Perhaps a few letters to Miranda from us would be in order. Let her know that we appreciate what she does, and that we are troubled with the news of her "resignation". Also, it never hurts to contact the Gov's office and ask "What the #uck?"

I think a few letters to the guv and a select group of Senators might be more effective.

The Senate needs to hear from us as they are the ones who can keep her on the Commission or they can bend to the will/wants of the Governor and his friends. That will once again put politicians in control of our resources and not science.

If interested, here are the e-mail addresses to contact:

Commission http://wdfw.wa.gov/commission/contact.html

Governor http://www-stage.governor.wa.gov/contact/default.asp

I'm all in for sending e-mails to State senators as well.

No pending word from commission staff on Commissioner Wecker decision or if there is even a decision to be made by her.

It wasn't/isn't her idea to resign. What it is, to me, is politics over science and most of us can remember how well that works.

This would be a good place to start, guys...

http://leg.wa.gov/Senate/Senators/Pages/default.aspx

Find your Senators and click "e-mail" to fill out their individual e-mail utility. If you happen to choose the wrong Senator, the physical address you type into the utility should direct you to the correct one(s).

Besides the Senators from your district, you might send these key folks a copy of your message as well.

mark.schoesler@leg.wa.gov

kirk.pearson@leg.wa.gov

Mike.Hewitt@leg.wa.gov

Brian.Dansel@leg.wa.gov

Linda.Parlette@leg.wa.gov

Done.

BTW any PP'ers who belong to any of the other high-traffic fishing BB's, feel free to copy and paste my last post and disseminate accordingly.

The more the merrier!

Not sure how much good it will do to e-mail Hargrove and Hatfield out in my neck-o-the-woods.... but I'd sure like someone to prove me wrong.

Anyone?

We'll just have to remember to review their votes after this all blows over.

I sent Senator Hargrove the following note:

It has come to my attention that the Governor has requested a letter of resignation from WDFW Commissioner Miranda Wecker. It is extremely disconcerting for me to learn that politics appears to be involved. The request for her resignation is telling her and the Wildlife Commission that if they try to use good science in managing our state’s fish and wildlife resources and try to stay above the political jockeying that their positions are expendable.

Our fish and wildlife resources are worth billions of dollars and many jobs within our state. Referendum 45 was passed to ensure a free standing Commission to oversee the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife from an apolitical standpoint and on behalf of the citizens of the state.

I’ve worked with many Commissioners and wildlife administrators across the US and Canada. Commissioner Wecker has been one of the best. Her departure would be a real blow to our state’s fish and wildlife resources.

I would like to ask you to support the retention of Commissioner Wecker at least through the end of her current appointment. Had she been confirmed, I wouldn’t be writing this request.

Thank you.

You're obviously a better statesman than I could ever aspire to be!

I took a different roundabout route, appealing instead to the other senators listed above.

'Senators:

I’d like to call your attention to recent activity in the governor’s office seeking to remove Miranda Wecker from the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission.

Governor Inslee saw fit to re-appoint Commissioner Wecker in 2013. He knew that he was getting a strong advocate for professional fish and wildlife management. Unfortunately, the Senate has not confirmed her appointment at any time during her 10-year tenure with the Commission. She has served diligently and honorably for the past decade. Since her re-appointment, Miranda has remained steadfast in this capacity, and there has been no substantive change in her professional conduct in carrying out her duties as commissioner to warrant removal.

Under her leadership, the Commission has ushered in many forward-thinking policies emphasizing the recovery and conservation of our fish and wildlife resources. She has been instrumental in helping to advance science-driven hatchery and harvest reforms in the state’s salmon fisheries, especially the ongoing implementation of selective fishing and HSRG principles. The dial is finally moving in the right direction at the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife due in no small part to her participation on the Commission.

She is highly respected by her professional peers on the Commission as well as public stakeholders, myself included. In short, she is an excellent Commissioner who deserves a fair shake to continue the good work she has selflessly devoted herself to over the past ten years. A select handful of your peers from the coast are likely the architects unfairly pressuring Governor Inslee to oust Commissioner Wecker from her post. This effort is horribly misguided and lacks merit. It should be exposed for exactly what it is, nothing more than intolerable political bullying.

More than ever, Miranda needs your support for confirmation once and for all. Can the people of Washington count on you?"

Well said, Doc

ROLL CALL... don't be shy now, who else is in?

I did mine and have passed along the info to others.

Covered my people and the Gov.......

Working on it but I think the most important is the GOV as the three amigos from down South aren't going to change.

The Gov is okay, but he's the one who asked for her resignation. It is the Senate who will decide the issue.

I agree about the importance to contact the gov. Isn't he the one that has to request the senate to look at that situation? or is it automaticly referred to senate when a resignation is asked for and not received.


The three components that we are talking about:

1) Miranda Wecker--A quick note to her showing support so hopefully she doesn’t write the resignation letter. If she does, the other two components below are worthless.

2) Governor-- Miranda obviously is being pressured to resign from the governor because he is being pressured from outside influence. A message to the governor introducing yourself as one of 800,000 plus sport anglers not supporting the governor in this scenario would not hurt to try to neutralize this situation.

3) Senators— It appears that it would be a political blunder if the governor continued down the path to attempt to have her term dismissed by the senate, since she has not done anything wrong to begin with. If he takes that road, then seeking support from individual senators is appropriate.

What am I missing about contacting senators, are we going back to the Committee asking for confirmation of Miranda or preemptive measures or what?

I'm in. Wrote to the governor asking him to support Commissioner Wecker. I also wrote the commission asking Commissioner Wecker to resist resignation and force the politicians to reveal themselves.

I think it is a waste of time to write Senator Hatfield although it is funny to watch him take the bait and put his foot in his mouth.