Press Release: WAGOP Chairman Jim Walsh calls on Inslee, Ferguson to stand for parent's rights and WA Families
 

WAGOP Chairman Jim Walsh released the following statement in regards to the recent lawsuit filed to stop SB 5599 from going into effect: "On behalf of parents, grandparents and families from all over the state who’ve reached out to me over the last day or two, I am disappointed in the current governor’s recent efforts to play cheap politics with parental rights in regard to the lawsuit recently filed on behalf of several Washington families over the hideous law created by Senate Bill 5599."

The current governor’s office and administration recently characterized the important points raised by the families in the lawsuit (International Partners for Ethical Care, et al., v. Inslee, Ferguson, et al.) as part of an “anti-trans” agenda. Chairman Walsh called this a false talking point.

Chairman Jim Walsh continued:  "A reasonable person can both defend parental rights, as the recent lawsuit does, and support everyone.

The points that the families make in the lawsuit are essential and foundational. They are about the rights of parents and families—they have nothing to do with “anti-trans” anything. The families’ legal arguments are based on decades of case law and constitutional protections of parental rights under the 14^th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and other due process language.

The families’ lawsuit seeks to overturn the anti-parent and anti-family policies created by the highly controversial SB 5599. Under those bad policies, minor children can be hidden from their custodial parents, grandparents or legal guardian. With no due process afforded to those loving parents and guardians. 

While the current governor and his bureaucrats seem determined to play politics with the lives of these Washington families, we should expect other state officials to do better. I call on State Attorney General Bob Ferguson—who is named as a co-defendant in the recent lawsuit—to honor his duties as the state’s top lawyer and clarify that the lawsuit is not “anti-trans” but is, in fact, about parental rights. Since he’s named in the lawsuit, AG Ferguson has undoubtedly read the document carefully.

The current Governor, State AG and other elected officials should stand for parental rights and healthy families. They should not engage in imprecise political rhetoric when faced with lawsuits that raise serious questions about constitutional rights, family rights and state law."
 

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