The Washington State Supreme Court unanimously rejected Seattle’s appeal in a Public Records Act lawsuit brought by unDivided podcast host Brandi Kruse. The case began in 2023 after Kruse requested emails, texts and voicemails surrounding then-Councilmember Andrew Lewis’s surprise vote that killed an ordinance targeting public drug use downtown.

Despite the narrow request, Seattle delayed releasing records until after key election dates. The lawsuit also revealed that the city had left its public records officer position vacant without posting the required job opening. After a King County judge initially ruled for the city, Kruse won a unanimous Court of Appeals decision—and now the Supreme Court has declined to overturn it.

Kruse’s attorneys say the city rejected multiple opportunities to settle and could now face legal fees, costs and mandatory Public Records Act penalties. The city did not respond to questions about how much it has spent defending the case since 2023.

Kruse suspects the city’s reluctance to settle was driven by her politics, though that remains her allegation. What’s clear is that Seattle kept fighting a case it ultimately lost unanimously, leaving taxpayers potentially responsible for the bill. Read more at The Center Square.

The October 4 protests demanding a moratorium on AI data centers weren’t just a spontaneous uprising of concerned residents. As Seattle Red’s Jason Rantz points out, Washington AI Resistance (WA-AIR) was co-founded by Seattle DSA’s Ecosocialism Working Group, alongside groups including Troublemakers and 350 Seattle. Seattle DSA openly blames capitalism for the climate crisis, while WA-AIR spokesperson Evan Sutton is a political strategist whose motto is “Billionaires are bad for all of us.”

Yet the Seattle Times presented the protests as a grassroots revolt against “tech oligarchs” without explaining the ideological groups behind them. Its coverage featured protesters and Democratic lawmakers while leaving out building trades workers, Republicans and economists who could challenge the case for a moratorium.

The stakes are bigger than protest signs. China is rapidly expanding its data center capacity while Seattle weighs extending its moratorium and Olympia Democrats signal support for more regulation. Washington risks driving away investment, construction jobs and a critical technology industry while handing competitors an advantage. The public deserves journalism that examines who is organizing these protests and what their agenda could cost—not coverage that repackages an ideological campaign as a grassroots movement. Read more at Seattle Red.

The King County Council approved a new sales tax on a 6-3 vote, adding about a penny per $100 purchase starting January 1. The increase is expected to raise roughly $10 million annually for three years, pushing Seattle’s sales tax rate to 10.56%. Voters weren’t asked to approve it, and Councilmember Reagan Dunn questioned whether the county even has a clear plan for spending the money.

As Seattle Red reports, We Heart Seattle founder Andrea Suarez disputes the council’s claim that the tax will help homeless children and families. After seven years working on the streets, she says families with children living in tents are rare among the people her organization encounters, arguing that the county’s statistics don’t reflect what outreach workers see firsthand.

Suarez says enforcement—not another round of spending—is needed to address encampments and public drug use, pointing to Washington’s growing state budget as evidence that increased spending hasn’t resolved the crisis. Dunn similarly questioned whether the tax would deliver its promised results.

The tax expires after three years, leaving taxpayers to wait and see whether the additional revenue produces measurable results—or whether the council returns asking for more money. Read more at Seattle Red.

As Shift WA readers know, five of the nine Washington State Supreme Court seats are on the ballot this year. Washington Policy Center partnered with the William D. Ruckelshaus Center to host debates featuring candidates in these key races, giving voters a chance to hear directly from those seeking seats on the state’s highest court.

All candidates agreed to participate except one, so organizers recorded an interview with Judge David Stevens instead. Voters can watch the debates, view Stevens’ interview and learn more about the candidates at wasupremecourtvote.com.

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