An Officer of the Court

I used this symbol because before Mr. McKenna was elected as Washington State's 

Attorney General, he was admitted to the Washington State Bar; which made him an 

Officer of the Court. 

via The Seattle Times:

August 28, 2012 at 10:30 AM
McKenna: Legalization of marijuana not a states’ rights issue
Posted by Andrew Garber

Republican gubernatorial candidate Rob McKenna said legalization of marijuana is not a states’ rights issue, when asked Tuesday what he’d do as governor if voters approved Initiative 502 in November.

“I don’t think it’s a states’ rights issue. I think you have federal supremacy when it comes to laws like this,” he told reporters in a conference call. “If our state attempts to legalize a product, which is still criminalized under federal law, the feds will move forward and prosecute under federal law.”

I-502 would legalize possession and sale of up to 1 ounce of marijuana. It would impose a steep excise tax on marijuana and cannabis-infused products at new state-licensed marijuana stores, and would allow state-regulated grow farms.

McKenna opposes the measure, as does his Democratic challenger Jay Inslee. When pressed for details about what he’d do if the measure was approved, McKenna declined comment.

“I don’t want to comment on what could happen with a law that’s not going to pass. If it passes in November, we’ll evaluate what actions we need to take,” he said.

McKenna also said Tuesday he would not release his income tax returns.

Inslee released five years of federal income-tax returns last week and called on McKenna to do the same. McKenna has said previously he wouldn’t release the documents, but his campaign indicated last week that he was reconsidering.

On Tuesday, McKenna reaffirmed his earlier position. “It’s a phony issue. Anyone who wants to know what my salary is, what property I own, what debts I have, etc., can look at that on my F1 (financial disclosure reports),” McKenna said.  read

Something is phony alright! I'm certain it is Mr. McKenna.  The man is entitled to his personal opinions, as are we all. However, recognizing what is and is not within the rights of the citizens who reside in the State of Washington, is not not simply a matter of his own personal opinions; but a matter of Law. McKenna seems to be confused about the Law itself; indeed, he is seems confused about the role of an Attorney General. Those who wish may look at Mr. McKenna's F1 file; he could simply be open, honest and forthright to save the voting public the trouble, couldn't he?    

I admit I'm biased...But I happen to know that Mr. McKenna as the Attorney General, has failed to prosecute people who victimize vulnerable adults and children; and I take that personally, it's impossible for me not to. He has failed to defend victims of crime, failed to investigate and prosecute crimes when the perpetrators are State employees, or contracted service providers, acting under the State's authority. One of the victims, is my son.  More than a year after informing Mr. McKenna's office of felony crimes having been committed in Superior  Court; I received a response from his office.  Since he is the AG, he is an Officer of the Court, and the head of Washington State Law Enforcement; I don't believe waiting to respond for over a year after a person contacts his office reporting the crimes of fraud and perjury being perpetrated by service providers operating under the authority granted to them by the State of Washington is doing his job ethically or honestly...The AG's Executive Assistant characterized my contact with Mr. McKenna's office as recent, which is not accurate.

As I stated, we're all entitled to our own opinions, and I have one I'd like to share.

 McKenna is a 

Washington State to get $4.6 million of the $181 million from J&J

What about the primary victims?

via seattlepi.com:

Johnson & Johnson subsidiary to pay record amount to settle off-label marketing charges for antipsychotic drugs

Posted by Rita R. Robison on August 30, 2012 at 5:40 pm

"Attorneys general in 37 states reached a record $181 million dollar settlement with Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc., a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson. They allege that Janssen improperly marketed the antipsychotic drugs Risperdal, Risperdal Consta, Risperdal M-Tab, and Invega.

"The lawsuit charges that Janssen engaged in unfair and deceptive practices when it promoted the antipsychotic drugs for unapproved or off-label uses.

"Washington state will receive more than $4.6 million to be used for enforcement and grants that will benefit people who suffer from the conditions the drugs were illegally marketed for, Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna said in a statement" Rita R. Robison

No offense to Ms. Robison, but the alarm on my detector is shrieking...

Ms. Robison posted this comment to her article:

"These drugs, which have serious side effects, were market(sic) for treating kids and seniors, although the drug company had no evidence the drugs were effective for these age groups." 

via Seattle Times:

Originally published Thursday, August 30, 2012 at 3:02 PM

Business Highlights
NY AG: Janssen pays $181M over drug marketing

"ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc. and parent company Johnson & Johnson on Thursday announced a $181 million settlement with 36 states and the District of Columbia over charges of marketing anti-psychotic drugs for non-approved uses.

"New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, representing one of the states involved, claimed in a court filing that Janssen engaged in deceptive practices from 1998 to at least 2004 in the marketing of the drugs Risperdal, Risperdal Consta, Risperdal M-Tab and Invega. The multistate settlement comes amid a similar federal case that is still pending."

Schneiderman said the company promoted "off-label" uses of the drugs not approved by the Food and Drug Administration. For instance, Janssen is accused of promoting Risperdal, which is used to treat schizophrenia and other mental illnesses, for non-approved uses including dementia, anger management and anxiety. Janssen rewarded doctors who prescribed and promoted Risperdal for unapproved uses with lucrative consulting agreements, according to Schneiderman's complaint. 

(emphasis mine) here

I would only add, not only did the drug complany have no evidence the drugs were effective for any "off label" uses; J&J had no evidence the drugs were SAFE for children or the elderly...
I'd be a whole lot happier to read that primary victims will be helped to recover from their iatrogenic injuries...some of the victims were children...one of them, is my son...

