Washington State Sen. Emily Alvarado (D–Seattle) is facing an ethics complaint for moonlighting as both a state lawmaker and a housing policy exec for a group that lobbied for the exact same rent control bill she sponsored. The bill, EHB 1217, would cap rent increases at 7% statewide—and just so happens to mirror the agenda of her employer, Enterprise Community Partners.

Conservative watchdog Glen Morgan filed the complaint, calling it a textbook conflict of interest. Alvarado, who gets paid to push housing policy as VP at Enterprise, is now using her public office to advance her private employer’s goals. “She’s getting substantial compensation for her work on housing policy from her non-legislative employer, who is lobbying for the very bill that she’s promoting,” Morgan told The Center Square.

Washington’s ethics manual flat-out prohibits lawmakers from holding executive roles in lobbying organizations. But apparently, those rules don’t apply when you’ve got the D next to your name.

Democrats love to preach about transparency and ethics—just not when it gets in the way of their side hustle. Read more at Center Square.

At a packed public hearing Friday, dozens of landlords, developers, and frustrated Washingtonians showed up in red “No Rent Control” shirts to slam Engrossed House Bill 1217—a proposal that would cap rent hikes at 7% a year and ban increases during the first year of tenancy.

Supporters invoked racial equity and MLK’s legacy (because apparently, rent control is the new civil rights movement), while opponents begged lawmakers not to wreck the rental market in the name of “justice.”

Small landlords warned they’ll be forced to sell. A Yakima property owner called the bill 95% landlord punishment and 5% tenant lip service. Longview’s mayor said up to 1,000 rental units in his city could vanish overnight. And a 71-year-old immigrant from China tearfully told senators, “This is wrong. This will destroy my life.”

But hey—Democrats in Olympia don’t see a problem with nuking the rental market. After all, it’s not about economics—it’s about control. Read more at Center Square.

First, they blew a $16 billion hole in the budget. Now they’re using it as an excuse to shut down Mission Creek Corrections Center for Women—because in Democrat-run Washington, criminals aren’t the problem. Jail is.

As KTTH’s Jason Rantz reports, Democrats are claiming it’s all about saving money—closing Mission Creek would save $16.2 million. But that’s pocket change compared to the billions they waste elsewhere. This isn’t about the budget. It’s about ideology. The far-left has been on a mission to depopulate prisons ever since 2020, pushing the fantasy that less incarceration equals less crime.

The numbers say otherwise: Washington’s prison population is down 30% since 2017, and violent crime has surged. Murders? 408% above the national average. Aggravated assaults? Up 27%. But hey, let’s pretend that’s progress.

Lawmakers like Rep. Tarra Simmons openly advocate for decarceration and reduced sentences for violent felons. Rep. Debra Lekanoff pushed legislation to go soft on repeat offenders—all in the name of equity. Meanwhile, Mission Creek—an actual example of rehabilitation that works—is on the chopping block.

The playbook is tired but effective: create a crisis, defund accountability, then blame “systemic racism” when crime spikes. They call it justice. The rest of us call it chaos. Read more at KTTH.

The Washington State Senate just passed HB 1052 to expand the state’s hate crime statute—making it easier to prosecute offenses partially motivated by bias. But when Republicans tried to add protections for political affiliation and economic choice, Democrats shut it down faster than you can say “Tesla.”

Sen. Phil Fortunato (R-Auburn) proposed amendments to include people targeted for their political views or the economic choice to, say, drive an electric car that isn’t a Prius. But Democrats, led by Sen. Manka Dhingra, said that kind of protection is off the table. Apparently, being vandalized for your bumper sticker isn’t hateful enough—unless that sticker aligns with Democrat orthodoxy.

So, here’s the message: if you’re attacked because of how you vote or what you buy, don’t expect the law to care. In Democrat-run Washington, “hate” only counts when it’s politically convenient. Read more at MyNorthwest.com.

Olympia has more than doubled state spending over the last decade, and now they want you to pay for it with even more taxes—on your home, your business, and your budget.

Washington Policy Center is urging Governor Ferguson to stay strong and reject the Legislature’s reckless tax proposals:

• A property tax expansion that would make housing even less affordable
• A job-killing B&O tax hike on small businesses
• All while families are still struggling under inflation

Enough is enough. Sign the petition to thank the governor for opposing destructive tax hikes—and to demand a responsible, no-new-taxes budget that puts people first.

Add your name now and help put a stop to Olympia’s spending addiction.

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