Please join us for the monthly meeting of Eastside Republican Club on Tuesday, June 13, at 6:30 PM. We meet at the Kirkland Eagles club, 258 Central Way in beautiful downtown Kirkland! See the Location page for driving directions, a map, photos, and parking information. PleaseRSVP if you plan to attend! Note that ERC members can’t enter the Eagles Club until an Eagle is there to sign you in — so please consider not arriving earlier than 6PM or so.
Simon Sefzik
Our special guest speaker this month will be former State Senator Simon Sefzik. He served as senator for the 42nd legislative district (Bellingham and Whatcom County) from January 2022 to January 2023, after being appointed to fulfill the unexpired term of the late Sen. Doug Ericksen. At age 22, Simon was the youngest person to ever serve as a member of the Washington state senate. He served on the senate committees on Higher Education & Workforce Development, Health & Long Term Care, and Housing & Local Government. We look forward to hearing his future plans and thoughts on serving in the senate and politics in Washington.
In addition to hearing from Sen. Sefzik, we’ll discuss referendum and initiative petitions being circulated, and hope to have copies of them to be signed and distributed. We’ll also receive an update from the Young Republicans. And now that candidate filing is complete for 2023, we’ll talk about the local races and candidates ERC members can support as volunteers and donors. We invite candidates to some and introduce yourself to the club. We look forward to seeing you there!
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. A full bar is available, and the full menu should be available for dinner!
Please join us for the monthly meeting of Eastside Republican Club on Tuesday, May 9, at 6:30 PM. We meet at the Kirkland Eagles club, 258 Central Way in beautiful downtown Kirkland! See the Location page for driving directions, a map, photos, and parking information. PleaseRSVP if you plan to attend! Note that ERC members can’t enter the Eagles Club until an Eagle is there to sign you in — so please consider not arriving until 6PM or so (maybe 5:30).
Reagan Dunn
Our special guest speakers this month will be King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn, and the chairs of the King, Pierce, and Snohomish County Republican Parties: Mathew Patrick Thomas, Dave McMullan, and Bob Hagglund.
Councilmember Dunn represents the 9th district and is currently serving as Vice Chair of the King County Council. He was first elected to the council in 2005. He previously served as Assistant United States Attorney for the Western District of Washington, and in many other roles in the Department of Justice. He has previously run for US Congress and for Washington State Attorney General. We look forward to hearing from him on what’s happening in King County government.
Mathew Patrick Thomas
Dave McMullan
Bob Hagglund
With candidate filing week coming up May 15-19, we look forward to hearing from our county chairs regarding hot local issues and races and opportunities to help our candidates win!
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. A full bar is available, and the full menu should be available for dinner!
Note: Because of extended action on the floor of the state Senate in Olympia, Sen. Fortunato was not able to come to our meeting in April. Remarks we given by Lenny Chacon (chair of the Snohomish County Young Republicans and ERC board member), KCGOP Vice Chair Michelle Le, and Kirkland City Councilmember Toby Nixon.
Kirkland Eagles Sign
Please join us for the monthly meeting of Eastside Republican Club on Tuesday, April 11, at 6:30 PM. We meet at the Kirkland Eagles club, 258 Central Way in beautiful downtown Kirkland! See the Location page for driving directions, a map, photos, and parking information. PleaseRSVP if you plan to attend! Note that ERC members can’t enter the Eagles Club until an Eagle is there to sign you in — so please consider not arriving until 6PM or so (maybe 5:30).
Sen. Phil Fortunato
Our special guest speaker this month will be State Senator Phil Fortunato of the 31st Legislative District, who will update us on the current legislative session in Olympia with a focus on bills affecting the right to keep and bear arms.
Senator Fortunato has a wealth of private sector and legislative experience. He has been a contractor for over 30 years, starting his first business at 18, and is currently a recognized expert in Clean Water Act compliance. As a contractor, he understands Davis Bacon Act compliance, Employment Security, Unemployment and business tax issues. In addition, he has done work on the international market in Europe, Asia and Canada and understands international trade and import export issues as well.
