When hundreds of millions go missing, Democrats call it “racist” to ask where it went.

Follow the Money—Democrats Prefer You Don’t

A Republican lawmaker is officially done pretending everything’s fine in Olympia. Rep. Jenny Graham is asking Donald Trump and the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate potential self-dealing and fraud in Washington’s taxpayer-funded programs—because state Democrats apparently won’t.

Graham introduced House Joint Memorial 4014 after months of reporting by The Center Square documenting red flags in race-based housing grants, childcare subsidies, and other programs where money flows freely but oversight doesn’t. According to Graham, Washington has “no real mechanisms” to track misuse—and when money disappears, no one is held accountable.

The memorial cites reports of childcare centers receiving large subsidies despite appearing inactive, parallels to massive fraud cases in Minnesota, and nearly $500 million in unaccounted funds. Democrats’ response so far? Attack the journalists, dismiss calls for audits, and wave off concerns as offensive or politically motivated.

Even better: when asked about investigating, top state officials—including the governor’s office, the attorney general, and even the state auditor—have shrugged. Seattle’s mayor reportedly won’t look into it either, because investigating fraud might upset someone.

The Attorney General’s Office dismissed Graham’s memorial as “frivolous,” accusing Republicans and reporters of working with “right-wing content creators.” No denial of the allegations. No explanation of where the money went. Just vibes.

With Democrats stonewalling and audits going nowhere, Graham says she had little choice but to look outside the state for accountability. The memorial—co-sponsored by 13 other Republicans—has been sent to a Democrat-chaired committee, where it may quietly die without a hearing.

So to recap: credible fraud allegations, screenshots showing shifting subsidy numbers, lawsuits over altered records—and Democrats’ top priority is making sure no one asks too many questions. In Olympia, accountability isn’t missing. It’s just politically inconvenient. Read more at Center Square.

Democracy, But Make It Appointed

Washington’s Washington State Supreme Court is tilting further left—and not by accident. With Justices Raquel Montoya-Lewis and Charles Johnson stepping aside, two seats are opening up this November. That should mean voters get a real say. But history says otherwise.

Here’s the trick Democrats love: when a justice leaves mid-term, the governor appoints a replacement, who then runs as the incumbent. In Washington, incumbents almost never lose—often because they run unopposed. So while the ballot says “nonpartisan election,” the outcome is usually pre-baked.

Five of the nine current justices first got their robes via appointment, not election. The latest example is Justice Colleen Melody, appointed by Gov. Bob Ferguson after Justice Mary Yu retired. Melody has never faced voters but will appear this fall as—you guessed it—the incumbent. Democracy theater at its finest.

To be fair, Montoya-Lewis and Johnson are actually finishing their terms, meaning these two races will be genuinely open. No appointed head start. No governor’s thumb on the scale. Which only highlights how rare that has become.

Why it matters: massive cases are headed to this court—Democrats’ income tax push, voter-approved Initiative 2066 on natural gas access, and the ongoing fallout from the Blake decision on drug laws and public safety. This court will have the final word.

So yes, November offers two real elections. If you love one-party control across all three branches, you’ll love what’s coming. If you’re worried about checks and balances quietly disappearing, now’s the time to pay attention. Read more at My Northwest.com.

Give the AG a Bigger Hammer—What Could Go Wrong?

Majority-party Democrats are plowing ahead with House Bill 2161, a bill that dramatically expands the powers of the Washington attorney general to issue sweeping civil investigative demands—think subpoenas without the usual guardrails. According to the bill digest, the AG could demand documents, testimony, and interrogatories while investigating alleged violations of the U.S. Constitution, the Washington Constitution, and other laws.

Sounds technical. Harmless, even. Republicans aren’t buying it.

Rep. Jim Walsh, the ranking minority member on the House Civil Rights & Judiciary Committee, says the bill is far more dangerous than its bland language suggests. He argues it effectively creates a new kind of civil warrant power—and that the real target isn’t bad actors in Washington, but Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Walsh warns the bill is part of a broader Democratic strategy to empower the AG’s office to harass or obstruct federal immigration enforcement, raising serious constitutional questions tied to the Supremacy Clause. Republicans opposed the bill unanimously in committee but chose to save their sharper arguments for the House floor, where they expect a more public fight.

Democrats, meanwhile, are leaning into the moment. Bill sponsor Rep. Darya Farivar claimed the expansion is necessary because the U.S. Department of Justice is no longer pursuing certain cases—so Washington needs to step in and “protect” residents by empowering its own AG.

As The Center Square reports, HB 2161 isn’t an outlier. It’s one of several bills moving through Olympia aimed at ICE or expanding the attorney general’s reach—often into areas traditionally reserved for the federal government.

So while Democrats insist this is about civil rights and enforcement gaps, Republicans see something else entirely: a state government arming itself with broader investigative powers to pick ideological fights with federal agencies. Another day in Olympia, another power grab—this time wrapped in constitutional rhetoric. Read more at Center Square.

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