Former U.S. Rep. challenges reporters to follow the money

Having been the first member of Congress to spend more than $1 in a re-election campaign, Jolene Unsoeld told journalists at the Washington Coalition for Open Government breakfast that they can't expect to stop the flow of money. The challenge, is to uncover who is providing the money, which is often shrouded by front groups.

She was the first woman to climb the north face of the Grand Teton, but former U.S. Rep. Jolene Unsoeld feels that exposing big money in politics is an even grittier, more hazardous challenge.

Unsoeld, of Olympia, received the James Madison Award from the Washington Coalition for Open Government at a Friday breakfast in Seattle.

The award honored Unsoeld as a driving force behind the state Public Disclosure Act, and as compiler of a book ("Who Gave? Who Got? How much?" ) that put footprints on the large vested interests pulling the strings of state government.

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