The endurance race for wildlife management integrity and the quest to uphold democracy through a transparent and accountable state government
By Brian Lynn, Vice President Marketing & Communications
The Sportsmen’s Alliance has fought on behalf of hunters and anglers for nearly 50 years. We know the ins and outs of political exercises at every level. Legislative sessions can be both sprints and marathons, with some lasting only 60 days, or even less than a month depending on the cycle, while others stretch out a full two years. But even in longer sessions or in carry-over states, things can happen quickly, at least in terms of government. Ballot initiatives and legal work, on the other hand, are endurance races that can last years. They require funding, pacing and patience to successfully execute.
Uncovering Collusion and Lawless Overreach in Washington
The legal fight we started in Washington has been an endurance race lasting multiple years. It was originally due to an abomination of government as the direct result of lawless fish and wildlife commissioners abusing their power and the trust of the public they serve.
At least four commissioners conspired and colluded with anti-hunting organizations to undermine proven wildlife management, disregarding the department’s biologists to advance their own personal ideologies, with some potentially committing felonies in the process.
Evidence Leads to Independent Investigation of Commissioners
Fireworks and media coverage followed our release of the evidence and the petition we sent to Gov. Ferguson requesting the removal of the four conspiring commissioners. Shortly after, it was revealed that Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Director Kelly Susewind had asked Gov. Ferguson for an independent investigation into our findings – which the governor authorized.
Since then, the Sportsmen’s Alliance has been quiet. We know politics and investigations take time. We’ve been patient and remain hopeful that the investigation (which has been extended twice) comes to the same logical conclusions that we did – the evidence speaks for itself after all.
Internal Reviews Confirm Conflicts of Interest and Bias
But it’s not just the Sportsmen’s Alliance saying that serious issues and conflicts of interest exist within the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission – it’s the Washington Fish and Wildlife Department’s own internal review of their behaviors and communications that say it, too!
The “scathing 10-page memo says the behavior of commissioners Lorna Smith and Melanie Rowland posed ‘serious risks’ to the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, ‘especially when it comes to avoiding a conflict of interest and favoritism,’” according to the Washington State Standard.
Still, we’ve said nothing. This isn’t a witch hunt. This is an examination of fact and law. And the facts continue to back up our allegations and claims that commissioner Barbara Baker, John Lehmkuhl, Lorna Smith and Melanie Rowland are acting in a biased and often illegal manner. We’re confident in our course of action and the evidence we’ve provided.
“Rules for Thee, Not for Me”
What is truly unbelievable in all this, and what underscores the absolute need for Gov. Ferguson to act upon our petition to remove the cancerous commissioners, is that even with all the media attention, the revelation of an internal review of their actions, an official investigation by a third party and political attention going all the way to the governor, these commissioners still publicly push back against any sort of oversight, transparency, accountability, and continue to operate outside the bounds of policy, procedure and the law!
At the February Fish and Wildlife Commission meeting (beginning at the 1:42:20 mark), Deputy Director Amy Windrope reviewed additions and updates to the “Rule of Procedure” for commissioners to abide by in an attempt to reform accountability and instill public trust in the commission.
Transparency Issues and Hardware Policy Violations
These policies included using government-issued computers and phones to help ensure transparency and accountability of commissioners. It is a common and ubiquitous practice in universities and among state and federal government agencies nationwide. It not only helps ensure the agency and system aren’t being used for personal profit or pushing of biases, it can expedite public-records requests – something that is clearly an issue in Washington and the basis of our lawsuit against the department (it wasn’t until we filed a lawsuit that our request for commissioner records were fulfilled).
But Commissioner Melanie Rowland doesn’t think those same laws apply to her – she believes she can “ignore” them at will. Commissioner Rowland continually and obstinately pushed back on such commonplace measures, blatantly admitting that she ignored the rule that commissioners need to use department-issued hardware when conducting commission business. This, coming from a commissioner who corresponded via text messages with an anti-hunting advocate during an open and broadcast meeting to get the language just exactly right to permanently ban spring bear hunting. If she’s willing to do that in public, what would she keep from coming to light behind closed doors!?!?
The Fight for Accountability and the Public Records Act
It is precisely this level of hubris that is the problem with the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission. Fanatical commissioners have been acting outside established policy, procedures and the law for years with a flippant attitude that the law does not apply to them, and that the public is an entity to be tolerated, not served – and they’ve done so with zero consequences to date.
This rogue commission also turns the spotlight on the farce that is the implementation of Washington’s open records law. Since the 1970s, states enacted laws to ensure government transparency – Western states, especially, were on the leading edge. One common element in this movement (which was called the Progressive Movement) was the enactment of so called “Sunshine Laws,” which required state actions to be conducted in the open and for state records to be available to the public in a reasonable amount of time.
But, so far in Washington, reasonable has gone out the window as the state can stall a truth seeker like the Sportsmen’s Alliance for years while the government drags its feet fulfilling a record’s request – to the point that the statute of limitations expires or a serving politician leaves office, thus avoiding any political, civil, or criminal accountability. That is definitely not what the state legislature intended when passing open-meeting laws and the Public Records Act.
Demanding Action from the Washington Supreme Court
No matter how a citizen of Washington feels about sportsmen or hunting, they should be outraged at the blatant abuse of power and mockery that is the state’s open records law. While we’ve been quiet during the ongoing investigation, we have not given up. We’ve appealed our case to the Washington Supreme Court in hopes of protecting democracy through an open, transparent and accountable state government.
It is beyond time for Washington citizens to see what their elected officials and agencies are up to. It is beyond time for the investigation to come to a conclusion and for Gov. Ferguson to act on our petition. It is beyond time these lawless commissioners were held accountable and removed from power.
The Sportsmen’s Alliance guarantees hunting, fishing, and trapping for the American sportsman now and forever. We’re there when sportsmen need us most. We are the only organization specifically created to protect the individual hunter, angler, and trapper – no matter the threat. We will never compromise when it comes to defending our way of life in the courts, in the legislatures, in the public square, and at the ballot box. We make this promise to the American sportsman: we will never give up and never give in while proudly securing our future against those seeking to destroy our values, beliefs, and traditions. Stay connected to the Sportsmen’s Alliance: Online, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
