The Capitol Building is seen Monday, Jan. 8, 2018, in Olympia.
The good news is Democrats and Republicans in the state Legislature have finally found something they can agree on.
The bad news is that common ground is secrecy and a desire to hide their actions and communications from the people of Washington.
Today, lawmakers voted overwhelmingly to pass a bill that retroactively exempts them — along with all of their associated agencies, members and employees — from the requirements of the Public Records Act. It went into effect immediately, and it prevents the release of everything from past correspondence and phone records to past histories of sexual harassment or other improprieties. The legislation was produced rapidly and rammed through the Legislature with surprising ease.
The same two parties that couldn’t come up with a capital budget in three extra sessions last year have found their stride. All it took was the threat of their records being made public. It brings to mind a classic question: What in the world do they have to hide?
The Public Records Act applies to all government officials and agencies, whether it’s a county, city, fire district or school board. In a display of just how rigid the law is, The Chronicle even obtained a Lewis County commissioner’s Facebook messages after the account was used for county business in 2016.
The purpose of the law is simple. Our government officials work for us. What our state lawmakers have done is the equivalent of a worker refusing to show a supervisor the full company ledger.
Lawmakers, though, have long held that the rules don’t apply to them. A Thurston County judge ruled otherwise after news organizations, including the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association, of which The Chronicle is a member, filed a lawsuit demanding the legislators follow the law.
This legislation, Senate Bill 6617, is a clear sidestepping of that ruling.
Frankly, it’s despicable, both in its intent and its timing.
News organizations and the public were not able to testify on the matter. The bill was introduced Wednesday and was approved by 2 p.m. Friday.
Remember, this is the speed of a government working to hide its handiwork.
We watched intently to see how our local lawmakers voted and whether they would side with transparency or secrecy.
We were greatly disappointed.
Only one of them, Rep. Jim Walsh, R-Aberdeen, chose to side with the people of Washington and their right to know what their government is up to.
We are saddened by the choices of our remaining local lawmakers, which include Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia; Rep. Ed Orcutt, R-Kalama; Rep. Richard DeBolt, R-Chehalis; Rep Brian Blake, D-Aberdeen; and Sen. Dean Taako, D-Longview.
We are appreciative of the actions of Walsh, who has shown he has nothing to hide since being elected in 2016. In the 19th and 20th legislative districts, he alone did the right thing and voted against the awful and damaging legislation. The bill passed Friday is a detriment to the public’s right and responsibility to hold the people they vote into office — whose salaries they pay — to account for their actions, or lack thereof.
If indeed a change in law was needed, the public should at least have been allowed full opportunity to comment and take part in the process.
Lawmakers who voted in favor of this bill have proven, at least in this case, they represent the very worst in government — the belief that they are not accountable to the people who elected them to office.
Please consider contacting your local representatives.
20th DISTRICT
Lewis County and Southwestern Thurston County
State Sen. John Braun
P.O. Box 40420
Olympia, WA 98504-0420
phone: (360) 786-7638
fax: (360) 786-1999
email: john.braun@leg.wa.gov
State Rep. Richard DeBolt
P.O. Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0600
phone: (360) 786-7896
fax: (360) 786-7871
email: richard.debolt@leg.wa.gov
State Rep. Ed Orcutt
P.O. Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0600
phone: (360) 786-7990
email: ed.orcutt@leg.wa.gov
19th District
Pacific, Wahkiakum and Parts of Lewis, Grays Harbor and Cowlitz Counties
State Sen. Dean Takko
P.O. Box 40419
Olympia, WA 98504-0419
phone: (360) 786-7636
fax: (360) 786-1446
email: dean.takko@leg.wa.gov
State Rep. Brian Blake
P.O. Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0600
phone: (360) 786-7870
fax: (360) 786-1276
email: brian.blake@leg.wa.gov
State Rep. Jim Walsh
P.O. Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0600
phone: (360) 786-7806
fax: (360) 786-7210
email: jim.walsh@leg.wa.gov
