We had a great January 2025 meeting of Eastside Republican Club, including our annual business meeting and Glen Morgan of We The Governed as our special guest speaker.
Doug Basler
The Club elected Doug Basler to once again serve as our president for 2025; he previously served as ERC President for 2020-2022 and 2024. Toby Nixon, former state representative and Kirkland city council member (and long-time ERC webmaster), was elected as Vice President. Kathleen Strong and Michael Scheele were re-elected as Secretary and Treasurer respectively.
Doug Basler, Derek Chartrand, Kerry French, Ruphina Nord, Michael Scheele, and Kathleen Strong were re-elected to additional two-year terms on the Board. Rick Jacobs, who we thanked for his service as a board member and vice president for 2024, stepped down from the board. Donna Barr, a long-time previous board member, was elected to a new two-year term. We thank them all for their willingness to serve (again)!
Also at the annual business meeting, Michael provided a Treasurer’s Report, informing us that the club is in healthy financial shape, pretty much breaking even with our dues and meeting fees covering the cost of venue rentals and other expenses. And Doug provided a President’s Report, focusing on his vision for growing the club membership in 2025. We look forward to all the great things ahead for the club this year!
Mark Your Calendar!
The February 2025 meeting of Eastside Republican Club will be on our usual second Tuesday, February 11. We’ll have another great guest speaker who will be announced shortly.
Time to Renew Your Membership!
If you have not already done so, please go to the Join page and renew your ERC membership for 2025. Of course, if you aren’t yet a member, we invite you to join! There are three membership levels: Basic $25, Silver $50, and Gold $100. Your dues help cover the cost of meeting location rental and other expenses of operating the club. We look forward to seeing you at our meetings!
Please join us for the monthly meeting of Eastside Republican Club on Tuesday, January 14, at 6:30 PM. We’ll meet at the Hilton Garden Inn, 16630 Redmond Way in Redmond. See the Location page for driving directions, a map, and parking information. Food is available from the Fork and Spoke restaurant in the hotel, which is open from 5-9PM for dinner; you can preview the menu on ZMenu. PleaseRSVP if you plan to attend!
Annual Business Meeting
We’ll start with the Annual Business Meeting to elect the ERC president and board members for 2025. If you’re interested in serving, please email us at info@eastsiderepublicanclub.org and let us know!
To be eligible to vote for our officers and board members during the business meeting, you will need to be a dues-paying member of the club either by registering and paying by January 9 or having been a paid member for 2024. It’s time for everyone to renew your membership for 2025 as well. Membership prices are still only $25 Basic, $50 Silver, and $100 Gold. Please renew today so you don’t forget! You can join or renew your membership on the Join page.
Glen Morgan of We The Governed
Glen Morgan
We’re very pleased to announce that our special guest speaker will be Glen Morgan of We The Governed to update us on his many activities to protect our rights and expose government corruption, and look ahead to the 2025 legislative session.
Glen is a frequent writer and speaker on property rights, the environmental movement, Big Government, and the importance of citizen activism. In 2014, Bill Whittle called Glen, “The ascended high master of political messaging.” Glen doesn’t consider himself a high master of anything, but he enjoys exploring policy issues in local government and exposing government corruption and incompetence which impacts everyone.
In October, 2023, Glen was awarded the Washington State GOP “Volunteer of the Year.” In June, 2019, Glen was awarded the “Citizen Activist of the Year 2019” award by the Olympic Conference. In 2015, Glen was also honored with the annual Rodney & Laurel McFarland Award presented by the Citizens Alliance for Property Rights (CAPR) “for exemplary performance in preserving and protecting property rights for the year 2014.”
