Have you ever broken your own heart? Because that’s precisely what I’m about to do.

Agreeing with agency staff, the Public Disclosure Commission on a 4-1 vote just found multiple apparent violations with the state Republican Party having used money from its exempt account to pay for three pre-primary mailers that promoted GOP gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi.

The Public Disclosure Commission on a vote of 3-1 has just reluctantly approved a stipulated agreement with the Washington Realtors’ Quality of Life PAC for a $130,000 fine for sloppy reporting of its campaign activities from 2004 through 2007.

One thing that came out of last week’s Herald editorial board meeting with Rep. Larry Haler, R-Richland, and his Republican challenger Rob Welch was this little nugget that will be of interest to anyone who follows the Legislature.

U.S. Rep. Doc Hastings, R-Pasco, will serve as the ranking Republican on the four lawmaker investigative team named today by the House ethics committee in its investigation of New York Democratic Rep. Charles Rangel.

SurveyUSA has a new poll out this week showing Democratic Gov. Chris Gregoire with a 50 percent to 48 percent lead over Republican Dino Rossi. That marks positive movement for Gregoire since the firm’s last poll two weeks ago.

Just for kicks, here’s a multiple choice question. What in tarnation are these people talking about?

An odd and and end for your here...

In a rare move the state’s Public Disclosure Commission on Thursday will take up a complaint filed a month ago charging the state Republican Party with illegally using exempt campaign funds to pay for mailers supporting Dino Rossi.

State Rep. Larry Haler, R-Richland, is no longer serving on the House Technology, Energy and Communications Committee, a development that is of marginal consequence given Republicans’ minority status. But it’s how he lost it that is worth noting.

A few mishmashes, er, mishmashings, I mean, er, mishmashi? Forget it. A few odds and ends for you here...

A few odds and ends for your viewing pleasure...

Tim Eyman gets his own movie. No (bleep).

The Attorney General’s Office just announced that it has filed lawsuits against the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties and the Building Industry Association of Washington’s Member Services Corporation.

The latest poll out of Atlanta-based GOP pollster Strategic Vision has Barack Obama and Joe Biden up by four points in Washington over John McCain and Sarah Palin while Republican Dino Rossi narrowly leads Gov. Chris Gregoire.

Every now and again reporters get a press release that is quickly followed by “corrected” versions of the press release. And you know what that makes us do — actually read the old press release.

I don’t recall if I wrote about the original complaint but the News Tribune’s Political Buzz blog has the scoop on the Executive Ethics Board dismissing a Republican Party complaint that Gov. Chris Gregoire used state funds for campaign purposes.

U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., and Washington Secretary of State Sam Reed just wrapped up a conference call with reporters to get the word out about the Department of Veterans Affairs new directive allowing nonpartisan groups to conduct voter registration drives at VA facilities.

Projected tax collections are down $529 million, which will serve to only widen the state’s budget gap.

A few quick odds and ends for you here...

Republican Attorney General Rob McKenna and Democratic challenger John Ladenburg met with the Herald editorial board Tuesday and the one-term incumbent offered a noteworthy take on two notable issues.

A few odds and ends here as the news continues to pile up...

It’s no secret some politicians make better targets for wise cracks than others. And Lieutenant Gov. Brad Owen, ever the stickler for decorum and seriousness, is pretty slippery in that regard.

A few odds and ends for you...

In June I reported here that after ten straight even-year elections and more than $10,500 in filing fees, Mike the Mover was not running for anything in 2008. But it looks like I spoke too soon.

Rep. Dan Newhouse is a Sunnyside Republican who takes after his father, the late Sen. Irv Newhouse of Mabton. If nothing else the Newhouse name is known for being one of gentlemen in Olympia.

John from Seattle read the recent Seattle Times story breaking down positions held by Gov. Chris Gregoire and Republican challenger Dino Rossi on an array of social issues.

I was dumping out my notebook at week’s end and look what fell out.

Rep. Roger Goodman, D-Kirkland, has agreed to a Legislative Ethics Board determination that he illegally posted five legislative press releases generated by state staffers on his campaign website.

The latest Rasmussen Reports poll shows Republican Dino Rossi leading Democratic Gov. Chris Gregoire 52 percent to 46 percent. It also shows more good news for GOP presidential nominee John McCain.

Post primary campaign summary reports were due Wednesday for the near three-week-long reporting period that ended Aug. 31, so here’s our roundup of the highlights.

State tax collections for the period from August 11 through Wednesday were actually $6.8 million higher than forecast, which simply means the state’s budget hole won’t deepen further on that account.

Just as he did four years ago Senate Minority Leader Mike Hewitt, R-Walla Walla, opened his campaign wallet wide this year to the tune of $120,000 to help out his caucus campaign committee.

Before the August primary I wrote about how it appeared the rich were about to get richer in Olympia. Well, they just did.

The infamous Robert “The Traveller” Hill is running again — in 2012.

The near three-week fundraising period that ended Aug. 31 saw Republican Dino Rossi far outpace Democratic Gov. Chris Gregoire, according to reports filed today.

A few odds and ends for you here...

Last week I put up a post that many of you read reporting on the University of Washington having hired a consultant to crunch numbers and draft the school’s Husky Stadium renovation legislation.

Republican Dino Rossi has a one point lead over Democratic Gov. Chris Gregoire in the latest SurveyUSA poll.

Given the announcement of two notable departures from the Seattle Times’ Olympia bureau, Randy Stapilus over at Ridenbaugh Press says it’s time to start making a list of all the Washington journalists who are leaving the profession.

If you’re a candidate for statewide office this fall and your name isn’t Chris Gregoire or Dino Rossi you might feel like your campaign is getting a little ignored.

Are you an out-of-work political consultant wise in the ways of advising politicians how to best not answer questions? If so, don’t bother barking up Rep. Maureen Walsh’s tree. You won’t last.

Jason Mercier over at the Washington Policy Center blog uncovered this little tidbit this week. The University of Washington is paying a lobbyist $175 an hour to lobby the Legislature to bless a plan providing $150 million in taxpayer dollars to renovate Husky Stadium.

The state Supreme Court this morning ruled that Initiative 1029 will remain on the Nov. 4 ballot.

David Postman is leaving the Seattle Times.

Earlier this week I wrote about how the state’s Public Disclosure Commission had ruled that Oregon Death With Dignity Poltical Action Fund had to identify its donors who were, ultimately, contributing to the I-1000 campaign.

You remember that whole deal about Gov. Chris Gregoire getting carded while trying to enter an Olympia bar during the annual Capital Lakefair in July?

I took note the other night of a homemade sign that appeared in the crowd at the Republican National Convention that read “Democrats for McCain.”

A few odds and ends for you on a Wednesday.

The state’s Public Disclosure Commission on a 3-2 vote last week determined that the Oregon Death With Dignity Political Action Fund must identify donors who are providing the money it is contributing to the Initiative 1000 campaign.

Not sure how I missed this one but Attorney General Rob McKenna at his primary evening barbecue offered to be tossed into Lake Sammamish if enough supporters cut a check to his campaign.