Tag: washington

Three Sisters Who Vanished Visiting Homeless Father Found Dead, Manhunt Underway

The three young sisters who vanished near Wenatchee, Washington, while visiting their homeless father have been found dead and police have launched a massive manhunt for the missing father.

The Decker sisters – Paityn, age 9, Evelyn, age 8, and Olivia, age 5 – were all found dead near their father’s truck at a campground in Wenatchee after an intensive search by SWAT and a Homeland Security helicopter.

Per the New York Post:

The girls’ AMBER alerts were canceled late Monday without explanation, before police confirmed the deaths Tuesday with “sincere and deep heartfelt condolences to the family.”

The search continued for their 32-year-old dad, Travis Decker, who had collected them from their mother’s house for a planned visitation on Friday — then went missing with them in his white 2017 GMC Sierra truck.

Hours before the bodies were found, a warrant was issued for Decker’s arrest on three counts of first-degree custodial interference.

Upon discovery of the bodies, the charges against Decker were upped to three counts of kidnapping and first-degree murder. He was divorced from his ex-wife, the mother of his children, and had been staying at campgrounds and hotels with his dog. Whitney Decker, the girls’ mother, said in a statement prior to their bodies being discovered that Travis struggled with mental health issues, but that she never thought he would become violent.

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County Sheriff Vows He Won’t Enforce Washington Permit-To-Purchase Law

The new Washington state law requiring lawful citizens to jump through a number of government hoops and acquire a permit before purchasing a firearm is considered to be unconstitutional by many observers, including at least one county sheriff in the Evergreen State.

The measure, House Bill 1163, created a permit-to-purchase scheme that requires government permission to purchase or transfer a firearm, adds a live-fire training component and establishes an illegal government registry of firearm owners and their personal information.

Washington’s Democrat Gov. Bob Ferguson signed the arguably unconstitutional bill into law on May 20. The new law even requires extensive live-fire training before purchasing a gun, along with a $32 fee to acquire the permit.

The law states: “In addition to the other requirements of this chapter, no dealer may deliver a firearm to the purchaser or transferee thereof until: (a) The purchaser provides proof of completion of a recognized firearm safety training program within the last five years that complies with the requirements in RCW 9.41.1132, or proof that the purchaser is exempt from the training requirement or transferee produces a valid permit to purchase firearms under section 2 of this act.”

Things aren’t all rosy for Gov. Ferguson and Washington’s anti-gun Democrats, though. Now, one county sheriff is speaking out about the measure, saying he won’t be enforcing the new law in his county.

“This ‘law’ is unconstitutional,” Pierce County Sheriff Keith Swank posted on X. “PCSO will not enforce it. Join me and fight for our rights.”

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WAR ON WOMEN: National Uproar Sparked as Boys Dominate Girls in Two Different States to Steal Track and Field Titles

Boys from two different states sparked a national uproar after destroying their female competition to win track titles.

As Fox News reported, a biological boy named AB Hernandez stole first place in girls’ high jump and triple jump at the state championship on Saturday at Veteran’s Memorial Stadium in Clovis, California. This result was unsurprising after he stormed ahead of his competitors in both categories during the prelims.

Hernandez also finished second in the long jump to Woodrow Wilson High School’s Loren Webster. Webster was the only girl to beat Hernandez in any competition this weekend.

As The New York Post notes, The California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) changed its rules on Tuesday after President Trump threatened to withhold funding from the Golden State. The organization ordered that any biological females who lost to a male would not lose their place. This meant no female winner would be ‘displaced’ by Hernandez’ ‘wins.’

This meant Hernandez shared a podium with the rightful winners and placed finishers.

The new rule also allowed an extra girl to compete in each category in which Hernandez was set to perform. Thankfully, this pathetic trick did not win over any women’s rights critics who know the only justice is to have males compete in their own sports, not try to steal female glory.

Of course, CIF officials behaved like total tyrants to those peacefully protesting Hernandez’s participation. Look at what happened to California Outreach Director Sophia Loren when she dared to stand up for the girls at the event.

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DEA Approves Church’s Petition To Use Psychedelics In Religious Ceremonies Without The Need For A Lawsuit

A Washington State church says the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has approved its application for an exception under federal drug laws to use the psychedelic ayahuasca in religious ceremonies—and, for the first time, the agency granted the unique exemption without legal challenges.

The Church of Gaia on Friday said DEA approved a petition for congregants to use ayahuasca under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), which was enacted in 2009 to create a pathway for religious organizations to request a carve-out under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).