He is ranking Republican member of the Senate committee on Housing, and also serves on the Senate Transportation Committee and the State Government & Elections Committee.
Phil and his wife, Suzanne, live in Auburn, and have five children with his first three sons joining the Marine Corps. He has been active in his community, including his church, Knights of Columbus, Buckley Eagles, Sons of Italy, Washington Arms Collectors, National Rifle Association, Renton Fish and Game Club, Black Diamond Gun Club, and charitable activities.
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. A full bar is available, and the full menu should be available for dinner!
Please join us for the monthly meeting of Eastside Republican Club on Tuesday, March 14, at 6:30 PM. Note that this is our usual second Tuesday of the month. We meet at the Kirkland Eagles club, 258 Central Way in beautiful downtown Kirkland! See the Location page for driving directions, a map, photos, and parking information. PleaseRSVP if you plan to attend! Note that ERC members can’t enter the Eagles Club until an Eagle is there to sign you in — so please consider not arriving until 6PM or so (maybe 5:30). The Eagles have hired two new chefs, so the full menu should be available for dinner!
Glen Morgan
Our special guest speaker this month will be Glen Morgan of We The Governed. to update us on his many activities to protect our rights and expose government corruption.
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.
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 and local county prosecutors and auditors for some 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 665 Public Disclosure Campaign Finance and Ethics complaints (from late 2016-2022). These complaints have resulted in over 79 lawsuits, fines, settlements, or forfeiture of contributions 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. The Democrats grew so frustrated over Glen’s success that they passed a law to make it more difficult for citizens to file lawsuits over PDC violations.
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 has been 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.
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, and includes dessert and coffee service. The Eagles have hired two new chefs, so the full menu should be available for dinner!
Time to Renew Membership!
If you have not already done so, please go to the Join page and renew your ERC membership for 2023. 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. We look forward to seeing you at our meetings!
Please join us for the monthly meeting of Eastside Republican Club on Tuesday, February 7, at 6:30 PM. Note that this is the first Tuesday of the month rather than the usual second Tuesday, to allow club members to celebrate Valentine’s Day with their spouses or significant others and also enable the Kirkland Eagles to hold their annual Valentine’s Day Dinner on the traditional date.
We meet at the Kirkland Eagles club, 258 Central Way in beautiful downtown Kirkland! See the Location page for driving directions, a map, photos, and parking information. PleaseRSVP if you plan to attend! Note that ERC members can’t enter the Eagles Club until an Eagle is there to sign you in — so please consider not arriving until 6PM or so (maybe 5:30). Thanks!
Rep. Jim Walsh
Our special guest speakers will be Representative Jim Walsh of the 19th Legislative District, and Tim Eyman, who will update us on hot issues in Olympia.
Rep. Walsh is in his 4th term in the state House. His legislative priorities are creating family-wage jobs, adequately funding schools, and protecting taxpayers, property rights and gun rights. He is ranking member of the House Civil Rights and Judiciary Committee, and also serves on the Transportation Committee and the Regulated Substances and Gaming Committee.
Jim graduated cum laude from Amherst College in 1986. He formed a small publishing company in 1998 that he continues to operate today. Jim has also written columns for the Aberdeen Daily World newspaper, coached boys’ and girls’ basketball teams, and held leadership roles with local and state Republican groups. Jim lives in Aberdeen and has five children.
Tim Eyman
Tim Eyman is best known for sponsoring many conservative ballot initiatives in Washington, including I-695 (“$30 Car Tabs”), I-747 (1% limit on property tax levy increases), I-18 (reducing the King County Council from 13 members to 9), I-900 (government performance audits), I-960 (2/3rd legislative vote to raise taxes), and many others. He has stood strong in the face of legal persecution by the Washington State Attorney General. His web site is http://www.permanentoffense.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, and includes dessert and coffee service. As of this posting the Eagles’ chef continues to be on leave and they’re looking for a second chef, so it’s not certain that the full food menu will be available — but we’ll definitely have something to eat!
Time to Renew Membership!
If you have not already done so, please go to the Join page and renew your ERC membership for 2023. 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. We look forward to seeing you at our meetings!
