The Koster-Stickney campaign 2009

May 31, 9:27 PMSnohomish County Progressive ExaminerChad Shue

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For the past few weeks; as I have been writing about the radical fundamentalists in and out of our state who have announced their intention to overturn this state's just passed "everything but marriage" law, I have continually referred to one of their leaders as a "former aide" to current Snohomish County Council member John Koster. Well it appears that I have been mistaken. In fact the relationship between Referendum 71 sponsor and Washington Values Network (WVN) president, Larry Stickney, and Snohomish County District 1 Councilman, John Koster is just as intact as ever; with Stickney augmenting his Ref. 71 stewardship as Campaign Manager for Mr. Koster. Koster is seeking re-election to his third and final term on the county council. He is being challenged this year by long-time district resident and land use advocate, Ellen Hiatt Watson.

WhenI wrote about Watson I briefly touched upon Koster's background:

"Koster came to the Snohomish County Council in 2001 after losing the 2000 2nd Congressional District race to Democrat Rick Larsen. Prior to that Koster had been serving in the State House where, in 1997, he introduced a bill that would have carved up Snohomish County and created Freedom County with his hometown of Arlington at its center."

According to Stickney's biography (posted on the WVN website) he has been at Koster's side throughout his political career:

"Larry served for a decade as a Legislative Aide to Snohomish County Councilman and former State Representative John Koster.

In 2003, Larry drafted Snohomish County Council Resolution 03-026 (passed unanimously) in support of the City of Everett's Monument to the Ten Commandments.

Larry also served as campaign manager during Koster's 2000 Congressional bid."

John Koster and Larry Stickney - political partners

And the common thread that runs between these would-be Freedom County residents? The following (from a post I wrote in 2006 at The Left Shue) might help explain a possible connection:

"Apparently Snohomish County Councilman, John Koster, has a problem with gay men singing. In an article in the Everett Herald Mr. Koster expresses his resistance to the idea of the county spending tax dollars to promote a proposed December holiday program at the Everett Civic Auditorium featuring the Seattle Men’s Chorus. The money for the men's chorus concert won approval by an advisory committee. In a report, the panel said the concert would associate Snohomish County with "sophisticated" and "first-class cultural events." The County Council is scheduled to consider the spending proposal today (Wednesday, July 26) as part of a discussion of what to do with $55,399 in taxes collected from overnight tourist stays. In the article by Herald reporter, Jeff Switzer, Koster is quoted as saying, "I'll be running an amendment to pull that one,"

According to an email Koster sent to the Herald (he declined an interview request), ”Aside from the fact that the project will have minimal impact in generating overnight stays, I believe there are a great many people who live in Snohomish County that would ill consider the promotion of the Seattle Men's Chorus (who on their own Web-site boast as being '... the largest gay men's chorus in the world') as a 'sophisticated cultural event' or a 'first-class cultural event...”"

That despite the fact that the Seattle Men's Choir has performed at every major venue in the United States as well as the european capitals of Amsterdam, London, and Barcelona and it is projected that over 40,000 people (gay and straight) per year attend their 5 concert series that takes place at Benaroya Hall, McCaw Hall and Meany Theater in Seattle.

Koster's name does not currently appear on the list of endorsers for Stickney's Referendum 71 and I have to wonder if he is hoping to avoid having that issue creep into his re-election campaign; just as he apparently was concerned about Freedom County becoming an issue in his first race for his current position. According to Diane Brookes, writing about that race for the Seattle Times in 2001:

"Koster is frustrated that Freedom County has emerged as a campaign issue, and he has tried to downplay his role in the new- county movement. While Freedom County began as an offshoot of the property-rights movement, some now perceive it as a haven for right-wing extremists."

I can certainly understand why someone who is elected to represent all the people of a district and a county would not want to appear to be associated with any extremist group. Unfortunately for John Koster, unless his friend's divisive referendum fails to make the November ballot, he may just find his campaign and his friend's crusade joined at the hip for the duration of their political partnership.

Peace,
Chad Shue