Hague takes blame for erroneous claim that she has a college degree

King County Councilmember Jane Hague, in the midst of an already troubled re-election campaign, said Friday she takes full responsibility for widely circulated reports that she has a college degree that she doesn't have.

But Hague denied intentionally providing incorrect information and initially said she was puzzled at how several "Who's Who" books, The Seattle Times, the Municipal League of King County and the National Association of Counties all reported erroneously that she had a bachelor's degree from Western Michigan University.

"What is the point here? Are you trying to call me a liar?" she asked at one point.

Friday's telephone interview came nine days after Hague publicly apologized for speaking rudely and profanely to a sheriff's deputy and two state troopers who arrested her for alleged drunken driving June 2. She has pleaded not guilty to a charge of driving under the influence of alcohol.

The misleading reports about Hague's education were pointed out by Richard Pope, Hague's Democratic opponent for her Eastside council seat. "It's absolutely astounding that she would make these kind of claims, because anybody could have picked up the phone and found out in five minutes that she wasn't telling the truth," Pope said.

Hague, 61, attended Western Michigan University between 1964 and 1968 but didn't graduate, the registrar's office said Thursday. The reports that she earned a degree in business or business and economics were published between 1991 and 2000.

"I'm willing to say that if there were erroneous reports, then you may call me guilty. You can call me guilty because the buck stops here," the Bellevue Republican said.

Asked why several "Who's Who" books said she had a bachelor's degree from Western Michigan, Hague said at first, "Beats me." She then speculated that her staff members may have inadvertently filled out forms with incorrect information.

If that happened, she said, "I didn't check it closely enough. There you have it. My fault. I should have been a better proofreader. I should have been more careful about it."

Hague didn't walk with her graduating class in 1968 and took additional courses the following summer. She said she thought she had enough credits to graduate before moving to Seattle that fall, counting credits from a class she took on labor law at another school the summer after her junior year.

"About 20 years ago," when Hague contacted her alma mater in an attempt to document her credits and get a degree, she learned that credits from the law class hadn't been transferred to Western Michigan and by then it was too late. She said she never tried to portray herself as a college graduate.

Reports that Hague had a college degree appeared in:

• Several editions of "Who's Who of American Women" and "Who's Who in America" published between 1991 and 1996.

• Profiles in The Seattle Times during her first campaign for County Council in 1993 and her unopposed re-election campaign in 1997.

• A 1993 Municipal League candidate-evaluation report.

• A story published online by the National Association of Counties after Hague became its president in 2000.

Jon Gelberg, senior managing director of special projects at Marquis Who's Who, said Hague submitted the information printed in that companies' publications.

The Seattle Times generally bases biographical information in candidate profiles on written material submitted by the candidates or interviews with them.

More recent descriptions of Hague's background have not included mention of a college degree. In her 2001 Municipal League questionnaire, Hague gave no information about her education, and in 2007 she said she had "4 years at Western Michigan University."

Seattle Times reporter Susan Kelleher contributed to this report.

Keith Ervin: 206-464-2105 or kervin@seattletimes.com