When Democrats talk about “ethics,” what they really mean is figuring out how far they can stretch the rules without getting caught. Washington Solicitor General Noah Purcell is the latest star in this clown show, facing a bar complaint that accuses him of doing double duty: playing defense lawyer for Attorney General Nick Brown in a personal ethics complaint while also blurring the lines with his old law firm buddies at Perkins Coie. And yes, he apparently used taxpayer resources to do it.

Here’s the short version: Purcell, a former Perkins Coie attorney, jumped in to help Brown respond to a bar complaint that had nothing to do with the official business of the AGO. Instead of saying he was privately retained, Purcell fired off a response on official letterhead—after the bar had already threatened Brown with suspension for ignoring them. That’s right, the guy who is a fact witness in the Perkins Coie mess decided to also play defense attorney for the boss, even though that’s a pretty clear conflict.

But that’s not all. Emails show Purcell and other AGO lawyers were busy chatting with Perkins Coie attorneys about an amicus brief against Trump’s executive orders. The problem? Perkins Coie had already hired Williams & Connolly to represent them in the matter, yet AGO skipped right past them and communicated directly with Perkins lawyers. Washington’s own rules of professional conduct spell it out: you don’t go around a client’s lawyer unless you’ve got permission. There’s no sign Williams & Connolly ever gave a green light.

So, to recap: Brown and Purcell are accused of mishandling ethics complaints, cozying up with Perkins Coie without proper authority, and dragging taxpayer resources into what should be their own personal legal headaches. All this while the AGO pretends it’s above reproach and all about “accountability.”

Democrats in Olympia love to wag their fingers about integrity, but when it comes to their own conduct, it’s one long, taxpayer-funded legal circus with Perkins Coie as the ringmaster. Read more at Center Square.

Democrats call it “compassion,” but Washington’s sanctuary law is really just a taxpayer-funded safe haven for rapists, murderers, and drug traffickers. Sen. Phil Fortunato exposed the farce: while Ferguson’s office claims only two illegal immigrants are in state prisons, ICE puts the number at 310—including 130 sex offenders and 94 murderers. That’s over $23 million a year to house people who shouldn’t even be here.

Meanwhile, Bob Ferguson shrugs off federal warnings as “posturing” and fundraises off his defiance, bragging he’ll defend sanctuary laws at “all appropriate costs and fees.” Translation: more wasted tax dollars to keep violent criminals on the streets.

Democrats are more interested in scoring political points against Trump than protecting Washington families. Fortunato’s right—this is crazy policy, and the only people cheering are the criminals cashing in on Democrat “compassion.” Read more at Center Square.

Washington Democrats can’t seem to follow even the most basic safety rules, and now the state is facing the loss of $10.5 million in federal funding for failing to enforce English proficiency standards for commercial truck drivers. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy blasted Washington—along with California and New Mexico—for ignoring federal law and putting unqualified drivers behind the wheel of 40-ton rigs.

Here’s the kicker: Washington’s Department of Licensing issued a full-term CDL to Harjinder Singh, an illegal immigrant whose work authorization had already been rejected under Trump but later rubber-stamped by Biden. Federal law flat-out prohibits this, yet Olympia handed him the keys anyway. The result? Singh was involved in a horrific Florida truck crash that killed three innocent people—deaths that Duffy says should never have happened.

The numbers are damning: more than 6,000 inspections in Washington this summer, yet only four English proficiency violations enforced. Federal inspectors even flagged cases where Washington ignored violations already documented in other states, essentially giving unsafe drivers a free pass.

While WSDOT jokes about traffic jams with their “Conechella” branding, the Biden-Ferguson alliance is turning highway safety into a punchline. But there’s nothing funny about three dead Americans and a state government that treats federal law like a suggestion. Read more at Seattle Red.

The Spokane City Council just passed a law banning ICE agents from entering permitted events without a warrant—a move that even the police chief admitted is unenforceable and gives people a “false sense of security.” Translation: Democrats know it won’t actually do anything, but it makes for a great press release and a pat on the back from the activist crowd.

While President Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi have warned that sanctuary jurisdictions risk losing millions in federal funds, Spokane leaders decided that virtue signaling is worth the gamble. Councilmember Michael Cathcart nailed it: a symbolic vote pretending to shield people from federal law is pure political theater, not policy.

The city’s own police department won’t touch this, because they can’t interfere with federal enforcement. But hey, the council gets to “send a really big message”—even if that message is: We’d rather protect illegal immigrants than taxpayers. Read more at Center Square.

Please consider making a contribution to ensure Shift continues to provide daily updates on the shenanigans of the liberal establishment. If you’d rather mail a check, you can send it to: Shift WA | PO Box 956 | Cle Elum, WA 98922

Forward this to a friend.  It helps us grow our community and serve you better.

You can also follow SHIFTWA on social media by liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter.

If you feel we missed something that should be covered, email us at [email protected].