GOP analysis gives Rossi 100-vote win (Seattle PI, Gov. court case)

Wednesday, September 29, 2004, 12:00 a.m. Pacific

As young salesman, Rossi stuck with his boss amid fraud scandal

By Susan Kelleher
Seattle Times staff reporter

Dino Rossi was a newly minted salesman in an ill-fitting suit when, in December 1983, he walked into the cubicled offices of Capretto & Clark, known as "the boot camp" for commercial real-estate agents in Seattle.

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But a year into Rossi's career, Capretto filed for bankruptcy, and federal agents began building a criminal case against its owner, Melvin G. Heide, who eventually landed in prison for fraud.

Sales agents began leaving Capretto when the scheme came to light in 1984. Rossi stayed, and even followed Heide to a new firm. He worked under Heide for five more years, and left the company after nearly eight to run for public office at age 32.

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"I lost all respect for anyone who went to Imperial," former Capretto agent Linda Schaeffer said. "It meant you're incredibly stupid or you're willing to lay down with dogs, not to disparage dogs. After what done to people, it would be very hard for me to have confidence in anyone who would stick around such a tainted operation."