Did Senators Cantwell and Murray ‘Ignore’ Yakima Veterans Event? Staff No Show, Empty Tables

The annual Stand Down Veterans benefit event in Yakima is one of the biggest in WA state, with over 100 services represented.  This year's event took place Saturday Oct. 18th. at the Yakima Sundome.

   Two exhibitor tables set aside for WA Senators Murray and Cantwell were empty-unmanned.

It was brought to our attention by a veteran who attended the Stand Down event, featuring services for veterans. There's a wide variety of assistance, from haircuts and flu shots, home healthcare, even pet food for their animals.

Sources said the estimated 100 exhibitors also offered medical, psychological, financial and other assistance program and help information.  The event was estimated to have been attended by over 700 veterans.   Yakima County reported this is the 26th. annual such event. 

It took place Saturday from 9 AM to 2 PM. Local media reported on it in advance.

The Tri-City-area veteran who attended reached out to Townsquare Media to report that two tables that were set up in advance, 2 vendor tables like the others, were assigned to WA State Senators Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray.  However, they were empty the entire event.  Murray was table 57, Cantwell table 58.

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Due to schedules and legislative demands, many events are often manned by support staffers who work for the legislators. It would be very difficult for legislators to attend every event in their District or state. However, because they had assigned tables, you could expect at least a few staff members would be there.

This veteran, who supplied us with the images in our story, said Congressman Dan Newhouse had a table that was manned by multiple staff members. They were interacting with attendees, answering questions and providing information from their area of expertise.

This veteran spent a considerable amount of time at the event, and said the entire time, no activity or staff at either table.

We checked the websites of both Senators, but did not find any itinerary information. A call to one of Cantwell's six state offices (in Richland) was met with an answering machine.