Olympia Week

 ESD paid fraudulent claims filed under own workers’ stolen identities (KREM Television)

A KING 5 investigation discovered that Washington’s Employment Security Department paid unemployment claims made under the stolen identities of its own employees. It’s important to note, the agency’s fraud detection software is so weak it even failed to capture fraudulent claims made by its own employees. The ESD admits to dialing back “automated security measures in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.” The lax security and large amount of unemployment payments made Washington state a prime target for fraud. Taxpayer losses were estimated to be $650 million. Only about half was recovered.

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Boeing may move 787 Dreamliner production to South Carolina (My Northwest)

In a matter of weeks, Boeing may move the 787 production line from Everett. Production of the 787 Dreamliner would move to South Carolina. Boeing’s move – according to sources – is close to a “done deal.” Snohomish County launched the “Better With Boeing” campaign in hopes of persuading the state’s largest employer to keep production in Washington. Boeing’s move would mean thousands of lost jobs and revenue for Washington state. Of course, decades of Democrat control have created an unfriendly business environment. Along with their hostility, Democrats’ consistent push for higher and higher taxes places our state at a competitive disadvantage.

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Seattle moves forward with plans to defund the SPD  (The Federalist)

The Seattle City Council voted to overrule vetoes made by Mayor Jenny Durkan and will defund the Seattle Police Department (SPD) as planned. The plan will “reduce the police force by 100 officers, cut wages of police commanders, and redirect millions of dollars to other public programs.” The cuts will also eliminate SPD’s Navigation Teams, resources dedicated to managing and assisting the homeless population. For years, SPD has experienced severe strains. Limited resources have resulted in long response times (or no response times, depending on the crime). Meanwhile, crime continues to rise in Seattle.

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Wildfires present yet another reason for Inslee to call a special session (770 KTTH)

GOP Sen. Judy Warnick recently spoke to KTTH’s Jason Rantz about the wildfires in Eastern Washington. Many Washingtonians are still struggling with the consequences of the devastating wildfires. Lincoln, Douglas, Grant, and Okanogan Counties are all facing significant loss of pastures lands and homes. The counties are seeking support for a FEMA designation – Jay Inslee already designated support for Whitman county. Given our state’s extreme budget shortfall, Warnick and fellow Republican senators are also asking Inslee to call a special legislative session to help with recovery efforts.

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2020 has been a tough year, and Governor Jay Inslee (D) has not made it any easier.

The latest failure of Inslee’s leadership to harm the lives of Washingtonians? Preventable wildfires.

Inslee blames the massive wildfires on climate change. But according to experts, wildfires are the result of poor forest management practices. Solutions include thinning forests through “logging, prescribed burns and (later) allowing naturally occurring fires to be managed instead of extinguished.”

The 2020 wildfires have cost lives, homes, and livelihoods. Yet, Inslee refuses to acknowledge reality. UW Atmospheric Science Professor Cliff Mass called Inslee’s climate change assertions “180 degrees of wrong.”  He points out the easterly winds that create massive fires weaken under climate change, lessening risks of rapid spread (KIRO).

Smart forest management prevents air pollution, saves taxpayer dollars, brings more revenue to the government, and – most importantly – saves lives.

Of course, that would leave Inslee without his yearly climate change talking points.

It’s time to put a stop to careless governance.