News
Guns
‘Buddy Walk’
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a background check for purchases at gun shows.
Like federal law, Washington law requires checks for
sales or transfers by licensed dealers but not for purchases
from private sellers, like those who sell at gun shows or to
friends.
So far, the National Rifle Association has kept a low pro-
file. According to state records, the group has spent less
than $200,000 against the expansion initiative, a fraction of
what has been spent by its proponents. The NRA hasn’t
endorsed the opposing initiative.
NRA spokesman Andrew Arulanandam wouldn’t address
the lack of support for the anti-expansion measure, but said
the group felt it was “more prudent” to put its resources
toward defeating the background check expansion effort.
Arulanandam said that the NRA has two people in Wash-
ington and is spending closer to double than what’s been
reflected on grass-roots efforts in the state.
“Our focus is to defeat an initiative that is extremely detri-
mental to the Second Amendment and extremely
misleading to the people of Washington state,” he said.
PHOTO BY SUSAN FRIED
A poll conducted by
independent pollster Stuart
Elway this summer indicated
strong support, 70 percent,
among voters for expansion of
background checks
Noah Richardson, 5, performed
with the Ligwilda’xw Cultural Group
from Campbell River BC before the
start of the 20th Annual Down
Syndrome Community Puget Sound
Buddy Walk on Sunday, Oct. 5 at
Seattle Center. hundreds came out
for the fundraiser, which benefits
the Downs Syndrome Community of
Puget Sound. Find out more about
their work at
www.downsyndromecommunity.org.
A poll conducted by independent pollster Stuart Elway
this summer indicated strong support, 70 percent, among
voters for expansion of background checks. When asked
separately about the anti-expansion initiative, less than 50
percent indicated support. But 32 percent of respondents
said they were inclined to vote for both.
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Mayor
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“Ms. Rosalind Brazel was recruited to the
press secretary role as a former journalist.
And while she brought years of experience
to the role, the job of press secretary is
unique among communications jobs – as
any former press secretary can attest. It
requires a rare combination of skills that, in
many ways, can only be tested through the
process of performing the role itself. There
are countless examples of great reporters
who have both succeeded and struggled
when asked to serve as a press secretary.
“Ms. Brazel is a talented communications
professional and a hard worker who, at this
point in her career, was not well-matched to
the demands of the press secretary role, par-
ticularly for a brand new administration
working to find its feet. This is neither a
criticism of Ms. Brazel as a professional nor
a commentary on her skills as a communi-
‘Ms. Brazel is a talented communications
professional and a hard worker who, at this point in
her career, was not well-matched to the demands
of the press secretary role, particularly for a
brand new administration working to find its feet’
—Mayor Ed Murray
cator.”
Brazel’s replacement, Jason Kelly, spent
seven years as a spokesman for the Wash-
ington State Department of Agriculture;
several short stints as a communications
official or assistant spokesperson at the
Washington State School Director’s Associ-
ation, Port of Seattle, four months as Acting
Deputy Communicartions Director for for-
mer Gov. Chris Gregoire; and has served on
numerous boards and commissions, includ-
ing two years on the Washington Beer
Commission.
Kelly started his career in Minnesota as
deputy press secretary for US Sen. Paul
Wellstone in the mid-1990s, and as press
secretary for Rep. David Minge.
Observers cite two alleged errors on
Brazel’s part as paving the way for her reas-
signment from the mayor’s office, including
a draft press release praising passage of the
Dream Act, sent out prematurely to the
media and an incorrect press release
announcing the death of a community
leader who in fact was not deceased – rather
a man with a similar name died.
At the time, Brazel’s boss, Communica-
tions Director Jeff Reading, told the Seattle
Times, “Dumb mistake on our part.”
According to The Times, tort the claim
says it was Reading who got the deceased
man’s name wrong and that both he and
Murray signed off on the press release
before it went out.
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Better
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ity to deliver services depends on our fund-
ing,” she said. “So we are caught in this
horrible dilemma of knowing we provide a
very valuable service but we’re not able to
pay staff. When people have economic dif-
ficulties, so do nonprofits.”
Better People opened in 1998 to help for-
mer inmates overcome barriers to becoming
productive stable members of society. Peo-
ple with a criminal history face barriers to
finding work and housing when they are
released. And people who have a felony in
their background are banned from numer-
ous work and housing opportunities.
Better People’s program combines Moral
Reconation Therapy—which seeks to help
former inmates change negative thinking
patterns and behavior – with employment
assistance and support. The nonprofit
helped persuade employers to give their
clients a chance, and held events that raised
community awareness about those barriers
to success for former inmates.
Program graduates say they gained new
understanding and confidence.
“This program gave me more than just a shot at
some dead-end job. It gave me freedom from
the shame I was carrying.”
Better People graduate Jason W.
“This program gave me more than just a
shot at some dead-end job,” said program
graduate Jason W. “It gave me freedom
from the shame I was carrying. It gave me
the chance to set down the burden of what
other people thought of me. It gave me the
opportunity to see myself in a new light. It
also gave me the chance to look at how I
was treating the people around me on an
everyday basis.”
According to the Mental Health and Sub-
stance Abuse Administration, Moral
Reconation Therapy is based on solid
research and has been successfully used as a
3-6 month program inside prison systems
across the country. However, SAMHSA
also found the program has struggled to find
a niche within the criminal justice system.
In recent years Better People has been
competing with some larger nonprofits that
include prisoner re-entry programs among
their services.
Volunteers of America, for example,
serves thousands of people every year,
offering everything from housing and
addictions treatment to domestic violence
support services. Working with prisoners
before, during and after their release from
jail or prison, VOA claims a 70 percent suc-
cess rate for its Inact reentry program which
served 109 adults in 2013. And its CPR pro-
gram has had similar success with young
men
incarcerated
as
teens.
Mercy Corps has re-entry contracts with the
state’s Department of Corrections and helps
about 135 people a year find work.
Pathfinders of Oregon offers a behavior
change program similar to Better People’s
Moral Reconation Therapy. The agency
also offers parenting classes, substance
abuse treatment and youth and family coun-
seling programs. But Pathfinders works
with inmates before they are released from
prison, which may make it easier for people
to
complete
the
program.
Board members and former executive direc-
tor Clariner Boston say they will be talking
to other nonprofits and experts to get a
clearer view of the big picture, as well as an
idea of where to steer the program so it can
be successful. And Belk says the board has
not ruled out merging or partnering with
other programs.
Mercy Corps has donated office space so
Boston can work with the agency’s remain-
ing clients on a volunteer basis.
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October 15, 2014 The Portland and Seattle Skanner Page 3