Saturday, November 21, 2009

A SPOKESMAN-REVIEW INVESTIGATIVE REPORT

After Spokane childhood, West leads life of service

May 5, 2005

© The Spokesman-Review 2005

Born in Salem.

Attends Rogers and Grant elementary schools in Spokane.

Graduates from Lewis and Clark High School.

Attends University of Nevada at Reno and joins ROTC.

Joins U.S. Army, 82nd Airborne Division, as a personnel specialist and paratrooper.

Works as assistant manager at the Undersea Center, a retail scuba diving store in North Carolina.

Earns certificate of completion in law enforcement at Johnston Technical Institute in North Carolina.

Honorably discharged from active duty. Resigns from scuba shop and returns to Spokane to pursue law enforcement career.

West, second from right in top row, poses with other Scout leaders at Camp Cowles at Diamond Lake

Hired by Medical Lake Police Department as patrolman. Serves as Scoutmaster for Boy Scout troop in Medical Lake.

Graduates from Spokane Sheriff's Academy.

Studies law enforcement at Spokane Community College.

Resigns from Medical Lake Police Department and becomes deputy sheriff for Spokane County.

Transfers from SCC to Gonzaga University and opens a scuba diving shop.

With sheriff's Deputy David Hahn, develops and supervises a camping program to Diamond Lake for juveniles with minor offenses through a federal Juvenile Justice Collaboration grant to Youth Alternatives Inc.

Graduates with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Gonzaga University.

Resigns as deputy to run for sheriff as a Republican against Larry Erickson. Campaign platform includes youth outreach.

Also in 1978, West serves with David Hahn as Scoutmaster for Troop 345 at Hamblen Elementary in Spokane.

On Election Day, West loses to Erickson, earning 31 percent of the vote.

Appointed assistant sergeant-at-arms for the state House during the 1979 legislative session, a GOP political appointment. He was backed for the job by then-Rep. Dick Bond, R-Spokane.

Awarded Boy Scout District Award of Merit.

Unseats incumbent Spokane City Councilwoman Marilyn Stanton and becomes the city's youngest councilman ever at age 28. Works as a real estate agent.

Awarded the Jaycee Outstanding Young Citizen of Spokane award.

Announces that he will run for the 6th District House seat vacated by Republican Rep. Mike McGinnis. At age 31, he wins the seat in the solidly Republican district.

Quits his Spokane City Council job to become a legislator. Sponsors the first program in the Legislature for high school students to come to Olympia for one-week internships.

West decides in February to challenge one of his GOP mentors, state Sen. Sam Guess. In May, Guess announces he won't run again, largely because he supports abortion rights and the party has been taken over by anti-abortion rights activists. West says he opposes abortion and state funding of abortions. West wins the seat with 51 percent of the vote.

Sen. Jim West, R-Spokane, looks over amendments to the Senate budget during the 1993 legislative session. (AP Photo/Louie Balukoff)

West serves in the Washington state Senate, rising to become chairman of several powerful committees. He is chosen to lead his caucus as Senate majority leader.

Peter John Boyce, of Leavenworth, a student in a scuba diving course, dies during a dive in Lake Coeur d'Alene that was supervised by West. Boyce's family files a wrongful death lawsuit; the state Appeals Court in Spokane rules there was no negligence because Boyce signed a consent form.

During a hearing on AIDS education, West proposes that sex between teenagers under 18 be made unlawful. The bill, supported by the abstinence group Teen Aid, dies a month later.

Candidate for mayor Jim West listens to early reports showing him trailing in the 2000 election.

West is appointed council endowment director of the Inland Northwest Council of the Boy Scouts of America.

Runs unsuccessfully for lieutenant governor.

Prosecuted for leaving threatening message on the answering machine of building industry lobbyist Tom McCabe. Pays $500 to a charity and apologizes to McCabe in a misdemeanor plea agreement with the Thurston County prosecutor's office.

Senate Majority Leader Jim West, R-Spokane, left, listens to Senate Minority Leader Lisa Brown during the 2003 legislative session.

Runs for Spokane mayor and loses in the primary.

With control of the Senate at stake, wins re-election, beating Democrat Laurie Dolan. Their campaign is the most expensive in state history.

Republicans choose West as Senate majority leader.

Announces he has colon cancer. Has surgery in Seattle in May.

Elected mayor of Spokane and has more cancer surgery.

He underwent additional cancer surgery in 2004.