Understandable but thing is Puget Sound elects our governor. Big split between East, Coast, and Puget Sound on how things are viewed.

Fifteen counties in Eastern Washington have officially petitioned Washington Governor Bob Ferguson to immediately remove two commissioners from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).

The Core DisputeRepresented through the Eastern Washington Council of Governments, the 15 counties joined forces after legal and ethical concerns surfaced regarding WDFW Commissioners Melanie Rowland and Lorna Smith.

The Allegations: The petition highlights documented conduct issues, including alleged violations of Washington State's open-meetings and public-records transparency requirements.

Conflict of Interest: A separate, internal WDFW legal memorandum revealed that the actions of Smith and Rowland created "serious risks" tied to favoritism and conflicts of interest.

The Escalation: While initial pushback came primarily from local outdoor sports and conservation groups, the situation escalated into an official regional government intervention.The 15 Participating CountiesThe united front encompasses a vast geographic portion of Eastern Washington, consisting of the following
counties:

The 15 counties involved are Adams, Asotin, Columbia, Douglas, Ferry, Franklin, Garfield, Grant, Kittitas, Lincoln, Okanogan, Pend Oreille, Stevens, Walla Walla, Whitman, Pend Oreille, Stevens, Walla Walla, Whitman