State lawmakers approved issuing subpoenas to “gather records for a probe of the state’s mistaken early release of prisoners” after being stonewalled by Jay Inslee’s administration during legislative hearings last week. The subpoenas are the latest attempt by lawmakers to get to the bottom of the state Department of Corrections scandal.
Here’s the stunner: Legislators authorized the subpoenas on a party-line vote, Republicans favoring getting to the bottom of the scandal, while Democrats lined up to protect Inslee’s re-election campaign from unfavorable public disclosure.
Just to be clear, Inslee’s DOC knew for over three years that it was releasing thousands of inmates early, in violation of the law, but didn’t fix the problem. Ultimately, over 3,200 inmates were released too early over a 13-year period and two lives were lost in “cases that are connected to inmates who should have still been in prison.”
So, why wouldn’t Democrats want to do everything in their power to hold those responsible accountable?
Perhaps it is because they are attempting to defend their party’s administrative legacy, since the scandal took place during the administrations of three Democrat governors. Whatever their true intentions, liberal lawmakers explained their vote against issuing subpoenas with weak excuses that only reveal their failure to proactively seek answers as the people’s representatives.
Now perhaps we’ll see the Inslee administration move a little faster in releasing public records and getting to the truth.
Doubt it, they’re too busy trying to enact an “assault weapons ban.” First, they fail to stop the DOC from letting out the criminals early and once it comes to light they introduce a plan to stop us from protecting ourselves from the crminals they let out!
Dems wanting to get to the bottom of a scandal involving one of their own? Keep an eye out for flying pigs.