Dori's latest 'outrage' falls like a pregnant pole vaulter

Dori Monson (KIRO m-f, 12-3p) has launched another of his futile efforts to influence Seattle government. It's his latest "outrage."

As usual, the only attention it's getting is from BlatherWatch. (He doesn't even take callers anymore).

(Dori's recent "spring spheres," War on Easter story was apocryphal, there was no proof that it actually occurred. The egg was left on Dori's face and that of the KIRO "reporter" who put up the story with no sources. He's never acknowleged its debunking).

This time it's his Operation Direct Democracy, an effort to get listeners to bitch to Seattle officials for the payment of $1.5 million to the family of the harmless man a rookie cop gunned down last year.

Dori is trying to get listeners to call the Mayor to ask them why he settled for such a large amount. (Obviously, people related to garbage don't deserve that kind of money. That kind of money is for Dori's kind of people: mean, self-centered, white people who live in the McMansioned suburbs with their granite countertops, and silly dogs).

He asks the Mayor:

- How did you arrive at the $1.5 million settlement figure?

- Williams was a career criminal with over 30 convictions and had threatened to kill a police officer just a week before he was killed - did the cost of his lifetime of crime figure into the settlement?

- His family will receive this windfall. What effort had the family made to get their loved one sober and off the streets?

- In a statement, the City wrote "The mediation (is) aimed at building trust between the SPD and the Native American Community". Is it appropriate to use $1.5 million to "build trust"?

The hit stunk to high heaven, it was ruled thus, and the cop resigned so as not to face institutional charges. He barely squeaked by without a criminal indictment from the county prosecutor. There still may be federal charges.

The city settled with relatives to avoid having to defend the hit to a civil jury.

The woodcarver was an Indian, a well-known street drunk, and had many related convictions. He's the kind of person Dori regularly terms "garbage people." (Garbage should be taken to the curb, and, we guess, gunning it down is one way of doing that)

The people who matter in this matter - Seattleites - won't be contacting the mayor at Dori's behest. That's because we like Seattle for what it is, for who we are: A city with a big heart who tries to do the right thing when a public servant has so thoroughly fucked-up on our behalf.

We live in Seattle precisely because we share the values and spirit of a city government who tries to "[build] trust between the SPD and the Native American Community."

As so many talk hosts, Dori's big white ass is lodged in a suburb in a big fat house surrounded by his own kind. He has no need to get along with a population so diverse that it includes street drunks, tech millionaires, Muslim head scarves, and Sephardic Jews.

This is another Monson "outrage" that's going nowhere, unlike last year when he bitched when the city let the Ethiopian community use Key Arena for the funeral of the 5 kids burned to death in a fire. Dori had to back off after management bit his ass. But he didn't apologize, or even acknowledge the backlash to his "outrage."

Comments

[Chucks]

Besides, it is not real money anyway. It is just the taxpayers tithing's. The family likely will just get a million as the lawyer will get at least a half million.
Really, how can you put a dollar value on a 30 times convicted, alcohol and drug addled, life of cop threatening citizen. The race of the guy should not matter. He was still a valuable part of the community.
It is not like Seattle is the only jurisdiction in the state that pays big money, without trial, to keep different groups of constituents voting correctly.
Tacoma just paid big money to a Russian family because a cop slept through an Amber Alert opportunity and a child died.
You folks in Seattle need to pick a site and build a park to honor your fallen criminal. It is the least you can do.

[2 degrees left of center]

This is one time in the last ten years that I can actually agree with Dori Monson. Should the family of John Williams have received one dime from the City of Seattle? Absolutely not.

[Andrew]

The underlying question is 'why does anyone deserve monetary compensation for an intangible loss?' What's the difference between 1.5 million and a buck fifty when you're trying to price something that money can't buy? All Dori is really saying is "1.5 mil is too much boo hoo." I disagree. Fuck you.

It can be fun to listen to someone with a dissenting opinion, but when their argument boils down to "it's too much money because I'm heartless and greedy", then it's just plain tedious.

[Radio Queen]

Andrew, I'm not sure how you came up with your opinion that Dori's argument on this particular topic is based on him being heartless and greedy, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't by listening to his show. Here's the link to his blog post about it--seems pretty reasonable with some legitimate questions.
http://mynorthwest.com/?nid=76&sid=474457. And BTW, what's plain tedious is the F word in almost every one of your posts. Try to become more articulate and maybe someone will actually listen to you.

