The 23rd Legislative District is 110 square miles, running from Hansville to Bremerton and Bainbridge to the Hood Canal with 130,000 citizens and 56,000 homes.

The  key  House race for Position 2 (James Olsen, Henning Larsen and Drew Hansen) has some very troubling and dangerous aspects having to do with an ongoing staggering influx of out-of-state trial lawyer money flowing to trial-lawyer candidate Hansen. The amounts to date are in excess of $80,000 by conservative measure. And this is just “lawyer” money. By my last geography review, Dallas, Houston, D.C., Los Angeles, New York, and on and on are not within the boundaries of the 23 District.

I have reviewed Mr. Hansen’s Washington public disclosure documents and watched a video on these troubling lawyer donations (Google YouTube search), “Rep Hansen: Expose / Follow the Money.”  I am very concerned that this election will be unduly influenced by special-interest money with their hidden agenda.

You can examine these curious donations yourself in three minutes. (Watch YouTube. Search: “How to PDC shoutwhatyourhear”).

Here is the danger to all of us. Trial lawyers have turned the law into an instrument of tyranny. As a result, we have a profoundly unfair legal system that produces results and profits for the few, and paralysis, frustration and injustice for the many. It is the trial lawyers that have driven the cost of healthcare through the roof, with frivolous litigation in order to line their pockets, and it is trial lawyers who represent special-interest groups, and not the people. Out-of-control lawsuits, frivolous class-action suits, and doctors being forced to spend 40 percent more on extra tests to protect against unfounded lawsuits is costing America dearly. We need tort reform now.

Do we really want another trial lawyer in public office? Beware.  We must return Washington state to legal sanity, and not more  lawyer special-interests with friends in the Washington House.

Jeffrey Sneller
Bainbridge Island