With the 2026 legislative session officially underway, welcome to the “Crime Edition” of the Daily Briefing—where Democrats waste no time proving they’re soft on crime across the board, whether it’s burglars on the street, fraud in state programs, or violent offenders getting endless do-overs.

Democrats’ New Criminal Justice Plan: Turn “Life Without Parole” into “Just Kidding”

The 2026 legislative session is barely underway, and Democrats are already racing to make life easier for violent criminals. Senate Bill 5945 would allow three-strike offenders serving life without parole to walk free if one of their strikes happened when they were a juvenile. Because apparently “three strikes” now comes with asterisks, loopholes, and revisionist history.

Even one Democrat is sounding the alarm. Rep. Lauren Davis admitted she’s “pretty alarmed” by this bill, warning that these resentencing schemes have “real consequences in the form of human lives.” Translation: people die when lawmakers get soft on repeat violent offenders.

She knows this firsthand. In 2021, she supported a similar bill believing it applied to robbers, only to later learn it also freed murderers. Oops. That’s the problem with feel-good criminal justice reforms written in vague language: the fine print gets written in blood.

Davis pointed to the horrific murder of 80-year-old Ruth Dalton in Seattle. Her killer had two strikes already. His first was committed as a juvenile. Under this new bill, that technicality could have spared him a life-without-parole sentence altogether. Let that sink in: violent offenders get mercy, while victims and their families get permanent loss.

Democrats justify this by saying juveniles have “developing brains.” That may be true for sentencing first-time offenders. But applying it retroactively to hardened criminals with long records is reckless. These aren’t kids who made one bad choice. These are repeat offenders who proved, again and again, they are dangerous.

Even Rep. Davis admits this is dangerous. When a Democrat is warning her own party that their policy could cost lives, maybe it’s time to stop pretending this is about justice and admit it’s about ideology.

This is the same pattern Washington voters see over and over:

Soften sentences.

Rewrite consequences.

Release dangerous offenders.

Act shocked when crime goes up.

SB 5945 isn’t compassion. It’s negligence dressed up as reform. And once again, Democrats are proving their priority isn’t public safety or victims’ rights — it’s protecting criminals from the consequences of their own actions. Read more at Seattle Red

Democrats’ Latest Crime Strategy: Sue the Cops, Protect the Criminals

Washington Democrats are pushing Senate Bill 5855, a new law that would restrict when police officers can cover their faces and require visible identification, all in the name of “building trust.” In reality, it adds yet another layer of legal risk and personal danger for officers already working in a hostile environment.

The bill bans most officers from wearing face coverings like tactical masks, with limited exceptions for undercover work, SWAT, or medical and safety gear. And if an officer slips up? Anyone detained can sue, collecting damages, attorneys’ fees, and court orders. Because nothing says “public safety” like turning every police interaction into a potential lawsuit.

Democrats justify this by claiming masked officers “intimidate” communities, even citing ICE arrests as a driving concern. Meanwhile, federal officials and law enforcement leaders warn this bill ignores reality: officers are wearing masks to protect themselves and their families from doxxing, harassment, and death threats — which have exploded in recent years.

Interim U.S. Attorney Pete Serrano warned the bill may be unconstitutional under federal supremacy rules and said it “recklessly endangers” law enforcement. Doxxing has reportedly increased by 1,000%, and death threats by 8,000%, yet Olympia’s response is to make officers more identifiable and more vulnerable.

Even California’s version of this law is already being challenged in federal court by the U.S. Department of Justice. But Washington Democrats aren’t waiting to see how that turns out. They’re charging ahead anyway.

Governor Bob Ferguson’s office supports the bill, reinforcing the pattern: Democrats consistently side with policies that restrict and punish law enforcement while criminals face fewer consequences. They say it’s about “trust.” In practice, it’s another move that weakens police, emboldens criminals, and makes Washington less safe. Read more at MyNorthwest.com.

Democrats Go Soft on Fraud While Cracking Down on the People Who Expose It

Washington Democrats opened the 2026 legislative session by talking about more taxes, a new millionaire’s tax, and how to squeeze more money out of the public. What they didn’t want to talk about? Whether state agencies are letting fraud run wild with your tax dollars.

