Only in Democrat-run King County could “fiscal oversight” mean letting $1.5 billion walk out the door and then scrambling to hire consultants to figure out where it went.

Billions Out the Door, Oversight Out the Window

King County’s Department of Community and Human Services has been flooding money out the door at record levels—over $1.5 billion in just 2023 and 2024 alone, nearly double what it was just a few years ago. The problem? Audits show the department has little to no ability to track how that money is actually being used, with reports of improper payments, potential fraud, and even a culture of silencing whistleblowers who try to sound the alarm.

Councilmember Reagan Dunn is pushing a reform ordinance that would finally require contractor reviews, site visits, and progress reports—basic accountability steps that should have been in place all along. Dunn also floated limiting the number of grantees, noting King County is juggling more than 1,200 contracts while Los Angeles County—with ten million more residents—manages about 700. Fellow councilmember Rod Dembowski even suggested adopting a federal-style “qui tam” system to give insiders incentives to call out fraud, since right now there’s “very little incentive” for anyone to come forward.

Meanwhile, DCHS Director Kelly Rider admits the department doesn’t even have the staffing to manage the ballooning number of providers. Translation: billions are being handed out with no one really watching where it goes. Read more at Center Square.

Blowing Cover for Clout

Independent journalist Brandi Kruse reports that a Facebook post in a left-wing activist group claims King County Councilmember Sarah Perry tipped them off to the exact hotel location—down to the floor numbers—where ICE agents are staying. If true, this isn’t just reckless, it’s a direct danger to the safety of federal officers and anyone in the vicinity. Actively helping activists track down ICE agents crosses from political grandstanding into an unbelievable scandal—one that shows just how far some local leaders are willing to go to play politics with public safety and the safety of law enforcement agents. We will keep you updated as information develops.

Pronouns Over Parents

Only in Democrat-run Washington could a school district face punishment for the “crime” of believing parents deserve to know what’s going on with their own kids. After a teachers’ strike already delayed the school year, the La Center School District is now locked in battle with OSPI over whether staff should be forced to keep gender identity and pronoun secrets from families. Democrats’ “gender-inclusive” policies actually threaten to cut off state funding—effectively holding schools hostage unless they comply with keeping parents in the dark. Superintendent Pete Rosenkranz is standing his ground, reminding Olympia bureaucrats that teachers are representatives of parents, not the other way around. Meanwhile, OSPI insists hiding information from families is the priority—because apparently academic failure, collapsing enrollment, and plummeting test scores just aren’t enough chaos for Washington’s education system. Read more at Center Square.

Flying Politics Over Patriotism

Kent School District Superintendent Israel Vela decided that his personal politics matter more than honoring the life of Charlie Kirk, the conservative activist assassinated last week. By refusing to lower flags to half-staff—even after requests from both President Donald Trump and Gov. Bob Ferguson—Vela turned what should have been a solemn act of unity into a political stunt.

In an email to staff, he bragged about acting on the district’s “core values of equity, excellence, and community,” which apparently now means defying bipartisan calls for respect. He even patted himself on the back for getting “gratitude” from some staff and parents, as though applause justifies inserting ideology into a national moment of mourning.

To make matters worse, Vela never even consulted the elected Kent School Board before unilaterally issuing his statement and publishing a district post glorifying his decision. Board members are now launching an investigation, with at least one calling his move a serious overstep of authority. Read more at Seattle Red.

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