Public-sector unions use compulsory dues to elect Democrat candidates, support liberal causes, and bargain for salaries, pensions and accommodations not available to most of the taxpayers who are forced to pay for them.
The Supreme Court is about to rule on the Janus v. AFSCME case; see the article here for details. A positive verdict in the case will restore the First Amendment freedoms of those currently forced to join public-sector unions, and could potentially reduce the amount of money that flows to liberal candidates and causes. At our meeting, Caleb Jon Vandenbos of Freedom Foundation will discuss the upcoming decision and implications of the Janus case.
Also at our June meeting, Caleb Heimlich, recently-elected Chair of the Washington State Republican Party, will discuss the very important 2018 election.
Note: We will have our book exchange at the meeting (cash or check only for purchases). Thanks to all who have donated! Proceeds will purchase school supplies for children from disadvantaged communities. This will also be the final meeting to bring unused toiletry and hygiene items for donation to YouthCare which supports homeless teens.
Eastside Republican Club’s monthly meetings are held at Red Lion Hotel Bellevue; click here for location information and directions. Monthly meetings cost $20 per person and include a light buffet. Food and networking are at 6:00PM, and the program begins at 6:30PM. Please RSVP online if you plan to attend the upcoming meeting.
On March 6, the Club welcomes back Bill Cooper. Mr. Cooper is a retired Chief of Police, who served in senior management in Corporate Security at Microsoft and T-Mobile before becoming a professor at 
Our dinner speaker on February 6 will be former Congresswoman Linda Smith, who represented Washington’s 3rd Congressional District (the southwest corner of the state) from 1995 to 1999.
The Eastside Republican Club will proudly welcome 
Mark Harmsworth
Dr. Gene Kopelson
When not researching and writing history, Dr. Kopelson is a cancer physician. He has published over forty medical articles, contributed chapters in medical textbooks, and lectured in the U.S. and abroad on radiation oncology. He graduated Princeton University with an A.B. Cum Laude in Biochemistry, obtained his M.D. at Columbia University, and completed his internship and residency at Harvard University’s Department of Radiation Oncology at the Massachusetts General Hospital. For two decades, he was the director of a cancer center affiliated with the Yale University School of Medicine and was a practice accreditor for the American College of Radiation Oncology.
Lt. Col. Roy White is a retired Air Force fighter pilot of 20 years service who is a native of North Carolina but now resides in the Texas Hill Country outside of San Antonio. In 2013 when Texas was considering new instructional materials, Roy, a former school teacher, began what has become the largest national grass-roots organization dedicated to returning truth to our children’s social studies textbooks. His organization, Truth in Textbooks (TNT), has grown from a Texas-only effort that now stretches from California to Florida to North Carolina to New York. Organizing and training over 150 volunteers from 20 states and disseminating their research has resulted in millions of children now having more historically-accurate information within their classroom walls. He will be addressing Truth in Textbooks, and the success which has come from dedicated citizens who do the tireless research.
Sharon Hanek is an accountant, community volunteer, wife, and mother who became active in the political arena when she became involved in education issues. Her “mother bear” instincts brought her into the political arena, where she has run for office and is the current Vice Chair of the Pierce County Republican Party. She now travels around the state presenting her findings and advising others on how to navigate through Olympia. Over the years, Sharon has been a guest on local and national radio programs. She believes that citizens getting involved can change our state, and is committed to helping others learn to be a strong voice in their community and in politics. Sharon will be addressing Truth and Deception in Washington schools.
We will also hear from Jinyoung Lee Englund, who is running for State Senate in the 45th District. A third-generation Washingtonian and married to an active-duty U.S. Marine, Jinyoung has ten years technology and public policy experience solving problems: securing funding for an NGO providing clean water in Africa; serving constituents in Congress as a staff member for Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers; educating the public, government and law enforcement on Bitcoin and Blockchain; and Product Manager and Advisor on Technology and Innovation for the U.S. Marine Corps. Her campaign is focused on opposing an income tax, reducing car tab taxes, and prioritizing education. She will share her views on education funding among other important topics.