Stevens County: Winning! Duh!
Since the Bar Association can’t seem to figure it out I will do it for them…

This is Mr Rasmussen’s charity which is registered in Spokane County in Spokane Wa, NOT in Deer Park in Stevens County Wa where he lives & where the Charity is based out of as stated on their website

Contact Us

Contact Information

Send email to:
Info@H2oForLife.org

Water For Life International
P.O. Box 2330 Deer Park WA 9900
Phone 509-842-3952

Why does any of this matter? Well because there was a call from 2 different Judges in Stevens
County to investigate this prosecutor in relation to his Charity. It is alleged that defense attorneys were
contributing to his charity to get a better outcome for their clients. He denied it… Of course but he contradicted himself in so many statements that it got my curiosity up. So in my investigations I found the same things that are a matter of Public Record as the Bar could’ve but evidently
chose not to… You have to ask yourself: Why?

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Here are copies of the documents associated with this whole mess, pay special attention to the fact that Mr Rasmussen first says it is a charity he works with, then it is a charity he is involved with, when in fact it is his charity which is not licensed with the Secretary of State & I can’t find it listed with the IRS, please note it doesn’t mean that he is NOT registered it means that I can’t find it, or that he is using a different name to throw off the people who might take notice of it.

• DOCS: See the photocopied message
  slip
• DOCS: Prosecutor Tim Rasmussen’s
  response to allegations

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http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2010/jul/30/judges-ask-bar-to-probe-donations/

July 30, 2010 in City

Judges ask bar to probe donations connected
to Rasmussen

Lawyers gave funds to prosecutor’s pet charity

John Craig The
Spokesman-Review

Tags:Al Nielson David Miller Guatemalan orphanage Rebecca Baker stevens county Stevens
County Prosecutor Tim Rasmussen

