Heywood Strikes Out With Seattle Times
Heywood is 0 for 3 with the Seattle Times Editorial Board: In just one week, Heywood struck out on getting the state’s largest editorial board’s support for any of his three initiatives, which called them “flawed,” “poorly written,” and “fear-mongering".
No on I-001: After pointing out that I-001 is "poorly written, not tailored for Washington and could expose already vulnerable kids to harm in instances where they are victims of abuse at home," the Editorial Board laid into backers, saying "They imply that schools could spirit children off to medical facilities to change genders — without letting parents know. But in a meeting with The Times editorial board, supporters of Initiative 001 could not cite a single instance of this happening, at least not in Washington. Indeed, the initiative is lifted nearly word-for-word from an identical law in Louisiana."
No on I-638: “The Times editorial board recommends voters say “no” to fearmongering and vote “no” on an initiative that would only exclude more student athletes from sports… The initiative, backed by the conservative PAC Let’s Go Washington, is part of a national movement to disenfranchise and dehumanize the transgender community.”
No on I-645: Telling voters to vote no on the repeal of the Millionaires Tax, the Editorial Board says I-645 is a “flawed initiative” that “would dig an even deeper budget hole.”
Brian Heywood's cheerleader Brandi Kruse threatens the PDC:
Let's Go Washington mouthpiece Brandi Kruse says “I will spend every waking hour burying the PDC in bullshit over this,” by filing frivolous PDC complaints against the Seattle Times and other news outlets “to make a point." Kruse and Let's Go Washington are under formal investigation by the PDC for failing to report more than $1 million in political promotion and advertising for I-638 and I-001 provided by Kruse and her company UnDivided.
Let's Go Washington caught lying in its voter guide statement:
Let’s Go Washington falsely implied support from the American Academy of Pediatrics in their voter guide statement for I-638 (genital exams on girls to play sports) and completely misrepresented the associations’ guidelines. “What Let’s Go Washington has done is use vague language that is a lie,” Dr. Eloi Hoopman told the Seattle Times. Conservative Blogger Benjamin Ryan talked more about the controversy, revealing that the Washington Chapter of the AAP asked Let’s Go Washington to remove their name saying “the statement does not accurately portray AAP guidance regarding pre-sports participation exams.” Heywood refused, choosing instead to keep the lie.
Backlash starting against Let's Go Washington donors?
The owner of a popular Tacoma restaurant, Corbeau, announced on Instagram that he's no longer serving E9 beers after the brewery's owners (John and Lucas Xitco) contributed to Let's Go Washington's 3 MAGA initiatives on the November ballot. “By the end of the week, restaurants including Corbeau, Dusty’s Hideaway and a local Dickey’s Barbecue Pit franchise said on social media they would stop carrying E9 beers,” according to the Tacoma News Tribune. Another Tacoma restaurant, Red Hot, announced it was joining the backlash.
Heywood tried to hide information from voters, and lost. Again.
Every time his initiatives are on the ballot, Heywood tries to hide the Public Investment Impact Disclosure (PIID) from voters and loses. He lost in 2024, and lost again last month when a Thurston County judge “upheld a one-sentence statement that will appear on ballots describing the budgetary consequences” of I-645.