Gov. Jay Inslee is “pulling an Obama” and trying to go around the Legislature to enact his climate change agenda. Inslee believes he can use the state’s Clean Air Act to impose a “carbon cap” – without the Legislature’s involvement or approval. This executive overreach, which is no doubt headed for the courts, comes in at #5 in our Top Ten most underreported stories of the year.
Shift also examined the colossal screw-up that led to state prisoners being released too early. As former Attorney General Rob McKenna pointed out, that mistake is likely to lead to lawsuits against the state, paid for by taxpayers. Democrat politicians and trial lawyers collude to keep Washington uniquely vulnerable to big lawsuit payouts. Will Jay Inslee, former Board of Directors member of the Washington Trial Lawyers, do anything about it? Unlikely.