Randy Dorn says I-1240 is unconstitutional; he may go to court to overturn the initiative

[eridani]

http://www.nwprogressive.org/weblog/2012/11/randy-dorn-says-i-1240-is-unconstitutional-he-may-go-to-court-to-overturn-the-initiative.html

Washington Superintendent of Public Schools Randy Dorn is contemplating legal action against I-1240, the charter schools initiative financed by Bill Gates, Paul Allen, and Jeff Bezos, Q13 Fox’s C.R. Douglas reported last night.

“Creating a new agency under the governor’s office to oversee ten to forty public schools, to me, is a clear violation of the Constitution,” Dorn told Douglas, one of Seattle’s most respected political reporters.

Dorn, whose reelection was assured after he received more than fifty percent of the vote in the August winnowing election, seems intent on moving forward with a lawsuit. He says he wants to talk to the attorney general’s office before he makes a move. But the A.G. is responsible for defending initiatives that the voters pass. They’re required to do that. They would have to defend against any suit Dorn files. So we’re not sure why Dorn would consult with them about legal strategy.

If Dorn wants the initiative overturned, he’ll need to engage his own counsel, like the Democratic lawmakers who filed suit to have I-1053 thrown out as unconstitutional. (They and the other plaintiffs retained Paul Lawrence of the Pacifica Law Group to represent them in court).

[Wounded Bear]

1. This surprises me in some ways...

I thought Dorn came from Republican roots and would support charters. This bears watching.

[freshwest]

2. Any update on this, anyone? TIA.