Oregon Public Broadcasting

The Republican candidate for Washington governor, Dino Rossi, will have to submit to a deposition before Election Day in a campaign finance lawsuit. That’s the ruling Monday by a judge in King County. Correspondent Austin Jenkins reports.

Rossi sought to quash the subpoena to testify – or at least delay it until after election. But King County Judge Paris Kallas has denied that request.

In her order, Judge Kallas said Rossi must submit to the deposition before next Tuesday’s election precisely because he’s a candidate for office.

Knoll Lowney is the attorney who wants to depose Rossi.

Knoll Lowney: “The very foundation of our laws is that the voters have to right to know this information before they cast their vote.”

Rossi has been called to testify in a lawsuit against the Building Industry Association of Washington.

Two former Supreme Court justices filed the suit. They are supporters of Governor Chris Gregoire. They accuse Rossi of illegally coordinating with the BIAW in a seven million dollar independent campaign to elect him governor.

Both Rossi and the BIAW say there was no coordination.

Rossi is scheduled to be deposed on Wednesday morning. He says he will comply with the judge’s order.

Rossi’s campaign calls the lawsuit a political ploy to keep him off the campaign trail in the final week of the election.