REDMOND, WA – Today, Let’s Go Washington (LGW) filed a supplemental brief to their upcoming case challenging the constitutionality of Governor Ferguson’s income tax to block a referendum. The brief asks the State Supreme Court to consider communications between the Attorney General’s Office (AG) and Senator Jamie Pedersen as additional evidence against the need for a necessity clause. After 988 pages of documents were provided to The Center Square without redaction, it became clear that the documentation was pertinent to LGW’s case against the emergency clause.
Solicitor General Noah Purcell wrote the following in one of his email communications with Senator Pedersen:
“Last but not least, unless I missed it, I did not see an emergency clause. Without one, someone could try to subject the bill to a referendum. It should not be subject to referendum because it raises revenue, but under the Secretary of State’s longstanding practice, they only reject proposed referenda if the bill has an emergency clause, so someone would have to sue to prevent a referendum on the bill as written. I just wanted to make sure you were aware of that.”
This exchange proves that the AG’s office was conspiring with Senator Pedersen to find the most efficient means to work around the confines of the Constitution. Senator Pedersen is known to expound on his plans to expand taxes to all citizens via email, but this new development cannot be ignored when the case for a referendum is heard at the State Supreme Court.
“The majority party’s disdain for the law and the Constitution has been on full display all session long, but this new development that the AG’s office took an active role in attempting to circumvent both the voters and the courts is especially troubling,” said Hallie Herzberg, spokesperson for LGW. “As Washington’s primary legal authority, the Attorney General has a fundamental obligation to serve both as the ‘people’s lawyer’ and to uphold the Constitution. We expect the State Supreme Court to fully recognize the seriousness of these communications between Senator Pedersen and the Solicitor General, and to consider the effort to weaponize the legal system against the people of Washington State.”
The State Supreme Court will hear the LGW’s case on the necessity clause and running a referendum on the income tax at the end of the month with a decision expected shortly after.