Senator's Comments About Moving Bouquet Weren't Exactly Flowery

OLYMPIA - Taking a break from her normal crime-fighting legislative agenda, Sen. Pam Roach yesterday turned her steely stare from Washington's criminal class to unleash a room-silencing tirade at her fellow senators.

Somebody had moved her flowers.

She wanted to know who. She wanted to know why. And she planned to hand down justice with the single-mindedness she usually reserves for rapists, murderers and drunken drivers from her post as chairwoman of the Senate Law and Justice Committee.

Roach, R-Auburn, is known for her temper. But her tone surprised many when she stood on the Senate floor and demanded that everyone in the chamber, from senators to security guards to tourists in the visitors gallery, pay attention.

"Everybody knows I had a very nice array of flowers here," she said. "But my flowers were not on the desk when I came in here today, and nobody asked me if they could pick up and move them."

Roach's massive bouquet had been the talk of the Senate for several days; more shrubbery than bouquet, really. It was a gift from lobbyist Mark Gjurasic, who represents apartment owners, the Northwest Paint Council and the Washington Parking Association, among others.

Roach said she had asked around but no one would admit to touching her flowers. Other senators said there had been complaints about hay-fever problems caused by the bouquet.

The flowers were found in a Senate alcove, but Roach said it wasn't the first time something was taken from her desk. She said notes she wanted to keep for history's sake were removed recently.

"I want to go on record: I don't want even a pencil moved on my desk. I certainly don't want anything removed from my desk and I think every member of the Senate feels the same way," said Roach, now at a full shout.

"I am incensed that anyone would touch or move anything on a senator's desk and I want to find out who took my flowers and moved them and I intend to take action and (find) whoever would move anything as personal and private as that."

The Senate was stunned into silence, except for Sen. Bob McCaslin, R-Spokane.

"I did not take them, Pam," he said. "But I want to give this body permission to wipe this desk clean any time they want."

David Postman's phone message number is 360-943-9882. His e-mail address is: dpostman@seattletimes.com