I caught Inslee breaking the law – Again. This time he wasn’t alone.

On Monday, I filed a formal complaint with the Washington State Executive Ethics Board on Governor Jay Inslee‘s repeated violations of Washington State’s ethics laws. See complaint linked here. Of course, he was not alone, in the same complaint I also identified 11 other state senators and legislators who also broke the same laws. The same complaint provides the details relevant to their violations and was also submitted to the Washington State Legislative Ethics Board, which is responsible for investigating and enforcing these laws on the elected legislators and state senators.

The Legislative Ethics Complaint named and includes the following Washington State Senators:

1. – Senator Manka Dhingra
2. – Senator Emily Randall
3. – Senator June Robinson
4. – Senator Liz Lovelett

The Legislative Ethics Complaint named and includes the following Washington State Legislators:

1.– Rep. My-Linh Thai
2. – Rep. Jessica Bateman
3. – Rep. Debra Lekanoff
4. – Rep. Alex Ramel
5. – Rep. Alicia Rule
6. – Rep. Sharon Shewmake
7. – Rep. Vandana Slatter

This isn’t the first time I have caught Governor Inslee breaking the law. He was recently sanctioned by the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission for attempting to conceal his financial relationships with out-of-state corporations and other organizations (see here). For now, I produced a video yesterday that helps explain these newest legal violations:

The laws they broke, and the laws they plan to break again

As explained thoroughly in the draft of the 8-page complaint itself (see here), the laws broken mainly involve RCW 42.52.180 and WAC 292-110-010. These are the laws which the two state Ethics Boards are tasked with enforcing and investigating.

However, these politicians also broke RCW 42.17A.555, which is addressed more effectively by the Public Disclosure Commission. However, if you read the exception at RCW 42.17A.555(4), there is an exception carved out for the Governor and these legislators, which means that these violations by these specific elected officials can ONLY be addressed by their respective ethics boards.

Will Inslee stop breaking the law now that the Washington State Executive Ethics Board is investigating his past lawbreaking? That remains to be seen.

Will the State Senators and Legislators stop breaking the law now that the Washington State Legislative Ethics Board is investigating them for their past lawbreaking? Maybe. They could also make the decision that the penalties for lawbreaking are so minimal, and the benefits are high enough that they can continue to break the law and just take the wrist slapping later.

We will see this Friday, when Inslee has scheduled a political campaign event for the 30th and 47th Legislative District Democrat candidates for the legislature and senate, posing as a taxpayer funded “press conference” whether Governor Jay Inslee decides to continue his lawbreaking or not.

OUR CONSTITUTION BEGINS WITH THE PHRASE “WE THE PEOPLE.” IT WAS THE FOUNDERS’ INTENT THAT GOVERNMENT BE CREATED BY THE PEOPLE, TO SERVE THE PEOPLE. IT WASN’T THEIR INTENTION FOR THE PEOPLE TO SERVE THE GOVERNMENT. IT WAS ALWAYS INTENDED THAT GOVERNMENT WHICH FAILED TO SERVE THE PEOPLE SHOULD BE “ALTERED OR ABOLISHED.” UNTIL WE RETURN TO THE FOUNDER’S INTENT, WE REMAIN WE THE GOVERNED…

Background articles and reference links:

October 2022 – Ethics Complaint against Inslee and 11 Senators and Legislators

A current list of over 200 politicians, PACs, judges, etc who I have caught breaking the law and who were either fined or received formal sanction from the AG, PDC, or Ethics Board

Washington State Executive Ethics Board

Washington State Public Disclosure Commission

Washington State Legislative Ethics Board

Video about Governor Inslee being sanctioned by the PDC for breaking the law

RCW 42.52.180 – “Use of Public Resources for Political Campaigns”

WAC 292-110-010 – “Use of State Resources”

RCW 42.17A.555 – “Use of public office or agency facilities in campaigns”