The first question lobbed at Sen. Doug Ericksen, R-Ferndale, Thursday morning at a press conference was regarding why he postponed that press conference.

Rachel LaCorte, with the Associated Press, pointed, if indirectly, to the irony of missing a press conference where he was supposed to explain how he’d balance the two jobs.

You can see that via TVW here:

The back-and-forth

Ericksen has gotten criticism for his acceptance of a position with the Environmental Protection Agency’s transition team for weeks now. We go over those critiques in detail here, but they boil down to two main points:

1. Ericksen’s absence could delay the critical work of the Legislature this session. He’s been absent from most of his committee meetings thus far.
2. The legality of Ericksen’s taking on a federal job, even if it’s temporary, is dubious since Washington law prohibits state lawmakers from working for the federal government.

Critics have also pointed out that he’s still accepting his annual salary as a state senator (though he’s said he’s not accepting his daily stipend, a separate payment).

Erickson responded to those counts with several arguments. He said:

1. He’s received legal and ethical counsel at the state and federal level that ensured him he could proceed with the second, temporary position with the EPA while still working full-time as a state senator.
2. He argued that the Democrats arguments about his missing committee meetings are politically motivated, and that his committees have a vice chair overseeing meetings, and that eight bills (four Democratic bills and four Republican bills) have made their way through committee. He also pointed to the work on the Senate floor: “I’d just like to highlight that (Wednesday) night on the Senate floor, the Majority Coalition Caucus passed out comprehensive education reform and funding package to meet the McCleary Decision. This is the only caucus and only leg chamber in Olympia that has passed comprehensive McCleary fix. So we’re getting the work done,” he said at the presser.
3. He reiterates that his role with the EPA is only temporary. It’s set for “up to 120 days” he said, but could end sooner. “It could be much less. It could be next week. Much of it depends upon the U.S. Senate and the confirmation process,” he said at the press conference.
4. Ericksen argues that his constituents support his dual jobs. “They’re excited I’m part of this process for the transition…And they think it could have incredible long term benefits for the 42nd district, for the state of Washington and also for our nation as we work through this transitional period,” he said at the presser.
5. He also said, when it comes to salary, that he’s “losing money” by flying back and forth.

Democratic response

“It’s beyond uncomfortable to watch Senator Ericksen try to justify holding two government jobs and pulling in two taxpayer-funded salaries while doing a terrible job at both,” said Washington State Democratic Party Chair Tina Podlodowski in a statement released Wednesday morning. “He admits that he’s missing nearly all the meetings of his committee and that he’s not even watching the testimony on bills he sponsored himself – but Ericksen seems to think he still deserves his full legislative salary, on top of all the free meals and gifts he’s pulled in from lobbyists PLUS his paycheck for doing Trump’s dirty work to essentially destroy EPA.”

Erin Fenner: erin@washingtonstatewire.com, @erinfenner

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