The Sportsmen’s Alliance has released more evidence of corruption and collusion among members of the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission. The most recent evidence is explained in two short videos highlighting wrongdoing by commissioners in emails and text messages exposed by the lawsuit the Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation was forced to file to uncover the egregious behavior of those dictating wildlife policy in the Evergreen State.

“We now have text messages with four commissioners colluding to meet with Washington Wildlife First, an animal-rights organization dedicated to destroying hunting and fishing in the state,” said Todd Adkins, Senior Vice President at the Sportsmen’s Alliance. “What’s more, Commissioner John Lehmkuhl acknowledges that what they’re doing mixes the activist organization’s business with the commission’s work, and could easily be considered collusion – but he still goes along with the plan!”

As the video shows, the original meeting was presented as a chance for Claire Davis, founder and board president of Washington Wildlife First, to "explain how things will be moving forward" to the commissioners. Commissioner Lorna Smith, no stranger to Sportsmen’s Alliance members, also mentions that it’s a “delicate” situation and that she was also setting up a meeting with Samantha Bruegger, the former executive director of Washington Wildlife First who was hired away from the Pacific Northwest to accept a position with Animal Wellness Action as the Colorado State Director, which saw her spearhead the initiative to ban mountain lion hunting in Colorado last year.

The second video showcases Commission Lehmkuhl’s politicking ways when it comes to the spring bear hunt and cougar season votes, while also giving former Governor Jay Inslee what he asked for when it came to maintaining “endangered” status for wolves.

“Commissioner Lehmkuhl is supposed to be a scientist, a wildlife biologist with a PhD, but in email after email and text message after text message we see him abandon science in pursuit of politicking and backroom dealing,” said Adkins. “This is corruption, plain and simple, and needs to be immediately addressed by the governor.”

The Sportsmen’s Alliance has vowed to protect Washington’s hunters and anglers from the onslaught of animal extremism that has overrun the state in recent years, and has petitioned Gov. Ferguson to remove commissioners Barbara Baker, Lorna Smith, Melanie Rowland and John Lehmkuhl. To inform and educate the public and media on exactly how poorly, and at times illegally, the commission has operated, we have launched a webpage exposing the documents that were turned over as a result of our lawsuit against the state. After uncovering so much corruption, we have submitted additional public records requests specifically targeting former Gov. Jay Inslee’s involvement and interference with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and management decisions.

This isn’t the first time the Sportsmen’s Alliance has had to fight to bring law and order to the state. Last year, the Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation won a Washington Supreme Court ruling that Commissioner Lorna Smith, a frequent violator documented on our webpage, broke the law when accepting her commissioner appointment while holding another appointive office.

“The Sportsmen’s Alliance isn’t going anywhere and we’re going to keep exposing the rampant corruption of commissioners serving on the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission,” finished Adkins. “We have tens of thousands of pages still to get through. We will continue bringing forward evidence until the Governor steps in and does the right thing.”

The Sportsmen’s Alliance guarantees hunting, fishing and trapping for the American sportsman now and forever. We’re there when sportsmen need us most. We are the only organization specifically created to protect the individual hunter, angler and trapper – no matter the threat. We will never compromise when it comes to defending our way of life in the courts, in the legislatures, in the public square and at the ballot box. We make this promise to the American sportsman: we will never give up and never give in while proudly securing our future against those seeking to destroy our values, beliefs, and traditions. Stay connected to Sportsmen’s Alliance: Online, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.