Glen’s articles have been reproduced in publications ranging from the Heritage Insider to local blog sites. He has also appeared on King5 News, KOMO News, Fox News (Q13), KUOW (NPR), Ari Hoffman (KVI 570AM), Jason Rantz (KTTH 770AM), Todd Herman (Seattle -KTTH AM 770), KBKW – Aberdeen, and a variety of other television and radio programs. Glen is often attacked by the Left for daring to expose corruption in government. He frequently testifies on property rights issues at local government hearings and at the Washington State Legislature. Glen is also known for writing opposition statements in the official voter’s guide for voter-approved tax increases, challenging inaccurate and misleading ballot titles created by Washington State’s Attorney General for initiatives and tax increase propositions, among other civic activity.
Glen has also been involved in attempting to address campaign finance reforms to make the process easier and simpler for political beginners. As part of his effort to study Washington State’s campaign finance laws, he has filed over 850 Public Disclosure Campaign Finance and Ethics complaints (2016-2024). These complaints have resulted in over 113 lawsuits, fines, settlements, or forfeiture of contributions (Currently totaling $645,986) against state legislators, state senators, Democratic Party committees, labor unions, judges, and other politicians who violated the Washington State’s campaign finance laws. This includes 19 lawsuits filed by the Washington State Attorney General resulting in 21 judgements based on Glen’s reporting. An additional 208 politicians, PACs, and others have been formally sanctioned for their lawbreaking based on Glen’s efforts. To see the complete list of violators exposed by Glen’s work in this area – go to this page.
Glen is also an investigative citizen journalist who frequently meets with anonymous whistleblowers from various state agencies, local governments, and political parties who want to expose wrongdoing where they work. Glen was repeatedly sued by Yelm, Washington based cult leader JZ Knight after he helped expose her racist speeches from 2011 which caused the Washington State Democratic Party to divest themselves from her donations at the time. Glen has also exposed tax fraud committed by State Senators, homeless camps causing environmental pollution – ignored by environmentalists, and even created alternative logos for Evergreen College. Glen also published Governor Inslee’s “snitch list” – a public record of citizens encouraged to spy on and report their neighbors for their failure to comply with Inslee’s Civilian Covid Compliance Program.
Glen helped launch the Washington Voter Research Project, a Washington State non-profit organization that helps concerned volunteer activists canvass Washington State’s voter rolls and help local auditors clean up problematic and sloppy voter rolls. He has repeatedly been attacked by the corporate media, angry politicians, and the Democratic Party for daring to look at elections, a project he has been involved in long before Trump decided to run for public office.
As a fifth generation Washingtonian, Glen’s roots run deep in Washington State. His great-great grandmother helped start the Pike Place Market, where multiple generations sold flowers in Seattle for many years. His great-Uncle Ed Dalby installed the first power-generating waterwheel in Union, WA in the early 1920s. Glen’s father helped found the City of Newcastle, and his father served as a City Councilman in that city in the 1990s. Glen graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in Federal Way. After graduating from college with a BA in political science from Columbia College in New York City, Glen returned home and worked for small start-up companies and local manufacturing businesses. He currently lives on a small tree farm in Thurston County with his wife and their flock of free-range children. They also have a large flock of free-range Icelandic chickens, peafowl and other helpful farm animals.
Please RSVP!
If you plan to attend the meeting, please click RSVP to register, and pay online in advance. The cost is $15 per person ($10 for College Republicans and Young Republicans) to cover the cost of the meeting space. Food is available from the Fork and Spoke restaurant in the hotel, which is open from 5-9PM for dinner; you can preview the menu on ZMenu.
Saturday, December 7, 5:30-8 PM Hilton Garden Inn
16630 Redmond Way, Redmond
Join ERC and Pay Early to get the best price! ERC Members:$49 Early Bird Discount Price;
$75 after Thanksgiving, $100 at the door Non-ERC Members: $75 Early Bird Price;
$100 after Thanksgiving, $125 at the door
Come celebrate the holidays with your friends at Eastside Republican Club! This year our dinner will be at our usual monthly meeting place — the Hilton Garden Inn in Redmond — in the ballroom on the 2nd floor. The club will provide Smoked Turkey and Ham with all the trimmings, catered by Caveman Kitchen. We’ll have fun activities and be entertained by the outstanding Dickens Carolers, but mostly it’s a time for us to be together and enjoy each other’s company.
