(The Center Square) – The Washington State Republican Party has unveiled the “Project to Resist Tyranny in Washington,” designed to “prevent elected officials with authoritarian impulses from ruining the lives of people living in Washington,” according to a news release emailed to The Center Square.
“It is focused on several points of policy that are particularly related to the incoming governor and the concerns people across the state have expressed to the Washington GOP about particular issues Bob Ferguson has been involved in, and not in a good way,” Washington State Republican Party Chair Jim Walsh said in a Tuesday phone interview.
Bob Ferguson, who has been the state’s attorney general for a dozen years, beat Republican challenger Dave Reichert in last week’s election by a margin of 55.7% to 44% to become governor-elect.
“It’s more about him and his weaknesses and tendencies toward authoritarian overreach,” Walsh continued, noting three specific policy concerns the party will focus on as part of the new project.
“That includes his clear low regard for free speech rights and his fixation he had on a snitch line to persecute if not prosecute individuals who are critical of him and state government,” the Aberdeen state representative said.
Walsh was referring to the new hate crimes and bias incidents hotline, which will take effect Jan. 1, 2025.
“We are concerned about his disregard for law enforcement, as he’s been actively hostile to law enforcement agencies in this state for years,” Walsh said.
A third priority, according to Walsh, will be a focus on gun rights.
“We’re concerned about his disregard for gun rights and law-abiding citizens to protect themselves if they choose to,” he explained.
Walsh said he didn’t want to preview the potential litigation strategies that are part of the project.
“Instead, the Washington GOP will wait to see what tyrannical, illegal, or unconstitutional actions the Ferguson Administration could take,” the news release read.
During President Donald Trump’s first term, Ferguson’s office sued the administration 97 times, more than any other state, and Walsh said he expects more of the same with Ferguson as governor and a second Trump term.
“The guy obviously has a fixation and an obsession with Donald Trump that almost seems Freudian,” Walsh said. “It’s not a good use of this state’s resources to do that stuff and it’s one thing when he was the attorney general, but when you’re governor of the state, if you’re fixated on the hatred of the president, you’re just indulging your own neuroses rather than looking out for the best interest of all Washingtonians.”
The Center Square reached out to the Washington State Democratic Party for comment.
“The fear-mongering from the WAGOP about Governor-elect Ferguson betrays their deep-seated inadequacy and tangential relationship with reality,” party Chair Shasti Conrad emailed The Center Square. “Rather than listing any actual policies the Ferguson campaign ran on, WAGOP Chair Walsh concocted hypothetical boogeymen that play to the out-of-touch passions of his base and not what the vast majority of Washingtonians care about.”
She went on to praise Ferguson.
“Ferguson has an outstanding record of defending our fundamental rights and freedoms — including the right to an abortion,” she said. “He has taken on big corporations, including big pharma, to make sure they pay their fair share, while uplifting small businesses and everyday Washingtonians. As governor, I have full confidence in his ability to take on the Trump administration and fight for working families in Washington state.
Walsh remained steadfast.
“I hope to God, and I pray these things we’re talking about never happen. If the Washington GOP never has to file a single lawsuit against the Ferguson administration, no one would be happier,” Walsh said. “But I’m not naïve.”
Walsh noted citizen activism will be a huge part of the party’s project.
“It’s citizen activism; it’s legislatively what we can do, and at the next level it’s potential litigation to try to fix problems and finally it’s initiatives, which again reaches back to citizen activism,” said Walsh, a reference to seven total initiatives. Three were passed by lawmakers this session, while three out of four initiatives on the Nov. 5 ballot failed.
With Democrats firmly in control in Olympia, The Center Square asked Walsh if he is concerned the majority party will attempt to undermine the initiative process.
“No supermajority. No ability to kill initiatives. They think the PIIDs [Public Investment Impact Disclosures] are enough to stop initiatives. They’re wrong,” Walsh said in a Wednesday text message.
He added that if Democrats attempt to introduce their own measure to threaten the power of the initiative process, he thinks it would backfire.
“Possible,” Walsh said. “Not easy and something that would unite moderates, independents and conservatives. Hope they try that.”
