16 mayors in Snohomish County signed an Everett Herald op-ed which was extremely critical of the drug possession laws passed by Democrat legislators which has led to a significant increase in crime in their communities.  The mayors, from across the political spectrum, called out the 2021 passage of the Democrats’ SB 5746, which was sponsored by Senator Manka Dhingra (Redmond), which has made it legal to possess extremely harmful drugs (such as crystal methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl) until after a person has been caught three times. This bill was the Democrats’ pro-criminal response to the all-liberal Washington State Supreme Court’s Washington v. Blake decision, which ruled the state’s previous drug possession laws were unconstitutional.  In the Democrats’ bill, a person caught with drugs is referred to drug treatment, which very few actually attend. The mayors point out the result of the Democrats passing Senator Dhingra’s legislation is “we’re all seeing increased drugs on our streets, spike in property and violent crimes, and tragically, an increase in overdoses and deaths.”

The mayors provide a specific course of actions for their constituents: “Please join us as we work to affect change. Help us advocate for necessary reform of these systems. Reach out to your elected officials at the state and federal levels and let them know this is a priority.” There will be many candidate forums in the coming months. These will be excellent opportunities to ask incumbent Democrat legislators across the state why they supported such a reckless and irresponsible pro-criminal plan which has rallied so many local leaders, of all political affiliations, to call out as a complete disaster. (Everett Herald and Washington Legislature Bill Summary)

Evidently the science which Governor Inslee previously used to determine his indoor mask mandate is no longer the science today. Previously Governor Inslee said he would lift the indoor mask mandate once the COVID hospitalization rate was below 5 per 100,000.  He said he used this data point when he removed the masked mandate last March.  Yet now that the hospitalization rate has increased to 7 per 100,000, the state simply “recommends” people wear a mask indoors.  The governor has consistently proclaimed that his decisions are based on “science,” but this is meaningless unless the public is informed in advance exactly what “science” and data points he is using.  Instead Governor Inslee has continued to abuse his “emergency” powers (now on Day 822), so he is not accountable for the apparently random and politically divisive decisions he makes on a daily basis. (Q13 Fox News)

Due to one-party rule, which has been the reality of Seattle politics for more than a generation, not one elected official is calling for an investigation into whether it was former Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan, former Police Chief Caren Best, and/or any of their staff members who broke the law by deleting these officials’ texts during the 2020 liberal activists riots.  These texts have been sought in public record requests by litigants in the multiple lawsuits which have been filed over the city’s actions (or inaction) which occurred as liberal extremists illegally took over portions of the city, assaulted police officers, and committed millions of dollars of damage to businesses and homes. It also resulted in the death of two individuals who were murdered while inside the so-called CHAZ/CHOP encampments.

Both Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell and Interim Police Chief Adrian Diaz have said they don’t have the authority to call for an investigation. Also, both prosecuting officials (the Washington State Attorney General and Seattle City Attorney) which could call for an investigation claim there is no basis to determine who committed the illegal acts.  So, the question arises, why do we have public record request laws if officials who break these laws are never held accountable?  This is especially disturbing from Attorney General Bob Ferguson, who has repeatedly used his office for his multiple partisan lawsuits against the Trump Administration, but sees no basis for even investigating possible crimes committed by those who share his liberal political philosophy.

At least AG Ferguson is consistent in not holding any liberal responsible for the law breaking and the destruction which took place during the 2020 riots.  As liberal activists were committing assault on police offices and even attempted a mass murder of police personnel, it was noticeable when the state’s top law enforcement officer said nothing. As the liberals on the Seattle City Council and the Democrats in the Washington Legislature rushed to appease the rioters’ demands by passing anti-police legislation which made our state less safe, again Washington’s top law enforcement official was silent. Now that it is obvious liberal officials and/or their taxpayer-funded staff illegally deleted texts from their phones (which could have provided insights into their actions during the riots), again our state’s top law enforcement official is quiet. One has to wonder if it were conservatives who rioted, if Republicans lawmakers were jamming through pro-police laws, and if conservative politicians illegally deleted public communications, if there would be so much silence from Attorney General Ferguson. (Axios and KOMO News)

The King County Regional Homeless Authority Governing Committee has asked the City of Seattle and Metro King County to increase the new agency’s annual budget from $171 million to $227.4 million (a 33% increase).  Like Sound Transit, the KCRHA has no directly elected officials leading the organization, but its actions are guided by a board of locally elected officials who spend a small amount of their time overseeing the bureaucrats (in fact, many of the same people who serve on the KCRHA Governing Committee also serve on the Sound Transit Board of Directors).  Among the items the KCRHA is seeking to fund is a $20 million, 345-bed emergency shelter. This works out to nearly $58,000 a bed and $159 a night if every bed is used every night of the year.  (CenterSquare, KCRHA Governing Committee, and Sound Transit Board of Directors)

It is interesting that the Washington State Department of Ecology is seeking public input on how to improve the permitting process for constructing large solar and wind farms across Eastern Washington.  Democrat legislators during the 2022 legislature pushed through legislation which allows the state’s Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council greater authority to overrule local concerns when authorizing the construction of these alternative energy sources.

For decades liberals have used the slow, deliberative government public hearings process and supremacy of local concerns to impede the development of projects which could provide jobs and economic benefits.  Yet now they have reversed course and seek to remove roadblocks for large solar and wind farms.  Perchance do the large donations to Democrat campaigns from wealthy urban environmentalists and foreign energy corporations have anything to do with this?  (Elkhorn Media Group)

Eastern State Hospital in Medical Lake is at risk of losing its federal accreditation due to Governor Jay Inslee’s administrative failings. The state psychiatric hospital, which serves 240 patients, could follow in the footsteps of Western State Hospital (in Lakewood) which lost its federal accreditation (and $53 million in federal funding) in 2018.  Both hospitals are run by Governor Inslee’s Department of Social and Health Services.  A surprise inspection of Eastern State Hospital by federal authorities in April revealed significant staffing shortages and the inability of the administration to protect the safety of staff and patients. The hospital has until June 17^th to submit evidence of compliance. (Seattle Times)

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