G.O.P. Couple Recruited Green Party Candidates
  by the conveniently faceless AP

Filed at 1:53 p.m. ET

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) -- A prominent Republican couple helped put Green Party candidates on
the ballot in two important elections, including one that will decide the balance of power in the
Washington state Legislature.

Democrats and Green Party activists claim the couple promoted the Green Party candidates to help
Republicans get elected.

Stan Shore, a longtime GOP strategist, organized a convention and helped pay the filing fee for
Young S. Han, 18, to run for a House seat from Snohomish County. Shore also transferred $250 to
Han's campaign bank account to help him pay the filing fee, Han said.

Shore's wife, Leslie Donovan, a former Republican staff member, helped persuade Michael Jepson,
a 21-year-old computer-systems operator, to run for King County Council and offered to pay his
filing fee, Jepson said.

The Olympia couple deny they were trying to sabotage the election. They say they were working to
help a struggling third party.

``I for sure want a Green Party candidate to win,'' said Shore. ``Maybe it's the difference between
business and personal views.''

The House is deadlocked at 49-49. The Snohomish County seat is now held by Republican Joe
Marine, who is running against two Democrats, a Libertarian and Han.

Democrats say a number of Republicans attended the Greens' nominating conventions. Some
Greens are also unhappy, saying their party was hijacked.

The candidates say they didn't know they were being backed by Republicans.

``Stan seemed like a really decent guy,'' said Han, who graduated from high school last year and
was a founding member of the state Green Party. ``I thought he was a genuine guy who maybe
wasn't a Green, but he represented himself as someone who fights the establishment.''

Donovan sent out e-mails trying to find a Green Party candidate for King County Council, then met
with Jepson and told him she would help him pay his $979.07 filing fee, he said. A $1,000 check
was deposited in his account from a company that he did not recognize on the day he filed, he said.

Both candidates say they plan to return the money the Republicans gave them.

``This sort of backroom deal is exactly what people are angry about in politics,'' said Jim Kainber,
executive director of the state Democratic Party.