Surly public comments are a staple of Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission meetings, revealing the deeply personal stakes of those fighting over how far the state should go in protecting various species or allowing for hunting or fishing.
But last week’s session carried a slightly harsher tone, fueled by an investigation into whether commissioners violated open meetings and public records statutes ahead of a decision in 2022 to ban spring bear hunts, and a federal civil rights lawsuit filed against the agency’s director by a commissioner targeted by the probe.
The meeting took place Thursday to Saturday in Olympia. Speakers vented grievances with decisions of the citizen panel, actions of individual members and leaders of the Department of Fish and Wildlife, which the commission oversees. Some called for commissioners to resign, others for agency Director Kelly Susewind to be fired.
Carl Barner of King County, a lifelong outdoorsman, directed his comments Friday at the four sitting commissioners who voted to ban the bear hunt and whose compliance with state laws is under scrutiny.
“There are two words the four of you should never utter again. One is ethics, and the other is trust,” he said. “You have shown you have no ethics, and you have to tell the truth to have trust. The only way this commission can regain trust is to cut out the rot and rebuild anew. Once the four of you resign or are removed, then and only then can we trust and start to rebuild again.”
Francisco Santiago-Ávila, science and advocacy director for Washington Wildlife First, said the problem commissioners must address is removing Susewind. The organization is one of the plaintiffs in the federal lawsuit.
The conflict at hand, he said, is not “the same old story” about hunters versus wildlife advocates.
“It’s about whether government officials should be able to use their authority to intimidate, punish and silence those who disagree with them,” he told the panel. “It is your duty to take action so either individually or as a group, ask the Governor to investigate this abuse of power and replace him without delay.”
On Friday, Dan Wilson of Spokane County, a hunter and active participant in policy debates for several years, urged all parties to take a deep breath and refocus on the commission’s work to better manage wildlife and fisheries, and their habitat.
“We can’t let the Legislature and the governor think that this entire agency is broken because we can’t figure out how to be adults in this room, and we all own that,” he said. “The road ahead is very hard, and it’s only going to get worse if we can’t figure out how to do this better together.”
‘Trust has been eroded’
The nine-member commission convened days after Gov. Bob Ferguson received an investigator’s final report into whether commissioners had violated state laws on preserving records and conducting public meetings. The report has not been released and the governor’s office has declined to say when it will be made public.
Ferguson greenlit the probe last August. It came after Susewind forwarded a department attorney’s scathing memo on two commissioners’ actions. Those findings were based on a review of records getting released to the Sportsmen’s Alliance, a national hunters’ group.
That memo concluded the behavior of commissioners Lorna Smith and Melanie Rowland presented “serious risks” to the department, “especially when it comes to avoiding a conflict of interest and favoritism.”
It also said the two appeared to have colluded with the leader of Washington Wildlife First on policy matters. It suggested the governor may want to consider pursuing their removal.
Then, earlier this month, Smith filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against Susewind and Deputy Director Amy Windrope, accusing them of manufacturing allegations of misconduct in retaliation for her criticism of them, and to incite the governor’s investigation.
The suit also accuses Susewind and Windrope of making defamatory statements and unfounded allegations against attorney Claire Davis, who leads Washington Wildlife First, in an alleged rebuke for her critical comments and the group’s numerous lawsuits against the department. Davis and Washington Wildlife First are plaintiffs alongside Smith in the suit.
Davis was among the nearly three dozen speakers Friday.
“Director Susewind’s use of the word collusion tells you a lot about the Trumpian way he views the world. In his mind, it seems anyone who disagrees with him is guilty of a crime,” she said. “Fortunately, the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution sees it differently.”
“This is about so much more than wildlife policy. It’s about fundamental freedoms, and who is willing to stand up for them. Are you?” she said.
Susewind, on Friday, said “I am not in a position to have a statement at this time. I look forward to the process.”
Many hunters voiced support for Susewind and blasted the lawsuit, saying it validates their concerns that some commissioners operated outside the lines.
“Over the last four years, trust has been eroded,” said Cory Maxwell of Kitsap County, a fourth-generation hunter. “You are sitting here based on the lobbyists that are sitting in this room. Everybody knows it.”
Smith speaks out
On Friday, after 90 tense and passion-filled minutes, Commissioner Lorna Smith responded with a prepared statement explaining her reasons for suing.
“This was far from an easy decision for me to make,” began Smith, whose term runs through the end of the year. “I believe deeply that members of this commission must be able to speak openly about matters affecting wildlife management and the public trust without fear of retaliation from within.”
Continuing, she said her focus would remain on making decisions guided by “sound science and the public trust. I ask that we all respect the legal process as it moves forward, and that’s my final word on the subject.”
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