Republicans raised a basic, common-sense point: before raising taxes again, maybe we should make sure taxpayer money isn’t being stolen or misused. Rep. Travis Couture pointed directly at the Department of Children, Youth & Families and warned it looks like payments are going out first, with questions asked later. That’s not compassion. That’s a system begging to be abused.

House Bill 2058 would require any private organization receiving public money to undergo an independent audit. Not radical. Not extreme. Just accountability. If you’re taking taxpayer dollars, you should prove you’re using them properly.

But Democrats immediately went into defense mode. Rep. Timm Ormsby said he hasn’t seen “evidence” of fraud — even while admitting that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. Governor Bob Ferguson claimed providers are already “closely monitored,” even as former Democratic State Auditor Brian Sonntag said a full audit of DCYF is absolutely warranted.

Then came the most revealing part: instead of encouraging transparency and investigation, Democrats pivoted to attacking the messengers. The Attorney General’s office encouraged people to call police or a “hate crimes” hotline if journalists ask questions. Seattle’s new mayor warned against filming daycare centers. Suddenly, investigating possible fraud is treated like criminal behavior.

Thankfully, even federal officials had to step in and remind them of reality. Asking questions and practicing citizen journalism is not a hate crime. It’s protected speech. In America.

So let’s recap:

Democrats raise taxes.
Democrats grow government.
Democrats resist audits.
Democrats downplay fraud.
Democrats attack journalists who investigate it.

That’s not accountability. That’s protection for a system that doesn’t want scrutiny.

This isn’t just a budget issue. It’s a crime issue. Fraud is theft. Misusing taxpayer money is theft. Covering for it while intimidating investigators is how corruption becomes permanent.

Before Olympia asks for another dime, maybe they should prove they’re not letting criminals — whether on the street or inside the bureaucracy — walk off with the money Washington families worked for. Read more at Center Square.

Fifteen Arrests Later, Democrats Still Think the Revolving Door Is “Justice”

According to a recent report, Thurston County deputies did textbook police work catching a burglary suspect at a Tumwater lumber yard: muddy, sweating, out of breath, jacket nearby stuffed with burglary tools. Case closed, right? Not even close. This was arrest number 15 for the same guy.

He was arrested in December for porch piracy and drug possession.
He was arrested in October for burglary and trespassing.
Now he’s arrested again for breaking into a business.

Three arrests in three months. Fifteen overall. And each time, the same outcome: booked and released, booked and released, booked and released.

This is what Washington Democrats call “justice reform.” Criminals learn fast that there are no real consequences. Commit crimes, get caught, go home, repeat. It’s less a justice system and more a punch card. Fifteen arrests, get the sixteenth free.

Washington now ranks fourth-worst in the nation for property crime, and nobody should be surprised. Porch pirates, burglars, prowlers, and car thieves know the rules: the state won’t push back. Judges aren’t given real tools to escalate. Prosecutors downgrade or drop cases. Addiction is treated as an excuse instead of a crisis that demands intervention.

And while Democrats insist these are “nonviolent” or “victimless” crimes, real people are paying the price:

Families lose packages.
Businesses lose inventory and close stores.
Homeowners don’t feel safe in their own yards.
Communities lose trust that anyone is actually in charge.

Even when addiction is clearly driving the behavior, the answer isn’t treatment with accountability. It’s release with a court date nobody expects to matter. Compassion without consequences isn’t compassion — it’s abandonment.

The sheriff said it plainly without saying it: this man needs intervention, escalating consequences, and probably mandatory treatment. What he doesn’t need is arrest number sixteen with the same empty outcome.

But that’s the system Democrats built:
Soft on crime.
Hostile to enforcement.
Endlessly forgiving to repeat offenders.
And completely indifferent to victims.

Fifteen arrests. Fourth-worst property crime in America. That’s not a coincidence. That’s policy. Read more at MyNorthwest.com.

Donate Today

Please consider making a contribution to ensure Shift continues to provide daily updates on the shenanigans of the liberal establishment. If you’d rather mail a check, you can send it to: Shift WA | PO Box 956 | Cle Elum, WA 98922

Forward this to a friend. It helps us grow our community and serve you better.

You can also follow SHIFTWA on social media by liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter.

If you feel we missed something that should be covered, email us at [email protected].