[Radio Queen]

Correction: The comment about the F word was meant for all posters on this blog--not just Andrew. Sorry I didn't state it more clearly.

[Jovita]

Funny coming From a Female with a Fairly Familiar Focal point. First, to be Frank, Facilitating Firmness with this Fine little Family will bring Failure in the near Future. I think you are Foolish to Fool around with the Framework of this eFFin' Fantastic Freewheeling Funhouse. Finally Face it, you're talkin' to a Freein' Fencepost.
I bid you a Fond Fairwell.

[Radio Queen]

OK, that's pretty F'ing Funny. Refreshing to see a sense of humor on this blog for a change.

[Pete]

The city paid out $1.5 million for one reason and one reason only: their attorneys determined that if they went to trial with the family's lawsuit, they would have to pay out more, possibly a lot more. It's no more complicated than that.

Monson knows this, of course. It's called the rule of law, and in other circumstances (i.e., ones where he can even remotely claim to be the victim) he supports it endlessly. What he's doing here is just one more exploitative chapter in his legacy as a despicable human being, one who's now making a regular part of his schtick kicking people when they're down or have suffered tragedy.

It's like giving Fred Phelps ("God Hates Fags") a major market radio show, except that, twisted as they are, at least Phelps is motivated by his religious beliefs. Monson's only religion is himself.

[Itchy]

Dori wants his listeners to call the Mayor's office and ask the Mayor these questions because the Mayor will not come on Dori's show.

That's what's really chewing at Dori's nuts. The Mayor, and most other dignified elected officials will do talk to all sorts of reporters but they no longer go on Dori's show because he calls them names and ridicules them and makes absurd comments about them.

If I was an elected official I sure wouldn't go on that show either.

[Mike D]

Sigh. Always sad to see how far the li'l dingleberry has fallen.

[AprilMayJune]

It is amazing how far Dori has fallen. At one time, he was rational. Now he is just shrill. Is he turning into a grumpy old man? Will he soon be yelling "you kids get off my lawn" at Jessica and the other side-kick?

[joanie]

You stole my thunder, Pete. In this litigious age, I can't believe you folks don't know the routine: sue. And in front of a jury, a on a public street with witnesses a cop shoots an unarmed man - a known artist no less - in the back? 1.5 mill is cheap. Dori should be thanking the mayor.

I like you, Itchy. You've got Dori's number like no one else. Truth is, a lot of people are getting a little tired of the rightwing blather, talking points and over-reactions. It's high time.

Kind of funny how much value the right places on a glob of undifferentiated cells when it comes to letting women decide what to do with their own bodies and how little value they put on those same developed feeling and thinking humans later on.

[Tommy008]

That Monson might privately feel the amount was too high but was raised with enough decency to never dream of making a public campaign to contact the Mayor about it is one thing. Of course we all know that's not Dori. The fact that he is making a public specracle like this over it is not only asinine and unseemly, it's incredibly small and meanspirited. Unbelievable. A new low.

[joanie]

So sorry but I just had to post this on our current thread. After all, our resident expert on small businesses and taxes must see this although I'm sure he'll call it BS. Seems that Small Business Owners Demand Repeal Of Bush Tax Cuts For The Rich

But I'm sure chux is waaaay smarter than these guys.

[Chucks]

Joanie whimpers at the death of Osama and now continues for an alcoholic street urchin, armed with a knife, in his hand. A man with some 30 criminal convictions but will defend to her grave the joy of ripping innocent children, willy nilly from what should be the safest place in their little lives.
The cop has not been convicted of anything, yet you are determined to undermine his actions and convict him without bother of a trial.
A man 15 feet away can close the gap and slice a cop in 3 seconds. We will never know what caused the cop to fear for his or somebody else's life. I have not heard any evidence, like everybody else here, but I doubt killing that man was the cops goal or even on his mind when he got out of the car to question him. I wonder what happened.

[Andrew]

Pete said "Monson knows this, of course."

