GOP politician reveled 'in the fray'

Whether it was big family gatherings at his home in Olympia or pasta dinners for freshman legislators of both political parties, longtime political operative Vito Chiechi brought people together and bridged the differences between them with humor, lively discussions and a few glasses of wine.

"He'd always say, 'I don't care what you are, just be something. Be involved,' " said his daughter, Dolores Chiechi.

Mr. Chiechi died Tuesday, just days after his extended Italian-American family celebrated his 86th birthday.

During a 40-year career in politics, Mr. Chiechi (pronounced key-akey) served as chief clerk of the state House, Republican strategist and lobbyist.

Allen Hayward, legal counsel to House Republicans, said Mr. Chiechi was famous for leaving notes, always written in green ink, on the desks of colleagues that said, "Let's talk." At the sight of those notes, Hayward said, "Your heart rate went up. You never knew what he'd come up with. He had a tremendous ability to have a lot of things going on at once."

Mr. Chiechi is credited with the campaign strategy that in 1978 saw Republicans go from a 38-seat minority to a 49-49 split in the House. He was instrumental again two years later when Republicans took a decisive 56-42 majority, Hayward said.

After a four-year stint as regional administrator of the General Services Administration under President Reagan, Mr. Chiechi was lured back to Olympia by Republicans who hoped he could duplicate their previous success. But after the party lost seats in successive elections, he was fired from his job as chief of staff of the Republican Caucus one week before the end of the 1990 legislative session.

"He wasn't bitter. He continued to have great relationships with everyone. He'd been laid off in the mid-70s when he was an assistant to the Democratic House speaker so he saw it as coming full circle," Hayward said.

Vito Chiechi was born in Seattle in 1925 and grew up in Rainier Valley. During World War II, he served in the Navy.

He graduated from Seattle University in 1950 with a finance degree and worked for Boeing for 22 years as a budget analyst and property-tax administrator and in public affairs.

He established a public-affairs firm, Chiechi & Associates in 1976 and later two related businesses, one to provide mailing lists and voter data to candidates, another to provide public-affairs seminars for business executives.

As a lobbyist, Mr. Chiechi was best known for his work to establish the Recreational Gaming Association and to represent the cardroom industry. State Sen. Margarita Prentice got to know Mr. Chiechi when she was appointed to the state Gambling Commission.

She described him as someone with "old-fashioned values — very civil even to someone you don't agree with, always working with the other side, finding accommodation."

Prentice said many in the gaming industry assumed she wouldn't support their bills, but she said Mr. Chiechi knew that she and his clients would get past superficial differences.

"He wanted the right parties together," Prentice said. "He liked an informal get-together over dinner. That's what made him so effective as a lobbyist."

After a stroke in 1997 forced him to use a wheelchair, Mr. Chiechi remained active, continuing to attend Gambling Commission meetings around the state, to represent clients and to host an annual pasta dinner for freshman legislators at his Olympia home.

Mr. Chiechi often said he couldn't imagine retiring from politics. He told a reporter in 1999, "I enjoy the fray. It's the best game in town."

A celebration of his life is planned for Aug. 24 in Olympia. His family is calling it a "retirement party."

Mr. Chiechi was preceded in death by his wife of 52 years, Dolores, in 2004. He is survived by their nine children: Chris (Jacque) Chiechi, of Renton; Victoria (Brant) Hinze, of Chesaw, Okanogan County; Douglas Chiechi, of Kenmore; Steve, Gina, Dolores and Michael (Lori) Chiechi, Donna (Steve) Elam, Maria (Bryon) Dahl, all of Olympia; 24 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Providence Sound HomeCare Hospice Fund, 3432 South Bay Road N.E., Olympia, WA., 98506.

News researcher David Turim contributed to this report. Lynn Thompson: 206-464-8305 or lthompson@seattletimes.com