Democracy for Vancouver

Senator Don Benton claims that his campaign is funded by small business owners and individual citizens at a clip of 60% of his total haul. Aside from the other 40% of his funds coming from places like the National Rifle Association, payday lenders such as Money Tree, tobacco companies like R.J. Reynolds, and corporations like Wal-Mart, Benton’s claims may be correct. One of those individual contributors is Washington philanthropist David Nierenberg.

Nierenberg is the founder of D3 Family Funds of Camas, WA. A longtime contributor to Democrats statewide, Nierenberg invited the senator to invest in D3, which he did, to the tune of $75,000. Benton saw a return on his investment of at least $2,900.

Why is this troubling? David Nierenberg, filing as an individual citizen (and CEO of D3) contributed $2,900 to Don Benton this election cycle. Nierenberg has stated in the past that he supports candidates not by party, but those who exhibit “independent thinking.” David Nierenberg is certainly an independent citizen, but is Don Benton the type of independent thinker Nierenberg thinks he is?

While there is no specific indication that contributors like Mr. Nierenberg are purchasing access through campaign donations, relationships like this one deserve scrutiny, especially considering similar recent scandals with the Alaska state legislature. The meaning of independence, both by those contributing and the legislators whose campaigns they fund, is what’s at stake here.

Was Don Benton thinking independently when he launched his subscription-only legislative news website for registered lobbyists (which ultimately failed)? When state legislative ethics counsel Mike O’Connell warned Benton to “erect firewalls” between his legislative duties and business dealings, Benton ignored them. He signed the solicitation himself and referenced his legislative experience as reasons to subscribe to his service.

Was Don Benton thinking independently when he accepted donations well over the $2,500 contribution limit as head of the GOP state party? Even members of his own party were embarrassed by his actions. King County GOP chairman Reed Davis said Benton left the party in “near chaos.” These incidents paint a picture of the wrong kind of independence needed for voters of the 17th District.