So, on the comment section of the Columbian articles, it appears that "teacherjudybanks" is, in fact, Jon Russell.

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I've been fascinated by this "teacherjudybanks" persona since it showed up on the paper's comment section July 28. I was even more fascinated that the ONLY things "she" commented on had to do either with Jon Russell or Ann Rivers or me.

In the past, I've found myself attacked personally by Russell using the persona "The Black Hand." Russell has an image, you know... an image of a faithful, church going, God fearing man. So, in order to foster that image, he can't come out in public and address these things. But under the cloak of anonymity (the kind this very newspaper seems to have had such a fuss about) why, the gloves have come off.

Here's a link to the comments from "Banks." Mysteriously, "Banks" came into being on July 28th with the article "Sprawling 18th District yields crowded ballot for House seat" and every comment since has been to bash Rivers or myself, or to pump up Russell.

Now, given that so few people not connected to Russell's campaign directly or indirectly have commented for Russell, I can see why someone of Russell's mentality might build a sock-puppet and use it to pump themselves up.

But as a tactical matter, Jon, the next time you do this, you really should spread the love around a little bit, and have the sock puppet you've built from the ground up comment on something besides those things that YOU care about. Otherwise, it becomes the first clue that the sock puppet probably is, in fact, you.

I found it odd that someone who neither knew me or of me would be so vitriolic about me. That typically goes against what I believe to be human nature. How could someone suddenly start posting like they were completely familiar with every aspect of what's going on in this campaign... at this late date? Where were they before this? What kept them from being this involved before?

Then this happened: Looking at Russell's facebook page, this little wart in his field of clover popped up at around 3 or so yesterday afternoon:

So, I had to ask myself: how is it that this "Judy Banks" person posted on Jon's Facebook and Jon just HAPPENED to be there at the SAME TIME, to respond to the post in question?

Well, it's really easy if you're the same person.

So, I took a quick look at "Judy Banks" 'friends' page, to see if there's any local connection.


And what do I find?

I find that "Judy's" first friend claims to be a member of the Democratic National Committee. I find that Judy has "friended" the gay front group, "Human Rights Campaign Seattle." I find that with one exception, there is no local connection at all. I find that "Judy Banks" apparently doesn't have any family members or local friends on Facebook.

That seemed just a little odd.

So, over on Russell Watch, I fire a shot in the dark, suspecting the truth and thinking I could flush Jon out like quail, since he's not the brightest fellow and so politically inept, and call Russell out. I allege, point blank, that Russell is Banks and Banks is what amounts to Russell's sock puppet.

Then I call it a night.

And what do I find when I get up?

Why, the post by Banks, screen captured above, has magically disappeared off Russell's Facebook! And of equal interest is the fact that not only has "Bank's" post been removed from Russell's FaceBook, but so is the notice that "Banks" even posted on Russell's Wall, a notice that would stay up even if Russell had removed it.... UNLESS...

Unless he accessed the Banks page and removed that from "her" page as well.

See, this is known as trying to "cover your tracks." It's kinda like what Russell's been doing with his fake degree, or his effort to cover the tracks of calling his wife a "Doctor" in the Vancouver Business Journal, among other places.

So, without the screen captures, there's no proof that any of this even happened.

Now, there's only so many reasons that Russell would take these steps.

One reason is the obvious one: that I've caught him dead to rights.

Russell, never the brightest bulb on the tree, folds up like a cheap suit and tries to eliminate any trace of his perfidy. Reminds me of the Nazi effort to cover their tracks around some of their concentration camps towards the end of the War.

But if I were wrong... then why would he take all that stuff down... and why would it have disappeared from both Russell's FaceBook page AND Banks' FaceBook page?

What would anyone else do under similar circumstances if this "Banks" person was legitimate?

It's hard to draw any other conclusion.

Cross posted on Jon Russell Watch.
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