Tea-party wolf in sheep’s clothing

The Truth Needle article is in error [“TV ad falsely ties McKenna to tea party,” NWFriday, Nov. 2]. In an attempt to disconnect Rob McKenna from the tea party, The Times forgot to connect the dots.

The article mentioned that the Koch-sponsored group, Americans for Prosperity, was involved in the March 2010 rally in Olympia where McKenna delivered a speech. The tea party was originally founded by funds from the Koch Brothers (with an assist from Dick Armey and Phil Gramm).To deny that tea-party connection to McKenna is not true.

In addition, McKenna has attended several ALEC conferences, the same conferences that gave rise to Scott Walker and Rick Scott-type state legislation throughout this country that has proved to be extreme, harsh and detrimental to working-class people.

McKenna is a tea-party wolf in sheep's clothing.

— Jim Tamble, Anacortes

Derogatory term for health-care act

In election campaigns based on distortions and lies, I have greatly appreciated the Truth Needle's efforts to wade through the mountains of malarkey and provide actual, objective facts.

And while I agree that there is intentional dishonesty through omission in the anti-Rob McKenna ad ("TV ad falsely ties McKenna to tea party"), the article's use of the term “Obamacare” three times suggests a bias in favor of McKenna and his decision to oppose the Affordable Care Act's implementation.

This is the same derogatory term McKenna used throughout his unsuccessful and non-consensual challenge of the law aimed at providing health coverage to all Americans. It is also the same term he would use when denying the million poor and uninsured people of Washington access to care, if he were governor.

— Sam Smith, Beacon Hill