She is also prohibited from dealing directly with caucus staff or counsel.

The punishment sounds harsh if one only considers each incident by itself, but senators have been dealing with Roach's temper for more than a decade and understandably have had enough.

Roach has battled fellow senators for years — some of it spirited, passionate or just plain loud. The far larger transgression is humiliating and berating staff.

The declining number of Republican lawmakers makes it all the more eye-popping for a group with a small presence to limit the power of a representative.

Years ago, she threw a hissy fit when someone moved flowers from her Senate desk. The event was carried on legislative TV. Roach Unplugged.

During a Times editorial endorsement interview years ago, Roach flashed a derogatory newspaper headline about her King County Council opponent, Julia Patterson, every time Patterson spoke.

The latest dust-up centers on Roach's treatment of a Senate staff attorney, an incident in which she railed at the employee and told him he should be fired. An internal investigation found the senator engaged in a personal and demeaning attack, creating a hostile work environment.

Roach is a one-of-a-kind, colorful member of the Senate. She is still allowed to vote in the Senate but certain privileges are curtailed. The longtime legislator has been warned several times for mistreating staff. It's something she needs to work on.

Republicans have a right to discipline one of their own. The caucus has to work together to help the state dig out of a nasty budget mess. If Republicans can do that better with Roach in legislative time out, so be it.