Illegal Traps used at Governor’s Mansion

[bobcat]

  Like raising taxes.

Exactly. And other stuff.

[Curly]

  Like raising taxes.

Exactly. And other stuff.

Yeah, she's probably trying to figure out how she can get a State income tax implemented in WA.  Did you notice how she was really liking how Oregon just raised their state income tax......

[DOUBLELUNG]

You guys are being way too harsh.  The grounds crew at the Captol are far too busy forging I-9s and SSNs, and sending money home, to learn WA laws.  The initiative wasn't exactly thoroughly covered by the media in Sinaloa and Guadalajara.

[jackelope]

Officials now say that some of those accused of using banned body-gripping mole traps at the Capitol Campus in Olympia did so knowing that the traps were illegal.

On Wednesday Department of General Administration spokesman Steve Valandra said that groundskeepers were, "not out there looking for laws to violate, they're just taking care of moles (which is) one of the jobs they have."

But in a live interview on the Dori Monson show on Thursday Valandra admitted that new information indicates that at least some employees knew that the traps they were using were illegal.

"You want to believe what your employees initially are telling you is the right thing. You want to believe in them," Valandra said, "We'll just take our lumps and hold people accountable and see what happens."

Valandra responded to a request from Dori Monson after the show received a whistleblower email that claimed employees knew the traps were illegal but were forced to use them anyway. Valandra would not say whether those being scrutinized for the traps were groundskeepers or supervisors.

When asked point blank by Monson whether people involved with setting the traps knew they were illegal, Valandra responded by saying, "I believe some of them did know that yes." Although he qualified his answer by saying they are still sorting out conflicting stories from employees.

A state ban on animal trapping was approved by an initiative in 2000.

On Tuesday the Olympian reported the mole traps were spotted by state Rep. Joe Kretz, R-Wauconda. Who said, "In Olympia, do as we say, not as we do."

On Wednesday Valandra said that the groundskeepers would receive a warning, which he called typical for first time offenders.



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roguehawkfan1119 wrote...
What? They lied? To us, the people?....
NO WAY! Our elected leaders or their minions coould never, nay would never deceive the tax paying public....just the thought of that makes me sick to my stomach. It must be a mistake... Baaaaaa, baaaaaa.....
February 4, 2010 1:56 pm
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[Cylvertip]

Just as a note - the traps are not illegal.  Using the traps is however, unless you have the required licenses and permit.  

Technically you can have the traps ( still available at a lot of hardware stores) but can't put them in action.  Same goes for footholds and conibears.

The only traps legal to use without special permit are cage traps and commercially produced mouse and rat traps (unmodified). 

Actually, there could be a loophole here.  During the Nuisance Wildlife Control course I took in 2001, which was put on by WDFW at the Mill Creek office, it was stated that property owners could do/use what ever they wanted.  And, if you were the employee of a company - meaning on the payroll, taxes, W-2's, etc, - you could trap on that employers property using "body gripping traps" - had to have a license also.  That's how Weyerhaeuserare is able to take care of the varmints without a mountain of paperwork.  The question then would be if these guys had trappers licenses?  Doubt it, who would think you need one for a freaking mole.  I think if they did have a regular trapping license, they would technically be OK.

[Viszla]

Personally, I wish they would throw the book at everyone who uses mole and other body gripping traps.  Maybe people would realize how stupid they were for passing this nonsense.

[usmc74]

Are those traps that plunge the spikes into the ground legal?

I might just have to sit on top of my roof with the 10/22

[Cylvertip]

Are those traps that plunge the spikes into the ground legal?

I might just have to sit on top of my roof with the 10/22

Technically, the impaling/ body piercing traps are viewed as body gripping as well - so also illegal to use in theory