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176bridge builderDick Baldwin, Washington State SenateBilly moves from the riverbank to the State Legislature where he testifies in1989 in support of Curt Smitch, the Booth Gardner appointee to head the stateWildlife Department. The Seattle Times called Smitch’s confirmation hearing“one of the stormiest in the state’s history.”when things were getting real hairy in a room, or just going up andgiving somebody a hug. He’s a great hugger. And even in the tensemoments, [he’ll say], ‘I think we ought to listen to this a little bitlonger,’” Bill Wilkerson says.Billy could charm just about anyone, even one of the most influentialmen in the U.S. Senate. Keefe saw it firsthand as legislativedirector for Warren Magnuson. Keefe had persuaded his boss toretain a sharp attorney named Sue Crystal, a law school graduatewith red hair and a vivacious personality to match. Crystal had justfinished an internship with the Senate Appropriations Committee.Assigned to a delicate tribal funding case with the committee, she