TL;DR: The Washington Supreme Court refused on May 5, 2026 to reinstate Senate Bill 5974 — the sweeping sheriff standards law that would have required elected sheriffs to meet the same eligibility criteria as appointed police chiefs. Specifically, a Thurston County Superior Court judge had blocked the law one day before it was set to…
Former Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers player Joel Rufus French was sentenced May 7, 2026 to 16 years and 4 months in federal prison for orchestrating a $197 million Medicare and CHAMPVA fraud scheme. Furthermore, the operation targeted some of America’s most vulnerable people — elderly Americans with Alzheimer’s and dementia, and the families…
Washington Governor Bob Ferguson agreed to a $4,000 ethics settlement after admitting he violated state ethics law by flying former adviser Mike Webb on a State Patrol aircraft. Furthermore, the same week the settlement was announced, Axios revealed a secret approval policy requiring most state agencies to clear press releases and reporter responses through the…
The Washington Supreme Court unanimously ruled on May 4, 2026 that voters cannot block the new Washington millionaire’s tax through a referendum. Specifically, the court found that Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6346 is shielded from referendum because Democratic lawmakers attached a “necessity clause” declaring the tax essential to state government operations. The 9.9% tax on…
A King County DCHS program manager allegedly funneled approximately $813,000 in public grants to her own daughter, two brothers, a cousin, and a sister-in-law through 19 contracts issued between 2022 and 2025. Furthermore, county officials received a complaint about the conflict of interest as early as 2020 — and did not formally investigate until 2025….
Seattle data center plans triggered the largest constituent response City Hall has seen in years. 54,000 messages flooded council inboxes after the Seattle Times revealed four tech companies wanted to build five hyperscale data centers consuming 369 megawatts — roughly one-third of Seattle’s average daily power. Two developers have since withdrawn. Three Council members introduced…
The dissolution moved from rhetoric to reality on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. King County Councilmember Rod Dembowski formally introduced legislation to end the county’s participation in the King County Regional Homelessness Authority. Vice Chair Reagan Dunn co-sponsored. A companion Seattle measure from Councilmember Maritza Rivera is moving in parallel. The plan: a formal council vote…
The denial of Washington’s $36.6 million Hazard Mitigation Grant Program request landed last Friday. Governor Bob Ferguson asked for $182.3 million in February to recover from December 2025’s historic flooding. FEMA approved Individual Assistance and Public Assistance — but flatly denied the statewide hazard mitigation funding. No reason was given. Meanwhile, Oregon received over $19…
The downgrade announced April 23, 2026 revised Washington State’s bond outlook from stable to negative. Washington still holds its Aaa (Triple-A) rating — for now. However, the state ranks dead last in the nation for financial reserves at just 8.4% of tax revenues. Reserves are projected to crash to 1.4% by 2028. A formal credit…
A KCRHA audit released April 22, 2026 found $13 million unaccounted for and a $44.7 million negative cash position at the King County Regional Homelessness Authority. The forensic review by Clark Nuber cost taxpayers $600,000. Auditors found no evidence of fraud — but stated they could not rule it out, citing missing records. Mayor Katie…