Stevens County’s two Superior Court judges have asked the state bar association to investigate Prosecutor Tim Rasmussen. Judges Rebecca Baker and Al Nielson said in a Sept. 30 complaint that they were concerned about
Rasmussen’s practice of encouraging defense attorneys to contribute to a Guatemalan orphanage he supports. They submitted a copy of a February 2009 telephone message that a former deputy prosecutor found on a secretary’s desk.
The message, from Spokane attorney David Miller, says: “He had a good month. Does your charity need anything?” Miller said this week that he was “really offended” by the complaint. He said he and Rasmussen, like other lawyers, have a personal friendship that doesn’t interfere with their jobs. Miller said he gives money to the Public Broadcasting Service and the American Federation for
the Blind as well as the International Children’s Care orphanage. “That doesn’t mean I do it for any particular favors.” Although Rasmussen knew he was under scrutiny by the bar, he didn’t learn until this week that Nielson and Baker instigated the investigation. The bar won’t comment publicly about unresolved cases, but The Spokesman-Review obtained copies of the complaint. Baker and Nielson said in the document that they were concerned that donations to Rasmussen’s pet charity would be “favorably remembered” when the donor “might wish to achieve a more favorable result in a criminal case.” “I just think it has a bad appearance of impropriety,” Baker said in an interview this week. Nielson was unavailable for comment. Even the perception of under-the-table dealing has a “corrupting influence” throughout the judicial system, Baker said. The bar association treated the judges’ complaint as if it were from a confidential source, but Baker said she and Nielson sent a letter this week saying that wasn’t their intention. Bar rules say confidential accusers can’t be told how a complaint is resolved unless there is public discipline, but Baker and Nielson want a full report. “We need to know that this practice isn’t going to continue,” Baker said. Rasmussen said in his written response to the bar association that he has never solicited donations from Stevens County defense attorneys, “nor from any criminal defense attorney with whom I have regular contact regarding criminal cases.” But Baker said some of the 10 Spokane defense attorneys Rasmussen identified to the bar practice regularly in Stevens County. In addition to Miller, they include John C. Cooney, a former district court judge who retired from his law practice three years ago; his nephew Dallas Cooney; Christian Phelps, Ronnie Rae, Frank Cikutovich, Paul Mack, Frank Bartoletta, John Clark and Rob Cossey. Bartoletta declined to comment and Rae couldn’t be reached. All the others praised Rasmussen’s professional ethics and devotion to helping
Guatemalan children. Most said they offered to help after hearing about Rasmussen’s work. Cossey said he referred Rasmussen to his philanthropic wife, Stacy Cossey, after inquiring about photographs he saw on Rasmussen’s wall. Cikutovich said he also was drawn to Rasmussen’s photos. He said he couldn’t expect any special consideration from Rasmussen because his law partner, Pat Stiley, isn’t on speaking terms with Rasmussen. “Tim is a very conservative guy, and Pat couldn’t be farther from it,” Cikutovich said. “They’re oil and water.” Cossey and other defense attorneys who contributed to the orphanage told The Spokesman-Review they met Rasmussen when he was a Spokane County deputy prosecutor. Most said they were inspired by the fact that Rasmussen spends his vacations in Guatemala, doing physical labor for children. “It’s a sacrifice,” said Spokane County Deputy Prosecutor Brian O’Brien, who supervises the district court unit where Rasmussen used to work. O’Brien said he contributed $700 and helped Rasmussen acquire firefighting equipment for the orphanage. “He couldn’t pressure me because I was his boss at the time,” O’Brien said. He said Deputy Prosecutor Larry Steinmetz gave $300. Deputy Prosecutors Tony Hazel and Jared Cordts, who worked with Rasmussen in the district court unit, said they also contributed. “I think all of us did,” Hazel said. Rasmussen and all of the donor defense attorneys who commented for this story say there has
been no quid pro quo. Several of the donors said they still haven’t been contacted by a Washington State Bar Association investigator. Nielson and Baker, who also serve Pend Oreille and Ferry counties, told the bar association their concerns sprang from information “relayed to us by reliable individuals.” One of them was John Troberg, who was Rasmussen’s chief criminal deputy prosecutor until Rasmussen fired him in June 2009. Troberg is now a deputy prosecutor in Clallam County. The other, Baker said in an interview this week, was Colville-area defense attorney and former Ferry County
Prosecutor Steve Graham. The judges told the bar association that Graham heard from a Spokane defense attorney at a conference that the way to get a good deal in Stevens County was to contribute to Rasmussen’s charity. Baker said Graham confirmed what he described as a casual conversation with a Spokane attorney, but Graham declined to identify the attorney. Graham declined to comment to The Spokesman-Review. The judges also said in their bar complaint that they had noticed “a number” of cases in which Rasmussen intervened to offer defendants “substantially” better deals. “It is our sense that these dramatic compromises are rarely afforded to local counsel … but instead seem to involve Spokane counsel,” the judges wrote. Troberg cited a case in which Rasmussen directed him to offer a better deal in an assault case in which Cossey represented a defendant who punched someone and later fired several shots to intimidate people. Troberg said he was “flabbergasted” when Rasmussen offered the defendant a continuance for dismissal on an assault with a deadly weapon charge that carried a possible four-year prison term. Rasmussen said the man had a nearly clean record, served nine months in jail on another count and provided valuable information about a cellmate’s motive in an unrelated murder case. Colville defense attorney Robert Simeone said he’s seen no preferential treatment of out-of-town lawyers. On the contrary, he said, Rasmussen dropped a 2007 sexual
assault charge against one of his clients and pushed for a maximum 10-year sentence for a co-defendant represented by orphanage donor Chris Phelps.Several of the attorneys who contributed to the Guatemalan orphanage point out that state law and their professional conduct code allow law them to contribute to a prosecutor’s election campaign – or even a judge’s. “The guy can ask me for money for his campaign, but he can’t mention a charity to me. That just blows me away,” donor Paul Mack said. Both Rasmussen and his opponent, Chewelah attorney Pat Monasmith, have received campaign contributions from defense attorneys. Baker said in an interview this week that she and Nielson have no interest in the ongoing election battle between Rasmussen and Monasmith. “It is not a political issue to us although perhaps the voters might think otherwise,” Baker said. Similarly, retired Superior Court Judge Larry Kristianson said his support for Monasmith is not a factor in his criticism of Rasmussen in a statement to a bar investigator and a guest editorial in a Suncrest newsletter. “Rasmussen does not seem to understand that any financial favors given by defense lawyers to a prosecutor’s special charity appear improper regardless of the motivation,” Kristianson wrote.

Stevens Co. Prosecutor accused of improper compensation

by KREM.com

Posted on July 29, 2010
at 4:28 PM Updated Friday, Jul 30 at 3:18 PM

COLVILLE, WA. — Superior Court judges in Stevens County have expressed concerns about possible improper compensation received by the the Stevens County Prosecutor.