It's totally disingenuous. He's crystal clear on matters of legality one second, and then ignorant of it once it suits his narrative. And what is that narrative? All the sudden he's more concerned about how the family didn't care much for the homeless man when he was alive, and less concerned about how an innocent man was gunned down by a cop in four seconds. I heard his show, his description of the innocent victim was vicious. And I wonder if he'd be so sided, accusatory and condemning if the victim were white. Between this and the Etheopian funeral incident, I'm convinced that he's xenophobic, if not something much worse.

"What he's doing here is just one more exploitative chapter in his legacy as a despicable human being, one who's now making a regular part of his schtick kicking people when they're down or have suffered tragedy."

Good stuff.

[Chucks]

I may be way smarter than those guys. You can always find people with differing opinions at all levels and "classes". Is that supposed to be impressive.
For many years, as finance and business manager processing $20,000,000.00 to $45,000,000.00 in sales per year for car and RV dealerships, I may have picked up a few of my own ideas along the way. I certainly learned more, eyeball to eyeball with real live customers, real live dealers, real live salesmen and real live bankers then you or I might pick up in an article in the Huffington Post.
Next. I guess all of these years dealing with first graders has made you feel superior. But, are you smarter than a fifth grader?

[Andrew]

chucks says "A man 15 feet away can close the gap and slice a cop in 3 seconds. We will never know what caused the cop to fear for his or somebody else's life. I have not heard any evidence, like everybody else here, but I doubt killing that man was the cops goal or even on his mind when he got out of the car to question him. I wonder what happened."

A review board was made aware of these details and decide the cop shouldn't keep his job, so it's pretty obvious where fault lies, and the only reason he wasn't charged is because there's a law that protects police officers from their own incompetence, stating that a cop can't be charged with murer or manslaughter unless malice can be proven, if I recall, as I don't care enough about you to double check the specifics.

It amazes me that you'd contort logic and reason just to defend this basically indefensible white cop. Like the black jury that acquited a clearly guilty OJ Simpson, it's sad to know that some people's sick allegiance to their own skin color trumps common sense and obviousness, or even justice.

[Tommy008]

Monson had an old drunk, chronic alcoholic uncle who was a neerdowell who couldnt hold a job. he's talked about him on his show. I doubt Monson would be coming down on the mayor for paying the Monson family 1.5 million if his old uncle had been holding the pen knife and killed by the cop. Xenophobia.....or just ugly racism?.....someone has to say it.....

[Andrew]

I can hear Monson now bemoaning how his drunk uncle would never have the opportunity to better himself, how he was cut down at a low point in his life just as he was on the way back up, never attend another family function, or any function, ever again. I can hear Monson saying someone has to be held accountable, and that accountability this day in age come in the form of monetary damages, and that the money is awarded to the next of kin, whoever that might be. The short guy might be a switch hitter, but he's always batting for team Monson.

[Chucks]

A review board was made aware of these details and decide the cop shouldn't keep his job, so it's pretty obvious where fault lies, and the only reason he wasn't charged is because there's a law that protects police officers........
A review board is political. It is Seattle. A trial will let the whole truth out. The cop, the taxpayers and the victims family deserve the truth. Until evidence is presented, I stand with the cops innocence. If he is proven guilty, he can go to Walla Walla and get butt raped for all I care.

[Tommy008]

In Monson's judgmental, pious little world Williams life starts out being worth a set amount of money , but diminishes in value by a big chunk for every time he was arrested, an even bigger chunk for every time he was put in jail and another big chunk for every time he was picked up by an ambulance for a drive to the detox unit or the hospital. He feels that the life of Dori Monson, the goody-two-shoes and high school girls team coach, the man who made "good life choices" all his life, is easily worth 1.5 milion , but human garbage Williams' life is only worth 40 to 50 thousand dollars.

[Radio Queen]

Isn't it great that the family is on the city's doorstep to collect their money? I just wonder where they were when this poor soul was sleeping on those same city steps.

[joanie]

Another assumption, Queen? If you are "wondering where they were," then you don't know. Why so judgmental?

Chux never tires of exaggeration, does he?

[joanie]

BTW, how much is a family member of the Queen's worth?

[Pete]

I'll say it again: the city paid the money because if they didn't, their lawyers believed that a court would order them to pay more. The motivation of the city (and of McGinn, who signed off on the settlement) was to save taxpayers' money.

