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A Year and $80K Later, a Washington Probe Continues
The probe stems from a 2022 bear-hunting dispute and has drawn no public comment from Ferguson, while the investigator’s report remains under review.
- Gov. Bob Ferguson's investigation into the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission has cost nearly $80,000 and could reach $130,000, with the report facing repeated delays since its original fall deadline.
- A May 2025 petition by the Sportsmen's Alliance alleged misconduct by commissioners Lorna Smith, Melanie Rowland, Barbara Baker, and John Lehmkuhl, stemming from the commission's 2022 decision to ban spring recreational black bear hunting.
- Investigator Chiedza Nziramasanga of Transformative Workplace Investigations delivered findings on April 13, yet commission chair Jim Anderson stated, "We don't have any control of what the governor is doing."
- Ferguson's office now anticipates the report's release on July 31, with communications director Brionna Aho citing a "significant volume of records" as the cause of delays.
- Under an 1893 state process, Ferguson retains authority to remove commissioners for misconduct and might use the report's findings to support potential personnel actions against the targeted board members.
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18 Articles
The Columbian+11 Reposted by 11 other sources
A year and $80K later, a probe of WA fish and wildlife commissioners continues
An investigation of Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission members launched by Gov. Bob Ferguson last summer is taking longer and costing more than expected.
·Vancouver, United States
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A year and $80,000 later, a probe of Washington fish and wildlife commissioners continues
An investigation of Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission members launched by Gov. Bob Ferguson last summer is taking longer and costing more than expected. The tab is nearly $80,000 so far and could reach $130,000, more than triple the original price, according to recently obtained public records. Neither Ferguson nor his staff will say when the investigator’s report — originally due last fall — will be released. The latest contract extension…
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Total News Sources18
Leaning Left2Leaning Right0Center12Last UpdatedBias Distribution86% Center
Bias Distribution
- 86% of the sources are Center
86% Center
14%
C 86%
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