Turmoil Engulfs Jay Inslee’s Administration As His Corrections Secretary Resigns, Transportation Secretary Ousted

February 8, 2016

Washington Democrat Governor Jay Inslee’s administration is facing new questions of competence after his Corrections Secretary was forced to resign and his Transportation Secretary was effectively fired by the State Senate. These actions come as Governor Inslee faces eroding job approval ratings less than 9 months before election day.

The Corrections Secretary was forced to resign after it was revealed late last year that the Washington State Department of Corrections released 3200 prisoners early by mistake, including violent criminals.

From December 2015:

“Gov. Jay Inslee announced Tuesday some 3,200 incarcerated criminals since 2002    have been released early from Washington state prisons due to a computer error that incorrectly calculated credit for “good time” served. That’s about three percent of all prisoners over that time.” (“3200 WA Prisoners Released Mistakenly Since 2002,” KING 5, 12/22/2015)

This weekend, instead of accepting the Inslee administration’s responsibility for the scandal, DOC Secretary Dan Pacholke blamed others amid being forced to resign:

“The head of the state Department of Corrections (DOC) stepped down Saturday amid a controversy over the early release of certain violent criminals. Pacholke’s abrupt departure comes less than two months after DOC acknowledged that for more than a decade it miscalculated sentences for some of the system’s most violent inmates, letting hundreds out of prison too soon.” (Daniel Beekman, “State Corrections Chief Quits,” Seattle Times, 2/6/2016)

Adding insult to injury, Jay Inslee’s Transportation Secretary was effectively fired this weekend by the State Senate, who rejected a gubernatorial nominee for nearly the first time in 20 years:

“The Washington State Senate voted not to confirm Transportation Secretary Lynn Peterson on Friday, effectively firing her. She’s had a tenure filled with controversy over problems with transportation projects such as delays on the new 520 bridge and the ongoing troubles with the Seattle tunnel project.” (“Washington State Senate Votes To Fire Transportation Secretary,” KING 5, 2/5/2016)