Washington State has seen a steady stream of accountability matters develop throughout March. This news organization remains committed to pursuing transparency and examining official conduct on a daily basis.

Over the past two weeks, reporting has uncovered significant shortcomings in local oversight, exposed violations of public trust, and prompted legal maneuvers intended to restrict publication.

A review of investigations brought to light this month follows.

Press Freedom

An associate of Clallam County Superior Court Judge Brent Basden has filed a motion seeking to impose a coercive fine of up to $2,000 per day against this publication. The filing aims to compel the removal of articles detailing an investigation into the judge and his associates, along with content concerning Josiah Hill. The publication is contesting this effort to restrict reporting.

Oversight in Clallam County

Reporting on Clallam County revealed significant weaknesses in how officials vet individuals handling public funds and vulnerable populations.

  • Attorney Lane Wolfley continues to receive a taxpayer-funded contract of $6,250 per month, despite having been disqualified from representing clients before the Social Security Administration nearly a decade ago.
  • Johnny Watts, the former Coordinator for Clallam County’s Adult and Juvenile Drug Courts, was arrested during an armed standoff in Agnew involving a loaded firearm and suspected drugs.
  • That arrest led investigators to dismantle a large fentanyl operation in Kitsap County operating from a hotel room at the 7 Cedars Casino.
  • Further investigation showed Watts was previously arrested for felony domestic violence in Texas in 2023 while still employed by the county’s therapeutic courts.
  • Following the departure of former Court Commissioner Brian Parker, the county has officially begun the search for a replacement.

Judicial and Legal Misconduct

Reporting has focused heavily on accountability within the legal profession.

  • A video was published showing Judge Brent Basden discouraging a parent from cooperating with a Child Protective Services investigation from the bench.
  • The Washington State Supreme Court upheld the disbarment of attorney Stephen Kenneth Monro for taking funds from vulnerable clients, which included fully depleting the settlement of a special needs orphan.
  • Tacoma attorney Hari L. Alipuria permanently resigned his license after using a client trust account for personal expenses, including Amazon purchases and HOA dues.

Protecting the Vulnerable

Reporting continues to highlight failures to protect children and patients across the state.

  • A King County judge sentenced Buckland Lee Darrell to an additional 51 months in prison for using his relationships within a Redmond LDS church to sexually abuse children.
  • Coverage included a lawsuit alleging the LDS Church concealed the predatory behavior of a Seattle high priest in the 1980s despite numerous warning signs.
  • State regulators suspended multiple professionals, including a Bethel School District PE teacher for boundary violations and on-campus misconduct, and a Bellevue nursing assistant who pled guilty to providing cannabis and tobacco to a minor patient.

Across the State

Reporting also tracked critical stories spanning multiple counties:

A significant cybersecurity failure cost the City of Mercer Island more than $420,000. A recent review revealed that the municipality lost $420,351 to a phishing scheme, a loss attributed to critical gaps in the city’s internal verification procedures.

In a separate incident, a doctor who previously practiced in Moses Lake was taken into custody in Florida. The arrest followed a shootout involving the physician and a joint U.S. Marshals task force.

State auditors also released findings regarding the Aeneas Lake Irrigation District. The report highlights the entity’s declining financial health and identifies substantial amounts of unpaid water charges.