OLYMPIA -- Washington politicos may be looking toward the 2016 gubernatorial race, but the state Supreme Court will be looking backwards today to the 2008 race.

The case in which a couple of former justices challenged the way the Building Industry Association of Washington helped finance the campaign of GOP candidate Dino Rossi finally made its way through the system to the Supremes.  

That election was the rematch of Rossi and Gov. Christine Gregoire, which she won by a more convincing margin than the 2004 contest.

But in the midst of the 2008 campaign, former Justices Faith Ireland and Robert Utter contended the BIAW surpassed state spending limits because it coordinated too closely with Rossi to be considered an independent campaign. Notable about the lawsuit was the court order for Rossi go submit to a deposition on his involvement with BIAW just eight days before the election.

After the election, the lawsuit continued through the court system, with the appeals court most recently siding with BIAW. 

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