Republican gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi perhaps got a lucky break this morning when King County Superior Court Judge Paris Kallas delayed a hearing on whether Rossi should be deposed in the Buildergate case.
The hearing, which had been scheduled for today, was postponed until Friday, Oct. 24, the court's bailiff confirmed. State Democrats hope to see Rossi deposed before the Nov. 4 election in hopes that his testimony will aid the re-election campaign of Democratic Gov. Chris Gregoire.
With the delay, it appears Rossi may be able to push the proceedings until after the election — but maybe not. A deposition could come just before election day. In any event, the judge's decision ensures an extra week of headlines about the lawsuit, which was filed last week by two former state Supreme Court justices, who allege that Rossi illegally coordinated with the Building Industry Association of Washington (BIAW) to raise supposedly independent funds that now benefit the candidate's election campaign.
Despite the suit, Rossi and his supporters currently enjoy a $6 million financial advantage over Gregoire and her backers, thanks to the BIAW's recent $3.8 million contribution to ChangePAC, a political action committee that campaigns on Rossi's behalf. Still, the continued uncertainty surrounding Rossi's connection with Buildergate, coupled with Gregoire's strong performance in Wednesday's debate, bids well for the governor's struggling campaign. So for now we're moving the Guvometer one tick in her direction.
