June 2, 2020

Source: ShiftWA.org

What happened to the $200 million approved by the Washington State Legislature at the end of the 2020 session to help fund the state’s emergency response to the coronavirus outbreak?  Governor Jay Inslee has spent much of that money to fund liberal interest groups’ pet projects – including $10 million that went to tribal governments. That’s right, the same ones which have ignored the governor’s stay-at-home orders by reopening their casinos to allow hundreds of gamblers they want to socially distance from their money.  Meanwhile, the governor has allocated only $5 million to assist WA businesses – the drivers of the state economic engine. This amounts to $10 per business. (Shift)

One of the primary reasons why Governor Inslee was forced to extend his prohibition on evictions is because his state bureaucracy failed to process and deliver promised unemployment benefits.  Despite near full employment and the hiring of additional processors, the Employment Security Department was falling woefully behind in delivering promised benefits to Washington residents who suddenly lost their wages. When state officials were informed by federal law enforcement of the “Nigerian scam” that cost the state “hundreds of millions of dollars,” they further delayed benefit payments by shutting down the system to investigate the fraud they had been allowing. (News Tribune)

It appears controversial Employment Security Department (ESD) Commissioner Suzi LeVine obtained her position primarily because she raised a lot of money for Democrat politicians.  LeVine (who obtained her position after Inslee’s previous ESD Commissioner Dale Peinecke resigned due to sexual harassment allegations) only had previous government experience as U.S. Ambassador to Switzerland during the Barrack Obama administration.  She earned that position after bundling $2.3 million in contributions to the Obama campaign.  Just prior to announcing his failed candidacy for President, Inslee conveniently put this Democrat fundraiser on the state’s payroll in the ESD position.  LeVine was in charge of the department when it was the recent easy target of a Nigerian-based scam that has cost taxpayers “hundreds of millions of dollars” (though the Inslee administration has yet to provide the public with a more precise amount).  Many Republican legislators, including Senate Republican leader Mark Schoesler, have called on LeVine to resign or be fired.  LeVine seemingly knows the priorities Inslee has for her, as she has continued to host fundraisers at her home for Democrat presidential candidates while working for the state, and has maxed out in donating to Inslee’s re-election campaign. (Seattle Times and Shift)