Complaint Opinion 19-01
Date
04/01/2019
Number
2019 – No. 1
Topic
Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality
Respondent
Rep. Laurie Jinkins
Question/Complaint
Did Respondent violate RCW 42.52.020 or RCW 42.52.050 or the public disclosure laws (RCW 42.56) by forming an ad hoc group of stakeholders to review guardianship issues, refusing to provide Complainant with the names of those stakeholders, and suggesting that Complainant was disruptive in meetings and that her advocacy methods were not very productive?
Summary
No. There are no facts to suggest Respondent had a conflict of interest in forming a group of stakeholders to review legislative issues; seeking stakeholder input on legislative issues is a common legislative practice. The names of the attendees to the stakeholder group were not records subject to disclosure under RCW 42.56.1010 or RCW 40.14.100; therefore, Respondent was under no obligation to release them. The public disclosure claim is dismissed for lack of subject matter jurisdiction.