This great event costs $75 per person to attend to cover the cost of food, beverages, and rental of the room. But the cost is only $49 per person for Members of Eastside Republican Club, if you RSVP and pay on or before Thanksgiving (November 28). Since membership is only $25 a year, if you’re not already an ERC member you can join the club and pay for the dinner at the same time for less than the non-member price. Just join the club using the Join page first before submitting your RSVP for the dinner. Prices are higher after Thanksgiving.
Join us on December 7 to celebrate the birth of Jesus and Republican victories in the November elections! Merry Christmas!
Just a reminder that there will be no ERC meeting in November. Please take the time to remember our Veterans on November 11. Registration for the Annual Holiday Dinner will be available soon!
Please join us for the monthly meeting of Eastside Republican Club on Tuesday, October 8, at 6:30 PM. We’ll meet at the Hilton Garden Inn, 16630 Redmond Way in Redmond. See the Location page for driving directions, a map, and parking information. Food is available from the Fork and Spoke restaurant in the hotel, which is open from 5-9PM for dinner; you can preview the menu on ZMenu. PleaseRSVP if you plan to attend!
WAGOP Chair Rep. Jim Walsh
WAGOP Chair State Rep. Jim Walsh
Our special guest this month is Jim Walsh, chair of the Washington State Republican Party. Jim has represented the 19th Legislative District in the Washington State House since 2016, when he stunned state politics by becoming the first Republican that LD19 had sent to Olympia in decades. While some media outlets focused on him breaking a “Blue Wall” in a traditionally Democrat district, Jim explains his election—and subsequent re-elections—in nonpartisan terms: “The people of LD19 don’t care so much about Republican or Democrat. They just want someone who will represent them and their values with passion and energy.”
In 2020 and 2022, Jim was re-elected with more than 60 percent of the vote and, more importantly, helped turned his region “Red” by organizing and supporting a wave election of conservative legislators, county commissioners and local officials. Jim has served in leadership positions on various policy and budget committees in the WA House: Ranking Member on the State Government and Tribal Relations Committee, Assistant Ranking Member on the Transportation Committee and—most recently— Ranking Member on the House Civil Rights & Judiciary Committee. He has also served on the House Education, Capital Budget, Human Services and Rural Development, Agriculture & Natural Resources Committees.
During his seven years in the legislature, Jim has received Legislator of the Year awards from numerous groups—including Citizens Alliance for Property Rights (CAPR), Citizens’ Voice, Gunowners of America, Permanent Offense and Hunters’ Heritage Foundation. In 2022, he received the Washington State Republican Party’s Kemper Freeman Courage Award for his work articulating common-sense, conservative values.
He appears regularly on radio and television in Washington state, including KXRO, KTTH, KVI, KBKW and KEDO. Jim is a widower—his wife, Jamie, was killed tragically in car accident in the fall of 2022. He and the youngest two of his five children live Aberdeen, in a 19th Century Victorian home that he and Jamie bought and began restoring in the early 2000s. The Walsh children range in age from 31 to 17.
Aside from his work in the legislature, Jim owns and operates Silver Lake Publishing—a technical publisher that specializes in insurance, risk management, cyber security, asset protection and related nonfiction topics.
We look forward to hearing from Jim about the upcoming election and state issues. We’ll also hear from other state and local Republican candidates!
Please RSVP!
If you plan to attend the meeting, please click RSVP to register, and pay online in advance. The cost is $15 per person ($10 for College Republicans and Young Republicans) to cover the cost of the meeting space. Food is available from the Fork and Spoke restaurant in the hotel, which is open from 5-9PM for dinner; you can preview the menu on ZMenu.
