A beloved Mercer Island teacher was accused twice of sexual misconduct with students. The school district kept it quiet.
Gary "Chris" Twombley was put on administrative leave in December 2023
State of Democracy
Republicans Hatched a Secret Assault on the Voting Rights Act in Washington State
After he helped create the state’s voting maps, a redistricting commissioner quietly worked with national Republican figures to bring a lawsuit against his own work.
Proposed constitutional amendment to block ranked choice voting fails in Idaho House
Constitutional amendments require the support of two-thirds of the Idaho House and Idaho Senate
Idaho House puts bill to redefine ‘terrorism’ on ice
Previous InvestigateWest reporting revealed Bundy ranch militant was instrumental in crafting the bill
Bundy Ranch militant Eric Parker says he’s the driving force behind Idaho bill to narrow definition of 'terrorism'
Critics argue the legislation “essentially guts” Idaho’s Terrorist Control Act
How local Idaho prosecutors lost the case against Patriot Front’s white nationalist leader
Caught with a “little army” and plans to provoke confrontation at a gay pride event, the white nationalist had his charges dismissed
The failed promise of independent election mapmaking in WA
In Washington and other states, independent redistricting commissions have fallen prey to partisanship, just like the legislative bodies they were meant to replace.
Reforms coming to WA elections after three counties settle with the UCLA’s Voting Rights Project
The case followed InvestigateWest reporting that showed Latino voters were disenfranchised at disproportionate rates
Influential Idaho Freedom Foundation quietly hired alt-right propagandist to help shape messaging
Right-wing Idaho legislators stay silent on the group’s affiliation with Dave Reilly
Washington Three Percenters want to escape the ‘extremist’ label — but experts remain wary
Three Percenters elsewhere were among most indicted members of January 6 attack
Left-wing activists worry anti-doxxing laws will target them
Recent laws in Washington and Oregon, part of a slew of similar laws nationwide, were initially aimed at stopping harassment by extremist hate groups
Oregon election offices are underfunded, understaffed heading into 2024 presidential election cycle
A third of Oregon’s county clerks have left their jobs during the past few years