Does anyone besides me wonder, how many children are on Risperdal in Washington State right now? How many children are still being prescribed Risperdal (or any other neuroleptic drug) "off label"?

Washington State's Attorney General, Rob McKenna Protects Perpetrators Instead of Victims

First published September 7, 2011 

Girls who were sexually assaulted at two psychiatric facilities in Washington State were not protected by Child Protective Services. In both instances, Mandated Reporters failed to report repeated sexual assaults of two teen-age girls, as required by law.

Child Study and Treatment Center

The facilities where these sexual assaults occurred are Child Study and Treatment Center, the State of Washington's psychiatric research facility for children and adolescents, above left; and Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center pictured below. In both of these facilities staff who had a duty to report to Law Enforcement and to Child Protective Services did not, and when these events were finally investigated none of the staff who failed to report, were held accountable.

Children's Hospital

In both cases the perpetrators were risks known to hospital staff. Both perpetrators had sexually assaulted other girls in the facilities, prior to assaulting the girls this blog post is about. In neither  case were any mandated reporters prosecuted for the gross misdemeanor crime of failure to report; and no one lost their job.

My son was at CSTC when these the rapes at CSTC occurred. It was apparent to me on visits that Anthony Grant was preying on the girls---I repeatedly complained to staff. I was told he needed, "more training;" later I discovered this inappropriate response was being made by the same staff psychologist who managed to get Angel to recant...which allowed Anthony grant to remain on staff, to rape another girl. story here

The girl who was assaulted at Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center was assaulted by another patient who had sexually assaulted another patient a year before. The second assault was caught on video; but after watching the video, the staff member erased it. The crime was not reported to the Police, and the victim did not receive immediate appropriate medical attention. In fact, the crime was not reported until the victim complained about ongoing abuse from the perpetrator---who had been put in a room right next to the victim! Supposedly, here in Washington State, destroying evidence of a crime is a crime; and Failure to Report to Law Enforcement and CPS the sexual assault of these girls is a gross misdemeanor. When CPS does eventually "investigate," it's findings were inconclusive?! I'd be willing to bet the perpetrator in the second case is a Ward of the State and identified as a 'Sexually Aggressive Youth' which meant the State failed to provide protection against KNOWN threats in both cases.

via The Seattle Times:

"For several days, until the girl found the courage to report the assault to staff, the boy passed her sexually suggestive notes, came into her room while she slept and asked to have sex, and forced his way into the restroom to proposition her, according to the CPS findings and the girl's parents."

"It was then that the girl told staff, who called CPS. Police were also contacted, and the boy was charged in Seattle Municipal Court with one count of assault and one count of communicating with a minor for immoral purposes."

"Despite the apologies, the girl's parents say they still are confused. They learned in a letter from Children's that a videotape that had recorded the assault in the conference room had been reviewed by Anne Moore, the unit manager, but had then been erased. And it wasn't until about 12 months after their daughter's assault — after CPS had been made aware that another girl on the unit in the summer of 2006 said the same boy assaulted her — that CPS conducted a full investigation." here.

In both cases, Psychiatric Hospital Staff failed to protect their patients from a known threat; which is what both perpetrators were after the first incidents. ONE Victim of sexual assault was not enough to fire the Staff member at the State's Psychiatric facility for children. A video tape of a crime was not enough for Staff at Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center to act on a traumatized victim's behalf. No staff members lost their jobs for failing to report a sexual assault as required by law. Every one of them had a duty to protect and were negligent, and failed their duty to these girls, whom they had a duty to protect.

Things that trouble me greatly about both of these cases: Both perpetrators were allowed to plea to lesser crimes, even though both had known prior victims...Staff members were aware of the danger the perpetrators posed to the girls. In both cases, reports were filed ONLY after the traumatized victims came forward themselves. Psychiatric professionals failed to reach out to sexually traumatized victims; and I cannot wrap my mind around that---it is not acceptable, it is criminal.

I can only conclude that prosecuting crimes committed against vulnerable children is not a priority for Rob McKenna, our Attorney General. What other explanation could there be for mandated reporters working in the only State Psychiatric facility for children, Child Study and Treatment Center and at the world renown, Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center not being prosecuted for the Gross Misdemeanor Crime of failure to report? Rob McKenna failed as well.

It is individuals who work for the people of the State of Washington who failed these girls. It is not the system that fails our vulnerable children and adults. The idea that 'the system' is failing; or is broken is an notion that has allowed individuals who are negligent in the performance of their duties, to be rewarded with impunity for their complicity. Individuals who fail to report crimes, and fail to defend children and vulnerable adults to whom they owe a duty, are culpable in the crimes they fail to report, and should be held accountable in a Court of Law, by the Attorney General who also owes these victims a duty. Child and Adult protective services, "The System," cannot be fixed without holding those entrusted to watch out for children and vulnerable adults accountable when they are criminally negligent. Failure to hold State employees and other contracted professionals the public pays to work with vulnerable children and adults accountable increases the State of Washington's potential liability; one would think this would be incentive for the State of Washington to act proactively in behalf of children and vulnerable adults.

Some of the people who failed my son, Isaac, have since retired with pensions. Attorney General, Rob McKenna failed to even do a cursory investigation, not even a simple interview in response to the criminal complaint I filed on my son's behalf. This tells me that Rob McKenna protects perpetrators much more zealously than he protects children or vulnerable adults who are victimized by state employees or agents of the state.