Please join us for the monthly meeting of Eastside Republican Club on Tuesday, September 10. Our special start time this month is 6:00PM.We’ll meet at the Hilton Garden Inn, 16630 Redmond Way in Redmond. See the Location page for driving directions, a map, and parking information. Food is available from the Fork and Spoke restaurant in the hotel, which is open from 5-9PM for dinner; you can preview the menu on ZMenu. PleaseRSVP if you plan to attend!
Our special guests this month will be David Olson, candidate for state Superintendent of Public Instruction, and Sharon Hanek, Republican candidate for State Treasurer. We look forward to hearing about their plans and priorities, and learning how we can help their campaigns. You can read about them below.
This meeting will also be a Debate Watch Party! Donald Trump and Kamala Harris will be debating on ABC 6:00-7:30PM, and Dave Reichert and Bob Ferguson will be debating 8:00-9:00PM on KING 5. We’ll watch both debates on the big screen, and hear from our special guests during the time between. Come join your friends in cheering the Republicans and jeering the Democrats!
David Olson for Superintendent of Public Instruction
David is a husband, father of four, a retired US Navy Chief Warrant Officer. He has served on the board of directors of Peninsula School District since 2014, including being board chair in 2021 and the current vice chair. He sits on the Board of the Greater Gig Harbor Foundation, serving on the Education Cabinet and as Chair of the Students of Distinction Committee, and is a member of the Friday morning Rotary Club. He previously served as President of the City Club of Tacoma, Vice President of the Hilltop Business Association, and served on the board of the local FISH Food Bank.
Sharon Hanek for State Treasurer
Sharon Hanek
Sharon Hanek is running this year to be Washington State Treasurer. The State Treasurer is Washington’s chief financial officer. The Office of the State Treasurer (OST) serves as the bank for Washington State government; its divisions manage public investments, debt, and cash for the State of Washington and leads policy initiatives affecting the State Treasury and the state’s long-term fiscal health.
Sharon holds a BA in Business Administration and Accounting from the UW Foster School of Business. She went on to get her Certified Public Accountant license in 1980. After acquiring several years of experience in accounting, auditing, tax, and finance she established her own private tax and accounting practice. For the past several decades, she has been active in seeking to influence public policy, researching and analyzing bills, working with legislators, and testifying on issues related to budget, taxes, transportation and education. Recently she combined her interest in politics, financial background, and research skills to form a public policy research company.
Please RSVP!
If you plan to attend the meeting, please click RSVP to register, and pay online in advance. The cost is $15 per person ($10 for College Republicans and Young Republicans) to cover the cost of the meeting space. Food is available from the Fork and Spoke restaurant in the hotel, which is open from 5-9PM for dinner; you can preview the menu on ZMenu.
It was great seeing so many of you at the ERC Picnic on July 9! Thanks to everyone who brought desserts and side dishes to share, to our chefs, to our board members and officers who shopped for food and provided the raffle prizes, and to everyone who came early and stayed late for setup and cleanup. We hope you all had a good time hearing from and mingling with the candidates!
As usual, there’s no ERC meeting in August; our next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, September 10. We’re working on confirming availability of speakers, and will have details for you soon.
Don’t forget to vote in the Primary! You should have already received your ballot — be sure to return it by August 6!
Celebrate July the old-fashioned American way! Enjoy hotdogs and hamburgers fresh off the grill, topped off with a chips, non-alcoholic drinks, and an assortment of potluck side dishes and desserts!
Come, mingle with the candidates, and hear about their campaigns in this very important election. Visit with old and new friends.
Buy Raffle Tickets for Prizes! Bring a side, salad, or dessert to share and get a free raffle ticket!
Seating at the park is on picnic benches.
Consider bringing camp chairs if you would like more comfortable seating.
