[Photo Credit: Freedom Foundation]

The Freedom Foundation, an organization the Kitsap Patriots Tea Party considers a friend (and who has sent numerous engaging speakers to our meetings), has come away victorious in a Public Records Act lawsuit against the Kitsap County government.  The Freedom Foundation explains:

Washington’s Public Records Act is one of its most important – and frequently ignored – democratic safeguards.  Kitsap County learned that lesson the hard way when it was forced to write a $15,000 check to the Freedom Foundation for stonewalling a legitimate information request we filed last year…  In this case, the Freedom Foundation discovered a prominent Kitsap County official had been using public resources to illegally lobby during the 2012 election.  This constitutes a serious ethical violation.  In an effort to find out how widespread the abuse was, we sought her emails from that particular time period.  But the county responded with only a small percentage of those we requested…  No charges have been filed yet against the department head accused of illegal lobbying, but considering the lengths to which the county was willing to go to cover up her activities, it’s quite possible charges could be forthcoming.

Closing, the Freedom Foundation concludes:

This should be a lesson to every public official in Washington.  When you disrespect our citizens and reduce their rights to empty promises, the Freedom Foundation will be there to hold you accountable.  Do the right thing.  We’re always watching.

Read the rest of the Freedom Foundations article: “Kitsap County Pays” by David Dewhirst