Jim Walsh (Washington politician)
James W. Walsh[2] (born 1964)[3] is a Republican member of the Washington State House of Representatives.[4]
Jim Walsh | |
---|---|
Member of the Washington House of Representatives from the 19th district | |
Assumed office December 8, 2016 | |
Preceded by | JD Rossetti |
Personal details | |
Born | 1964 (age 58–59) Jacksonville, Florida[1] |
Political party | Republican |
Alma mater | Amherst College (BA) |
Walsh attended Amherst College, graduating cum laude in 1986. He formed a small publishing company in 1998 that he continues to operate today. He lives in Aberdeen with the youngest of his five children, who attends school in the area. His wife was killed in a car crash on October 24, 2022, after a logging truck swerved into her lane on Highway 101.[5]
He was first elected to the state legislature in 2016 after getting an endorsement from Matt Shea. He represents the 19th Legislative District, including parts of Grays Harbor, Pacific, Cowlitz, Wahkiakum, Thurston and Lewis counties.[6]
As a Representative, Walsh actively focuses on issues related to economic development, rural issues, culture wars and personal freedom. He has a very popular weekly legislative Q&A video series with over 26,000 followers.[7]
In October 2018, roughly two weeks before the elections, Walsh was sued by two constituents for banning them from his Facebook page. The constituents argued that Walsh's actions constituted a violation of their first amendment rights. Walsh countered that they were blocked from his page for defaming his supporters and specifically bashing on Christians, claiming he had warned them to stop their disruptive posts on multiple occasions before finally removing them.[8] The chief plaintiff in the lawsuit, Jeff Nichols of Montesano, was the outgoing chair of the 19th Legislative District Democrats at the time.[9]
In 2021, Walsh wore a yellow Star of David (the symbol that Nazis forced Jews to wear during the Holocaust), likening individuals who refuse to vaccinate against COVID-19 to the Jews in Nazi Germany. Walsh said, "In the current context, we’re all Jews." The Seattle-based Holocaust Center for Humanity said that Walsh trivialized the Holocaust and distorted history.[10] He subsequently apologized recognizing that this "gesture went too far."[11]
Representative Walsh currently serves on the following committees for the 2023-2024 session:
Civil Rights & Judiciary (Ranking Minority Member) Human Services, Youth, & Early Learning Rules Transportation [12]
After incumbent Washington Republican Party chair Caleb Heimlich announced on June 6, 2023, that he was stepping down, Walsh announced a run for the chairmanship.[13] On August 12, 2023, Walsh was elected at chairman of the state party.[14]
Under Walsh's chairmanship, the Skagit GOP Chair Bill Bruch represented the Washington GOP at a controversial two day Mike Lindell Election Crime Bureau Summit in Springfield, MO.[15]
Walsh has been criticized for his connection to extremists organizations including those on Facebook groups. Groups included connections to the Proud Boys, Ammon Bundy and Christian nationalist paramilitary figure Matt Shea were reported. [16]
In May 2020,Representatives Walsh, Matt Shea, and Vicki Kraft — rallied alongside white nationalist groups Patriot Prayer and Three Percenters in protest of the state’s covid policy & stay at home order. All three elected officials spoke at the rally, alongside Patriot Prayer leader Joey Gibson. [17]
According to a Southern Poverty Law Center article in 2016, Walsh was listed as one of a group of elected officials and known candidates with “constitutionalist” or antigovernment movement associations, or who have engaged in enacting the movement’s extremist agenda in the Pacific Northwest. [18]
In September 2023 Walsh used his Twitter feed on multiple occasions to retweet anti-LGBT rhetoric from the controversial far-right anti-LGBT organization Gays Against Groomers. This organization promotes the false LGBT Grooming conspiracy theory, according to the Anti Defamation League, has ties to other far right extremist groups and “peddles dangerous and misleading narratives about the LGBTQ+ community” [19][20] [21]
Walsh spoke at the Great Northwest Awakening event on October 21 sponsored by MyPillow in Southwest Washington. Other controversial figures speaking included Dr. Stella Gwandiku-Ambe Immanuel, a Texas physician and pastor who has claimed endometriosis, infertility, miscarriage, and sexually transmitted infections are caused by “spirit spouses.” She has also endorsed controversial theories claiming space aliens and the Illuminati are manipulating society and government. Also presented: Former Ohio math teacher Dr. Douglas Frank who claimed he created an algorithm that proved widespread fraud had occurred during the 2020 election. Mathematicians, statisticians and election experts found significant flaws in Frank’s analysis. [22] [23]
References
- "Jim Walsh's Biography". VoteSmart. Retrieved 2021-12-24.
- "Summary, Full Report Receipts and Expenditures, James W Walsh". Public Disclosure Commission, State of Washington. 2018-08-09. Retrieved 2021-12-14.
- "Legislative Manual 2021-2022" (PDF). Washington State Legislature.
- "About Rep. Jim Walsh". Jim Walsh. Retrieved 2020-01-31.
- "https://www.chinookobserver.com/news/local/state-representatives-wife-dies-in-traffic-accident/article_1fbe4abc-5405-11ed-a525-b7f08d39e7fd.html
- "November 8, 2016 General Election Results - Legislative District 19 - State Representative Pos. 1". results.vote.wa.gov. Retrieved 2020-01-31.
- "Jim Walsh Videos". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2023-04-13.
- Press, Rachel La Corte | Associated (2018-10-26). "Lawmaker sued for banning 2 constituents from Facebook page". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 2020-01-31.
- “19th Legislative District Democrats”. 19th LDDC. Retrieved 2020-01-31.
- "Washington lawmaker wears yellow Star of David, evoking Nazi persecution, to protest COVID vaccine mandates". The Seattle Times. 2021-06-30. Retrieved 2021-06-30.
- Cox, Chelsey. "Washington state lawmaker apologizes for wearing yellow star to protest covid restrictions". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2023-04-13.
- "House of Representatives". Directory and committees. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
- Brunner, Jim (7 June 2023). "WA Republican chair Caleb Heimlich stepping down". The Daily News.
- Times, Claire Withycombe / The Seattle (2023-08-13). "State Rep. Jim Walsh elected as state Republican Party chair". The Daily Chronicle. Retrieved 2023-08-14.
- https://skagitrepublicans.com/BillBruchRepresentsWashingtonStateatLindellElectionCrimeBureauSummit
- https://www.irehr.org/reports/breaching-the-mainstream/chapter-3-profiles-in-far-right-mainstreaming/the-ultimate-joiner-jim-walsh/
- https://www.howtofightantisemitism.com/timeline/reopen-may9-20
- https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2016/05/16/some-northwest-elected-officials-candidates-embrace-extremist-%E2%80%98patriot%E2%80%99-agenda-federal
- https://twitter.com/againstgrmrs?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
- https://www.mediamatters.org/qanon-conspiracy-theory/grifter-gays-how-conspiracy-theorists-and-right-wing-operatives-created
- https://waprogress.com/news/2023/10/from-washington-state-to-washington-dc-republicans-mired-by-conspiracies-and-hyperpartisanship/
- https://blogs.columbian.com/all-politics-is-local/conservative-gathering-brings-controversial-guest-speakers-to-clark-county/
- https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/news/area-residents-gather-for-the-great-northwest-awakening/