This is a selection of recent popular blog articles from SeattleIAM where you will find the best blogs from Seattle, Washington as well as video uploads, social networking, rumors, and blog authoring.

Despite Drunk Driving Arrest Velazquez Backed by Rival

Angela Galloway's latest post in the Seattle PI's Strange Bedfellows blog has revealed that Seattle City Councilman Peter Steinbrueck has backed rival candidate Venus Velazquez despite her recent arrest for drunk driving. Velazquez was pulled over Thursday night “on suspicion of drunken driving... A road-side breath test said Velazquez' blood-alcohol content was .115, her lawyer has said. The legal limit in Washington is .08.” According to a police report, the city council candidate was driving 50 mph in a 30 mph zone.

Venus Velazquez is the latest in a series of DUIs for politicians and high-profile public servants. The post mentions that both “King County Councilwoman Jane Hague and state Supreme Court Justice Bobbe Bridge” are both dealing with the ramifications of well-documented DUI charges. However, this was not enough to deter Peter Steinbrueck, the incumbent for the council seat Velazquez is seeking, from meeting with his opponent and declaring “I believe she still has the great potential to serve as an effective councilmember” While Steinbrueck emphasized that he does not condone or dismiss the behaviour of Velazquez, he hopes that it will convince residents to think twice about getting behind the wheel after having a few drinks. The post quoted him saying “I don't think it is reflective on her judgment, or her ability to make discerning judgments on policy and legislation that would be before her. If that were true, then a then a lot of people shouldn't be in (elected) positions.”

Pass Rush was critical in 33-6 victory over the Rams

Danny O'Neal's recent post in the Seattle Times Seahawks Blog was critical of yesterdays 33-6 victory over the Rams. O'Neal asserted that “beating a winless team that hasn't scored a touchdown for two games now isn't the kind of thing that makes a team's season.” Despite the 'hawks scoring a season-high 33 points, the post noted “the offense had fewer than 300 total yards... A backup tight end led the team in touchdowns and the running back was seen arguing with the coach about coming out of the game.”

According to the post, “the offense continues to search for its identity.” O'Neal emphasized that the Seahawks defense frustrated what was, basically, a poor Rams team. However, the Seahawks avoided a meltdown akin to the equivalent match two years ago when the Rams “erased a 17-point deficit in the final 9 minutes.” The Seahawks Blog pointed to the pass rush as the key factor in taking the Rams offense out of the game entirely. “Seattle set its pass rush loose and chased the Rams until they said, uncle... it was a game that spoke to the Seahawks' success in finding different ways to win.”

Satterberg will return donation from Lori Sotelo

The Seattle Times Postman on Politics blog, written by chief political reporter David Postman, has confirmed that King County interm prosecutor Dan Satterberg will return a $770 donation by party activist Lori Sotelo. According to the post, “in 2005, Sotelo challenged registrations of more than 1,900 voters. She had to retract many of those after voters showed they were properly registered.” It is possible under law for a person to challenge a voters registration in a given county or district should the complainant have a reason to suspect that the accused registration is fraudulent or somehow illegitimate. Postman stated that certain local Democrats believed that the allegations were significant enough that they “should have led to perjury charges against Sotelo.”

Sotelo was acquitted by the late Norm Maleng.

Speaking to the media, Dan Satterberg explained that “Lori contributes to a lot of campaigns. I did not ask her for anything. ... She didn't do anything wrong by sending me a check. But I want to keep this above reproach.” Satterberg has declared that he will not accept any campaign donations from anybody reviewed by the prosecutors office for possible charges.

Election Sign Vandalism On the Rise

The West Seattle Blog has documented concerns about the growing amount of election sign vandalism happening in the Seattle area. However, the post reminds readers that election sign “vigilantes” are actually acting within the confines of the law. West Seattle Blog observes that “according to city sign regulations, under the heading 'Yard Signs Prohibited on Public Property,' city law prohibits placement of campaign signs on all public property.” These areas include (but are not limited to) “medians, boulevards, parks or public golf courses, greenbelts, rights of way to arterials or freeways, bridges or overpasses or planting strips that abut public property, such as schools, public buildings, parks or public golf courses.”

The post was prompted by an e-mail from a concerned supporter of Dan Satterberg who has been placing campaign signs in the WS Bridge area. The e-mail stated “twice now, they’ve been removed. For example, today around 4:00 there were many signs for Dan and some other school board candidates. At 6:30, all were removed and in a pile. Isn’t this illegal?” As it turns out, the Seattle City Clerks Office asserts that the only place where a campaign sign can't be removed is “planting strips abutting private property, with the consent of the property occupant.”

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