By Brenda Sexton-The Courier-Herald
If the oldest of seven children who at one time ran away from a challenging home life can be elected to the U.S. Congress, then anyone can become anything.
That's the message Rep. Dave Reichert mentioned more than once to White River High civics and advance placement government students Feb. 5.
Reichert, a Republican who represents Washington's 8th Congressional District, fielded a six-student panel's questions and also took a few from the audience during the one-hour meeting. It is one of several stops the second-term Congressman is making in the area.
Alexander Emmert, Blake O'Connor, Alicia McKay, Kate Robertson, KatieJo Clinkingbeard and Chris Bauer made up the panel that came armed with a barrage of questions. The first was, how did you get involved in politics?
That was Reichert's first opportunity to tell students they can become whatever their hearts desire.
“I had it tough,” Reichert said, explaining he grew up in a home with domestic violence. He said his route into the political arena was “different” than others there.
He graduated from Kent-Meridian High School, joined the Air Force Reserves and soon was employed by the King County Sheriff's Office, where he stayed for 33 years and would become the department's first elected sheriff. He led the task force that eventually apprehended Gary Ridgeway, who had become known as the Green River Killer.
His work in law enforcement and in Congress would comprise the answer another student's question - what accomplishments bring him the most proud?
“I always knew I wanted to be a police officer. You can do anything you want,” he mentioned again.
Reichert didn't dream of becoming a Congressman, he said, but is glad he made the choice to run when Congresswoman Jennifer Dunn came calling.
Reichert responded to a number of students' questions on topics like airport security, gay rights, global warming, assault weapons, the country's debt, the war in Iraq and the Washington Assessment of Student Learning.
He also fielded questions about how, as a man of religion, he separates church and state when making decisions, and how he identifies himself as a Republican.
“I really hate the labels,” Reichert said. “I think most people in this room, and the country, would agree.
“I'm a diehard American,” he said.
