Lawyers' new goal: Defeat I-330

Trial lawyers and their allies have abandoned, at least financially, their own medical-malpractice ballot initiative and instead are focused on killing a competing measure sponsored by doctors.

Earlier this month, the campaign for the lawyer-backed Initiative 336 transferred $600,000 — nearly all of its remaining cash — to the No on Initiative 330 campaign.

"The most important thing is to defeat I-330," said Barbara Flye, chairwoman of the No on I-330 committee.

But Tom Curry, executive director of the Washington State Medical Association, said the transfer "proves the truth of our assertion all along that I-336 was really just a ruse to confuse voters."

Backed primarily by doctors, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies and the insurance industry, I-330 would sharply limit what injured patients and their attorneys could collect in medical-malpractice cases.

The lawyer-sponsored I-336, on the other hand, would not limit jury awards and instead is aimed at cracking down on negligent doctors.

Dylan Malone, spokesman for the I-336 campaign, said he wasn't thrilled about giving up the $600,000. Malone's son, Ian, died last year at age 4 from injuries suffered during a botched delivery. But he said it was necessary to help the No on I-330 campaign in what has become the most expensive initiative battle in state history.

Even with the extra cash, however, the No on I-330 campaign will likely be outspent. As of last week, trial lawyers had poured about $5 million into the effort to defeat I-330. Doctors and their allies, meanwhile, had raised more than $7 million.

GOP faction fights 912

Mainstream Republicans of Washington plans to send a mailing this week opposing Initiative 912 to 215,000 households across the state.

I-912 would repeal a 9.5-cent gas tax passed by the Legislature in April. Mainstream Republicans is spending about $85,000 on the mailing, according to Alex Hays, the group's executive director.

The flier has a message from Sid Morrison urging a "no" vote on the initiative. Morrison is a former 4th District Republican congressman and former state transportation secretary.

The state Republican Party has endorsed I-912.

Morrison is chairman of the Mainstream Republicans executive committee. Other members include state Reps. Rodney Tom, R-Bellevue, and Fred Jarrett, R-Mercer Island. Both voted for the gas-tax package.

Candidate camera

Should King County Executive Ron Sims stop going to campaign events in a county-owned Lincoln Town Car driven by a bodyguard from the Sheriff's Office?

The King County Republican Party thinks so. The party said it will file a complaint today with the state Public Disclosure Commission and the county Board of Ethics, alleging Sims is improperly using public property for campaigning.

The Republican candidate, County Councilman David Irons, drew the issue to the party's attention last week after he saw the car and the sheriff's deputy who drives it at several campaign events and took a photo of the car with his cellphone camera.

Sheriff's spokesman Sgt. John Urquhart said Sims is following the advice of the Sheriff's Office in traveling with a deputy in a car equipped with a police radio. "He is the county executive 24 hours a day, and we have security concerns 24 hours a day," Urquhart said, "so it really doesn't matter if it's a campaign appearance or an official executive appearance or, at times, a social appearance."

Where's Greg?

Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels on Friday skipped one of his final chances to debate challenger Al Runte — even though the event was just an elevator ride away.

Nickels declined to participate in the Seattle Channel debate, taped Friday morning in the basement of City Hall. The television show was moderated by C.R. Douglas, whose aggressive interrogations on the public-affairs program "City Inside/Out" have dispelled any notion the municipal cable channel would go easy on the elected officials who control its budget. (Sample question to City Council President Jan Drago, a 12-year incumbent: "Isn't it time for you to step aside?")

Because of Nickels' absence, Runte got a 15-minute segment to himself, but he didn't get off easy. Douglas repeatedly challenged Runte's sometimes shaky grasp of city issues. "It was a tough interview," Runte said. "I felt he was taking the mayor's side."

Viet Shelton, Nickels' campaign manager, said that although Nickels often appears on the Seattle Channel throughout the year, the debate was different because of its explicit connection to his re-election campaign. "He was a little uncomfortable using the Seattle Channel as a campaign platform," Shelton said.

Nickels has appeared with Runte at several forums, including at least one taped by the Seattle Channel. But Shelton said those were organized by community groups, not the channel staff. Nickels also has skipped several forums, and Runte said he feels as though he hasn't been given a single real debate.

The Runte segment will air several times on the Seattle Channel, channel 21, this week: today at 9 a.m.; Tuesday at noon.; Wednesday at 9 a.m. and 8:10 p.m.; Thursday at 5:18 a.m.; and Saturday at 12:30 p.m. It can also be viewed online at:

http://www2.seattlechannel.org/media/videoList.asp?ID=17

Election 2005 Notebook appears Mondays. Today's was written by Seattle Times staff reporters Ralph Thomas, Andrew Garber, Keith Ervin, Jim Brunner and Bob Young. Young: 206-464-2174 or byoung@seattletimes.com.