At our Annual Business Meeting on January 10, Eastside Republican Club thanked Doug Basler for his excellent service as President for the past three years, guiding the Club during the very trying times of the Covid-19 pandemic. Fortunately, Doug will continue to serve as a board member and immediate past president!
Derek Chartrand
Our new Club president for 2023 is Derek Chartrand; he had previously served as ERC Vice President. Ruphina Nord was elected as our new Vice President, and Kathleen Strong and Michael Scheele were re-elected as Secretary and Treasurer respectively.
Five board members whose terms were ending in 2023 were re-elected to another two-year term on the board: Doug Basler, Derek Chartrand, Kerry French, Michael Scheele, and Kathleen Strong. Ruphina Nord was elected to a new two-year term on the board. Continuing board members whose terms end in 2024 are Donna Barr, Lenny Chacon, and Ted Reinhart. Thanks to all for your willingness to serve!
Mark Your Calendar!
The February 2023 meeting of Eastside Republican Club will be held on the first Tuesday of the month, February 7, rather than the usual second Tuesday, February 14. This will allow club members to celebrate Valentine’s Day with their spouses or significant others, and will also enable the Kirkland Eagles to hold their traditional Valentine’s Day Dinner on the traditional date. We’ll announce the program for the February 7 meeting in the near future!
Time to Renew Membership!
If you have not already done so, please go to the Join page and renew your ERC membership for 2023. 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. We look forward to seeing you at our meetings!
Please join us for the first Eastside Republican Club meeting of 2023 on Tuesday, January 10, at 6:30 PM at the Kirkland Eagles Club. And pleaseRSVP if you plan to attend!
We’ll start with the Annual Business Meeting to elect ERC officers and board members for 2023. 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 paying member of the club either by registering and paying by January 10 or having been a paid member for 2022. It’s time for everyone to renew your membership for 2023 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.
Dann Mead Smith – Project 42
Dann Mead Smith
After the short business meeting, we’ll have the pleasure of hearing from Dann Mead Smith, who will tell as all about Project 42, which “is a 501(c)(4) non-profit organization created to change the course of Washington state to prioritize free markets, personal liberty and an individual’s right to prosper.”
As President of Washington Policy Center, Dann testified by invitation before dozens of legislative committees in Olympia and appeared on numerous radio and TV newscasts and programs around the state promoting the Center’s work. He also appeared on the national PBS “Debates Debates” television program. Dann is a member of Seattle Rotary #4 and the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition’s Washington Advisory Committee; serves as board chairman of Citizen Action Defense Fund, a public interest law group in our state; former board member of the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce, and founding board member of the Worker Rights Alliance.
He also served on the Advisory Group of the Washington State Tax Structure Study Committee and the Citizen Performance Audit Oversight Board after being appointed by Gov. Gregoire. Before becoming President of WPC, he worked for the Washington Institute for Policy Studies, was Vice President of the Washington Institute Foundation, and worked on two statewide campaigns (for a statewide ballot measure and a candidate for governor).
He is a graduate of Western Washington University and lives with his wife in Seattle and has two daughters.
Our keynote speaker this year is our good friend Ari Hoffman. Ari is heard weekdays on Talk Radio 570 KVI where he provides a current of common sense in a sea of insanity every afternoon from 3-6 p.m.
A local businessman and civic activist, Ari ran for Seattle City Council after its failed policies affected him, his family and his community. Now he has a more powerful platform on America’s first conservative talk radio station, 570 KVI, where he continues to expose corruption and hypocrisy in government.
Ari is also known for his humor and pop culture savvy. He never backs down from a challenge and enthusiastically engages with anyone, no matter their political ideology. Ari has been featured on Fox News, Newsmax, The Dr. Drew Show, 60 Minutes, and the KOMO News Documentary “Seattle is Dying.” Ari also reports regularly on Northwest issues in The Post Millennial.
Ari is a guest speaker at many college and high school campuses, volunteers with local youth organizations, and is a certified water sports instructor. Originally from New York, Ari is a glutton for punishment as a Mets fan. He lives in Seattle with his wife and 3 children