The details of Williams' life, and whether the officer was accused of a crime, are irrelevant. Whether any of us think Williams was scum who had it coming, or was murdered in cold blood, or anything in between, is irrelevant. This is all about an economic calculation based on lawyers' assessments of what a judge and jury in a civil suit (which does not determine guilt) would conclude.

And again: Monson knows this. In other circumstances, his "outrage" will be all about "saving taxpayers' money," which is exactly what happened here. But in this case, he'd rather whip listeners into a frenzy and send the to harass whoever the poor city hall receptionists are for - for why again, exactly?

We know why. Based on his own words, we can also make some assumptions about race and class, but the bottom line is that he does it because he thinks it's "entertaining."

It's not because he cares about the issue. If he truly believes the judgment of city lawyers in a legal matter is incorrect, he could sic his listeners on them. But that's not his argument, and besides, if he did that, he'd get sued. He'd rather pick on people who can't fight back - the Williams family - and have his listeners pick on people who can't fight back - McGinn's receptionists - for totally spurious reasons.

I have no problem with Monson ideologically. I consider John Carlson, for example, to be a civic treasure. My problem with Monson is that he's a cynical, dishonest, cruel, narcissistic bully who abuses his privilege to be on the radio. It's long, long, long past time he was fired.

[Pete]

Here's another way to assess Monson's latest stunt, based on what he chose not to do. If he felt that city lawyers were correct but that it's unfair that a jury or judge award so much money in a case like this, he could whip up his listeners to pressure Olympia for tort reform. He could draft legislation (like Wilbur and Carlson have). He could call it the "Protecting Our Valiant Peace Officers Act of 2011." A lot of people would agree with him. I'd probably be one.

But Monson doesn't do positive actions. He does negative outrage. And he doesn't build the kind of coalitions that get legislation passed; that's hard work. He picks on people (and gets his listeners to pick on people) who can't fight back. And he doesn't give a rip about the issues he endlessly blusters about; he cares only about promoting himself, by any means necessary. As long as it doesn't involve making a difference, or helping people in any way.

Dave Ross saved the fireworks. Even the vacuous Ron & Don spent weeks on Japan relief. Monson? He'd sooner piss on his mother if he thought there were ratings in it. Fire him.

[StarTheWonderDog]

And he gets you worked up and he gets ratings and he is practically the star of this blog and with his connection to the 'Hawks he is an extreme valuable asset to Bonneville and one of his ardent fans is Tommy. End of conversation, your entitled to your incorrect opinion though.

[Andrew]

Fine. Then put him on 710 ESPN, or whatever it's called. Make room for the talented and funny John Curley.

[Pete]

STWQ: Funny how Monson's defenders can never defend the merits of his arguments, or even the morality of his behavior. It's always some variation of "But I like him!" or "But he's popular!" That excuses nothing.

Thing is, your opinions or my opinions don't hurt people, or much matter at all. With his megaphone and his bile, Monson's fake "opinions" do matter and do hurt real people. And Bonneville is not only being grossly irresponsible in continuing to broadcast him, but they are courting a very large PR disaster when he, inevitably, really does step over the line of public decency in a way nobody will ignore. A whole lot of people with far less risk can quite capably pitch Gutter Helmets or suck up to offensive linemen.

[Radio Queen]

"Another assumption, Queen? If you are "wondering where they were," then you don't know. Why so judgmental?
Posted by: joanie|May 06, 2011 at 08:06AM

No assumption on my part, just a question that hasn't been asked or answered. Guess you don't know either.

BTW, how much is a family member of the Queen's worth?
Posted by: joanie|May 06, 2011 at 08:07AM

And, as usual, a personalized post that has nothing to do with anything.

[joanie]

You and I both know that post was loaded with assumptions and insinuation. Too bad you can't or won't answer honestly.

Double standard? Insinuate what his life is worth but yours is off limits.

So typical.

[Jake Bottero]

Dori Monson is the most loathsome "talker" on Seattle radio. Clearly, he's angling for a "move up" in the Talk Radio World to a nationally syndicated right wing blatherfest, or perhaps a half-hour hate filled fiesta on Fox... Shameful. And so appropriately followed by Steroid Monsters, Ron and Don...