Anthony Tomashefsky

The Olympic Herald has formally petitioned the Washington State Court of Appeals to publish a portion of a recent ruling that struck down an unconstitutional gag order in a Thurston County domestic violence case. Earlier today, I filed a non-party motion asking Division II of the appellate court to

Over the last few weeks, our investigations have uncovered systemic institutional failures, exposed deep betrayals of public trust, and successfully defeated desperate legal maneuvers designed to silence this newspaper. Here is a look at what we have brought to light so far this month. The Fight for Free Speech and

In a resounding victory for the First Amendment and the free press in Washington state, a visiting judge from Kitsap County today formally denied a motion attempting to force the Olympic Herald to remove over thirty articles of investigative journalism. The motion, filed by LDS Elder Benjamin Mavy, sought to

For over two decades, the Quillayute Valley School District has relied on a predictable administrative playbook: manage the liability, shuffle the problem out the back door, and keep the community in the dark. But at the April 14 Board of Education meeting, that playbook spectacularly failed. Fueled by a recent

In 1844, when the Nauvoo Expositor dared to publish the inconvenient truth about an authoritarian’s secret shadow government, LDS founder Joseph Smith didn’t answer with free speech—he ordered a heavily armed posse to smash the printing press with sledgehammers. Today in Clallam County, we are no longer

When a government institution faces intense public scrutiny, its fundamental constitutional obligation is to maintain transparency. Clallam County Superior Court, however, appears to have chosen a different path. Presiding Judge Barnhart has failed to rein in former Presiding Judge Basden’s staff, who are actively freezing out critics in the

The Washington State Supreme Court has officially censured and removed Judge Pro Tempore David Ruzumna from judicial office. The unanimous decision, filed on April 9, 2026, concludes a disciplinary saga that began with a controversial attempt to secure a parking discount at a Seattle garage. As previously reported by the

Editor’s Note: The Olympic Herald plans to publish multiple articles related to our recent investigation into the Quillayute Valley School District. Tips can sent to anthony@olympicherald.com Behind the locked doors of the Quillayute Valley School District and the private offices of the local LDS wards, a troubling

A federal jury of eight has reached a verdict in former cross-country coach Kari Larson’s lawsuit against the Quillayute Valley School District. Following a multi-day trial before Judge Benjamin H. Settle, the jury found the district liable for creating a hostile work environment, awarding Larson a total

On April 16 at 1:30 PM, a visiting judge from Kitsap County will hear a motion that threatens the very core of a free and independent press in Washington state. LDS Elder Benjamin Mavy, a former member of Judge Basden’s Port Angeles LDS Stake, is asking the court

You send your children to school trusting that the adults in charge are vetted, monitored, and held to the highest professional standards. You trust that when rules are broken, there are consequences, and when a threat is identified, it is swiftly removed. But a comprehensive review of more than two

More than three decades after a Pierce County mother was found dead in her home with her infant daughter nearby, authorities have finally made an arrest. On Wednesday, April 1, 2026, the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office arrested 68-year-old James Randle in connection with the 1992 murder of

The fight for transparency in the Clallam County Superior Court escalated on Thursday, April 2, as I filed a formal Request for Internal Review challenging the court’s aggressive refusal to release communications between Judge Brent Basden and a former employee now facing massive drug distribution charges. On March 23,

State lawmakers representing the 35th Legislative District successfully fought off proposed cuts to secure major funding for the Highway 3 Freight Corridor, according to a joint press release issued Thursday. Senator Drew MacEwen (R-Shelton), Representative Dan Griffey (R-Allyn), and Representative Travis Couture (R-Allyn) announced that the newly

Following a brutal, unprovoked attack on a 71-year-old Port Angeles man over the weekend, the 6-foot-8 suspect is now slated for an in-custody psychological evaluation. Joseph “Wes” Beeman, 46, appeared in court again on Wednesday, April 1, but this time before Judge Barnhart instead of

In 2019, U.S. Representative Devin Nunes filed a $250 million defamation lawsuit against a satirical Twitter account pretending to be his cow. The lawsuit, widely ridiculed in the press, was a textbook example of a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation, or a “SLAPP.” SLAPPs are not designed to win

While the City of Langley’s bank accounts appear flush with cash, a closer look at the municipality’s recently released financial data reveals a local government struggling to keep its books straight amidst staggering staff turnover and broken accounting systems. From a purely fiscal standpoint, Langley’s total reserves

Accountability has finally caught up with a Grays Harbor County man responsible for the wanton, wasteful slaughter of local wildlife—a crime that robs Washington’s ecosystems, steals from ethical hunters, and damages the state’s outdoor economy. On Friday, March 27, Grays Harbor Superior Court Judge Katherine Svoboda dropped

While Aaron C. Fisher was sentenced earlier today to 90 months in prison for the manslaughter of 70-year-old Richard Madeo, the most consequential battle in the courtroom wasn’t about the length of his sentence—it was about a scribbled word on a jury verdict form, and a

A Washington State appellate court has ruled that a trial court’s order banning a man from mentioning his estranged family online “in any manner whatsoever” violates the First Amendment. In an unpublished opinion filed today, March 31, 2026, Division Two of the Washington State Court of Appeals affirmed domestic

Aaron C. Fisher, 37, of Port Townsend, was sentenced to 90 months in prison for the May 2025 death of 70-year-old Richard G. Madeo. Clallam County Superior Court Judge Brent Basden handed down the sentence, which includes credit for time served and 36 months of community custody. Restitution