In September of last year, two judges filed a grievance with the Washington State Bar Association regarding Stevens County Prosecuting Attorney Tim Rasmussen, asking them to look into “persistent rumors and reports” for possible violations of Washington State law. Judges Rebecca Baker and Allen Nielson wrote the Bar, citing reports that Rasmussen has been taking improper donations for his private charity, Water for Life International, which helps digs wells for villages in Guatemala. The letter alleges Rasmussen accepted donations to his charity from Spokane County criminal defense attorneys, who “might wish to achieve a more favorable result in a criminal case pending in Stevens County.” According to the letter written by judges, one local criminal defense lawyer told them that while at a conference, another lawyer advised him that “the way good deals are achieved in Stevens County…is by giving to Mr. Rasmussen’s charity.” KREM 2 News spoke with Rasmussen at his office in Colville Thursday, who denied the allegations. He told KREM 2’s John Langeler that no favors have ever been exchanged between him or any criminal defense lawyers. Rasmussen said the complaint was originally brought to the judges’ attention by a former deputy prosecutor who he had fired. In the complaint, the judges also provided a photocopy of a written message slip, taken by a staff member in the Stevens County Prosecutor’s Office, from a “Dave Miller,” who allegedly came into the office to tell Rasmussen “he had a good month…does [Rasmussen’s] charity need anything?” There is a criminal defense lawyer in Spokane County named David M. Miller. Of 10 attorneys who contributed to Water for Life, those who responded to KREM 2 News said their contributions had nothing to do with
Rasmussen, and that they wanted to donate to a worthy charity

Complaint to state bar is ‘politically motivated’

In their complaint, the judges say their letter to the Bar was the result of “persistent rumors and reports” they had received about Rasmussen.  Baker and Nielson conceded in their grievance that they didn’t fully investigate these concerns.  They indicated their concern was in the “possible
violation of RCP 1.8 (f) that prohibits the acceptance of compensation from someone other than one’s clients except in certain specific instances not relevant to the concerns here and the possible violation of RCW 42.23.070 (2) prohibiting any county prosecuting attorney from directly or indirectly receiving any gift or gratuity from a source other than the employing county.

Complaint by judges was filed anonymously “The concern is this: The reports we keep receiving seem to suggest that Mr. Rasmussen solicits or at least accepts ‘donations’ for his charity from members of the criminal defense bar in Spokane County.  In turn, these ‘donations’ are favorably remembered when a lawyer has a client for whom he might wish to achieve a more favorable result in a criminal case pending in Stevens County.” A handful of local and Spokane-based attorneys have taken umbrage with and exception to the bar grievance.  They say there have been no “favors” and no “special consideration.” The complaint to the bar association was filed anonymously.  The names of the complainants became a matter of public scrutiny last week.
Rasmussen, in his written response to the bar association, said that he has never solicited donations from Stevens County defense attorneys, “nor from any criminal defense attorney with
whom I have regular contact regarding criminal cases.”The orphanage in Guatemala is operated by International Children’s Care.  Rasmussen and wife Annette have been actively involved with the upwards of 150 children there since 2004, when they traveled with volunteers to help drill a water well on orphanage property.  They have continued to actively support the orphanage over the years. “I have never asked any attorney in Stevens County top be involved (with support of the orphanage),”  Rasmussen said.  “I have never traded favors or given any consideration to any attorney in exchange for a donation. I did not benefit in any way, either directly or indirectly, from any contribution, and neither has any attorney…except for the satisfaction of
knowing they have made a difference in the lives of these poor children.”
Rasmussen, running for a second term as Stevens County Prosecutor against long-time Chewelah attorney Pat Monasmith, says that the complaint is politically motivated. Ballots for the 2010 primary election were mailed last week, the same time that information about the bar complaint was released to the press. “Does anyone think it is a coincidence that this was released to the press on the day the ballots were received?”  Rasmussen asked. “This is simply a political attack, instigated by a former employee (a deputy prosecuting attorney).  I have done nothing wrong.  No one can point to any case or provide any specific facts in support of these rumors.  All court files are public record and anyone can look at the files.” Rasmussen, who feels the judges were somehow misled, says he welcomes a state bar investigation.  “I hope they will finish their work,” he says. Hopes voters will recognize
the political motivation It’s interesting to note that it’s legal for a defense attorney to donate to political campaigns, but “if they donate to a charity I support, this is made to seem unethical.” The incumbent prosecuting attorney, who unseated long-time Stevens County Prosecutor Jerry Wetle four years ago, thinks that Stevens County’s voters will recognize the political motivation behind the issue. “I believe voters will recognize a political attack that is based on rumor and innuendo
without any substance,” Rasmussen said last week.

BY CHRIS COWBROUGH S-E Editor Last Updated ( Wednesday, 11 August 2010 )

Okay… but once I am ready to bash the man into OBLIVION… I find out that he is the ONLY person  in this state with balls enough to get up in CPS’s case, no Senator, No Prosecutor, no Governor seems to be able or to be capable of controlling them, but here we have some small county prosecutor who can. I will also do a story about that, but it needs to be it’s own story…