The failure of a recent child welfare bill in Utah has cast a harsh national spotlight on the legal loopholes that allow suspected child abusers to easily evade law enforcement and child protective services. Now, a video from a Washington State courtroom reveals a sitting judge actively encouraging parents to

Since our launch, the Olympic Herald has committed to fearless, independent investigative journalism in Washington state, holding power accountable. Without corporate backing, we follow the paper trails and ask the uncomfortable questions that others ignore. Below is a summary of our coverage thus far, highlighting our ongoing fight to expose

Thomas Steffens, a 72-year-old former Moses Lake physician, was arrested on Monday in Vero Beach, Florida, following an exchange of gunfire with a U.S. Marshals regional fugitive task force. Steffens previously spent many years practicing medicine in Moses Lake. State of Washington Department of Health records show

In an aggressive email that was sent on the evening of November 30, 2020, at 7:45 PM, Clallam County Superior Court Judge Brent Basden took former Clallam Commissioner Bill Peach to task over public comments criticizing the judicial appointment process. The email, bearing the subject line “Judicial Independence,” reveals

The motion asks the court to order the removal of certain articles and requests a coercive fine of up to $2,000 per day until the articles are removed.

The Washington State Department of Health has filed a formal Statement of Charges against Yakima-based nursing assistant Manuel Alcala, alleging a disturbing multi-year pattern of sexual harassment, assault, and workplace intimidation. The charges center on Alcala’s conduct while employed at State Operated Living Alternatives in Yakima, a

The Washington State Department of Health has formally charged Ryan Robert Sprauer, a Douglas County based medical assistant and certified nursing assistant, with unprofessional conduct. The charges detail a series of alarming workplace incidents, missing medications, and prior criminal convictions. Erratic Behavior and Missing Narcotics The state’s allegations center

The Washington State Department of Health has formally charged nutritionist Erin Saena Yaseen with unprofessional conduct following allegations of insurance fraud and a subsequent failure to cooperate with state investigators. In February 2025, the Department of Health received a formal complaint alleging that Yaseen engaged in insurance fraud. Yaseen has

Last week, the Washington State Commission on Judicial Conduct officially opened an investigation into Clallam County Superior Court Judge Brent Basden. The investigation follows a formal complaint alleging that Judge Basden has repeatedly endangered children and domestic violence victims by allowing his ecclesiastical role in the Church of Jesus Christ

The Washington State Department of Health suspended the credentials of a former Bellevue nursing assistant following her criminal convictions for providing cannabis and tobacco to a minor patient. The disciplinary action, finalized in a February 2026 Order, stems from Elena Nguyen’s employment at THIRA Health LLC, a behavioral health

The Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction suspended the education certificate of Matthew Brooke for at least 90 days. Brooke, who worked as a physical education teacher at three elementary schools in the Bethel School District during the 2021-22 and 2022-23 school years, faced disciplinary action

The Washington State Supreme Court has suspended attorney Kerry P. Zeiler from practicing law in the state, mirroring a disciplinary action initially handed down by the Supreme Court of California. The reciprocal discipline order, officially filed on January 22, 2026, places Zeiler on a three-year probation period, with an

The Office of the Washington State Auditor has released an Accountability Audit Report detailing a severe breakdown in internal controls that cost the City of Mercer Island hundreds of thousands of dollars in public funds. According to the report published in February, the city lacked adequate internal controls over vendor

A civil lawsuit filed in King County Superior Court alleges that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints actively concealed the predatory behavior of a Seattle high priest, allowing him to sexually abuse young girls during the 1980s. The complaint, filed by two women identified as Jane Doe

Port Angeles attorney Lane Wolfley was stripped of his ability to represent clients before the Social Security Administration nearly a decade ago, yet he continues to draw a lucrative, taxpayer-funded contract from Clallam County. According to federal records, Wolfley, a well-known attorney based in Port Angeles, was officially

Despite public outcry and a damning state report detailing his inefficient case management, Judge Brent Basden continues to preside over Clallam County’s most delicate family disputes. The official court calendar reflects business as usual today, showing him scheduled to oversee adoptions at 8:30 AM, the family docket at

The Olympic Herald previously reported on a troubling pattern of unethical behavior, administrative overreach, and cronyism by Judge Brent Basden, during his time as presiding judge in Clallam County Superior Court. However, a newly released state report exposes a failure that goes beyond questionable hiring practices: a complete administrative collapse

Everett, Washington resident Phillip Richard Wharton was indicted on two federal counts of threatening to murder the President of the United States. The indictment, handed down on February 25, 2026, centers on a pair of graphic death threats posted to social media platforms in August and September of 2025. The

The Washington State Supreme Court ordered a nine-month suspension for attorney Sean Patrick Kuhlmeyer, ending a disciplinary investigation into a pattern of frivolous litigation and the mishandling of client funds. The order, filed on August 27, 2025, requires Kuhlmeyer to serve a 24-month probation period upon his reinstatement

The Washington State Department of Health has permanently prohibited a Clallam County man from practicing as a certified medical assistant-phlebotomist after he admitted to falsifying his initial license application nearly a decade ago. In January 2026, the Department of Health and Garrett Matthew Leffers entered into an agreed order

The Washington State Department of Health has immediately suspended the license of a King County massage therapist following allegations that he sexually assaulted four clients. On February 6, 2026, Health Law Judge Angela Kennedy issued an Ex Parte Order of Summary Action against Jason Senat, who had been providing services