Directions: From I-405, take exit 17 for NE 70th Place. Head east on NE 70th Place about 2 miles. When you pass 144th Ave NE on your right, take the next left turn into the parking lot for Grass Lawn Park (if you get to the signal at 148th Ave NE, you’ve gone too far). The picnic shelter is about a 100-yard walk from the parking area — look for the dome.
Please join us for the monthly meeting of Eastside Republican Club on Tuesday, June 11, at 6:30 PM. We’ll meet at the Hilton Garden Inn, 16630 Redmond Way in Redmond. See the Location page for driving directions, a map, and parking information. Food is available from the Fork and Spoke restaurant in the hotel, which is open from 5-9PM for dinner; you can preview the menu on ZMenu. PleaseRSVP if you plan to attend!
With more than two decades in environmental policy, Todd’s experience includes work on a range of environmental issues, including climate policy, forest health, old-growth forests, and salmon recovery. A former member of the executive team at the Washington State Department of Natural Resources, he is a member of the Puget Sound Salmon Recovery Council.
His writing has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, National Review, Seattle Times, and USA Today, and he has appeared on numerous news networks including CNBC, Fox News, BBC, and CNN. He served as vice president of the Northwest Association of Biomedical Research and received their Distinguished Service Award in 2018 for his support of bioscience. He has also served as president of the Prescription Drug Assistance Foundation, a nonprofit providing medicines to low-income patients.
Todd holds a bachelor’s degree in politics from Whitman College and a master’s degree in Russian/International Studies from the Jackson School of International Studies at the University of Washington.
Please RSVP!
If you plan to attend the meeting, please click RSVP to register, and pay online in advance. The cost is $15 per person ($10 for College Republicans and Young Republicans) to cover the cost of the meeting space. Food is available from the Fork and Spoke restaurant in the hotel, which is open from 5-9PM for dinner; you can preview the menu on ZMenu.
Please join us for the monthly meeting of Eastside Republican Club on Tuesday, May 14, at 6:30 PM. We’ll meet at the Hilton Garden Inn, 16630 Redmond Way in Redmond. See the Location page for driving directions, a map, and parking information. Food is available from the Fork and Spoke restaurant in the hotel, which is open from 5-9PM for dinner; you can preview the menu on ZMenu. PleaseRSVP if you plan to attend!
Randy Kessler of Stand with Us Northwest
Randy Kessler
Our special guest speaker for May is Randy Kessler, Executive Director of the Northwest chapter of Stand With Us, an international, non-partisan education organization that supports Israel and fights antisemitism.
Randy was born and raised in Bellevue, and he has been a lifelong member of the Greater Seattle Jewish community. His mother’s family arrived in Seattle in the early 1900’s from the Island of Rhodes, while his father’s family came to New York in the 1880’s from Russia and Poland.
Randy has always felt a special connection to Israel. In 1992, he and his wife spent seven months there immersed in Hebrew language and Israeli culture and building lifelong friendships.
Randy earned a business degree at the University of Washington and an MBA at Seattle U, which led to a successful career in the corporate technology and education industries. In 2017, he assumed the leadership of StandWithUs Northwest. In this role, he spearheads efforts to educate people about Israel and the Jewish people and to fight antisemitism across the states of Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Idaho, and Montana.
Kerry French of Culture Crossroads USA
Kerry French
We’ll also hear from ERC board member Kerry French about a new organization, Culture Crossroads USA, focused on helping conservative kids and kids of faith in the junior high, high school, and college age range get into arts, business, law, and education. They will be having a kickoff event on June 22 at Lake Tanwax near Eatonville (Pierce County). For more information, visit https://culturecrossroadsusa.rsvpify.com.
Please RSVP!
If you plan to attend the meeting, please click RSVP to register, and pay online in advance. The cost is $15 per person ($10 for College Republicans and Young Republicans) to cover the cost of the meeting space. Food is available from the Fork and Spoke restaurant in the hotel, which is open from 5-9PM for dinner; you can preview the menu on ZMenu.
