UPDATE

The Washington State Democrats didn’t take too kindly to Bill Bryant’s implication that Gov. Jay Inslee would be going to hell for his tactic for keeping charter schools open in Washington, saying Bryant is doing his best Donald Trump impression.

Jamal Raad, Communications Director for the Washington State Democrats, responded to Bryant’s comments by saying the gubernatorial candidate is “getting desperate.”

“In an effort to grab headlines, he is making nasty overwrought personal attacks right out of Donald Trump’s playbook, whom he is, interestingly enough, attempting to stay neutral on and hasn’t ruled out supporting,” Raad said. “If you needed any more proof that Republican party is becoming the party of Trump, now you have it.”

Original story

While some people may have been disappointed by Gov. Jay Inslee’s lack of response to Washington’s charter-school legislation, Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Bryant didn’t stop there. He believes Inslee’s stunt is worthy of damnation.

“Dante said that the hottest circle in hell is reserved for those who, in times of crisis, maintain neutrality, and that’s exactly what Inslee did (Friday),” Bryant told KIRO Radio’s Jason Rantz. “He maintained neutrality.”

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Many of Washington’s charter schools were left without funding following a 2012 voter-approved charter school law that ran afoul of the state’s supreme court. State lawmakers responded by passing a bill last session that would allow for funding. However, Inslee opted Friday to allow the bill to become law without his signature, a move that hasn’t been used since 1981.

Bryant called the apathetic move yet another example of the governor unwilling step up and articulate a vision for the state.

“It’s odd that he would choose not to do anything at all when over the last three years he’s repeatedly called our education system a crisis and yet he does nothing at all,” he said.

Bryant says, if he were governor, he would have sat down with key legislative leaders and put together a funding program to keep those schools open. He says he would have called a special session in October or November to pass that legislation, which would have allowed the schools to continue operating while also providing the families an element of certainty.

He added that he will “never be neutral” when asked to decide between the needs of Washington kids and special interests.

“(Inslee) tried to walk a fine line and he really didn’t provide any leadership to the state of Washington,” he said.

When Rantz asked to clarify whether Bryant believes Inslee is going to hell, Bryant responded: “I said that Dante said the hottest circles in hell are reserved for those who maintain neutrality, and I think there is a circle waiting.”