There have been relatively few examples of DEA approving such petitions in the years since—and churches that have sought the exemption have had to engage in litigation against the federal government over their requests. Uniquely, approval for this latest petition was granted without the need for lawsuits, as Mason Marks of Psychedelic Week first reported.

“As the sacrament for the Church of Gaia, Ayahuasca serves as a profound ceremonial tool for accessing spiritual connection and abundance,” Connor Mize, founder of the church, said in a press release. “In pursuing the religious exemption, we aimed to ensure the safety of the church’s members, Indigenous elders, and leaders while protecting the right to practice our sacred ceremonies without persecution. This exemption means the church can fully embrace its religious offerings, including the Ayahuasca ceremonies we’ve long prayed for.”

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Dem Wash. Gov. Signs Bill Requiring Permit For Buying Gun

Washington Democrat Gov. Bob Ferguson on Tuesday signed gun control legislation that requires those who want to purchase firearms in the state to pay for a new permit.

The permit system, set to take effect on May 1, 2027, will require those interested in purchasing guns to apply for a five-year permit through the Washington State Patrol. Applicants must pay a fee and have completed a certified firearms safety training program within the past five years, with limited exceptions.

“Gun violence in Washington state breaks apart too many families and kills too many children,” Ferguson said, the Washington State Standard reported. “We must put common sense reforms into place that save lives.”

The legislation goes beyond the state’s existing background checks, which also require proof of completion of a firearm safety course. The state also has a 10-day waiting period after a gun dealer requests a background check before a gun is turned over to the purchaser.

State authorities must approve a new permit as long as the applicant hasn’t been barred from having guns, including having an outstanding arrest warrant or being subject to a no-contact order. The state must issue the permit within 30 days, or 60 days if the applicant doesn’t have a state ID card. If an applicant feels the state wrongly denied them a permit, they can appeal in court.

“Bob Ferguson and Washington Democrats are creating roadblocks for law-abiding Washingtonians to be able to purchase firearms to defend themselves and their loved ones,” said John Commerford, executive director of the National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action, in a statement to Newsmax. “This new law also creates a clearly unconstitutional registry that can and will be abused to target lawful gun owners. Criminals in Washington State win again, while vulnerable citizens will be left defenseless.”

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Washington State Dems vote against informing parents about sexual assault of a child by a school employee

In a move that has sparked fierce backlash from Republican lawmakers and parental rights organizations, Washington Governor Bob Ferguson signed House Bill 1296 into law on Tuesday, effectively dismantling key provisions of Initiative 2081—a voter-backed parental rights initiative supported by over 454,000 Washingtonians.

HB 1296, sponsored and passed by the Democratic majority in the Legislature, revises the parental rights measure that was enacted with bipartisan support just one year ago. The original initiative outlined 15 rights for parents of public school students, including the right to be notified of academic, medical, safety, and law enforcement matters involving their children, and the right to access educational and medical records.

Critics say the new legislation guts the core of Initiative 2081. Among the most controversial changes:

  • Schools can delay parents from receiving information about their students and entirely removes access for parents receiving medical and mental health records. 
  • The bill removes the requirement to notify parents when their child receives medical services from government employees in schools. 
  • It allows government employees up to two days to notify parents that their child was the victim of a crime or sexual assault in school. 
  • The bill creates significant legal and bureaucratic hurdles for parents seeking to hold schools accountable when rights under I-2081 are violated.
  • The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) is granted expanded authority to penalize school districts that fail to comply with its directives.

The bill passed along party lines, with every Republican legislator voting against it. Rep. Travis Couture (R-Allyn), a vocal opponent of HB 1296, denounced the measure as a “slap in the face to democracy” and criticized Democrats for overturning a measure they had previously supported. “We have seen a stunning amount of sexual misconduct and sexual assaults by educators in our schools just in the last year,” Couture said. He proposed an amendment that would have required immediate parental notification if a student was sexually abused by a school employee—an amendment Democrats voted down.

Let’s Go Washington, the citizen-led group that spearheaded the original initiative, issued a sharp rebuke following the bill’s signing. Founder Brian Heywood said in a statement to The Ari Hoffman Show on Talk Radio 570 KVI, “This is a direct assault on parents and a damnation of Governor Ferguson’s claim to be a moderate for Washingtonians.” Heywood emphasized the group’s commitment to repealing the new law, stating, “We will do everything in our power to reverse this gutting of the Parental Rights Bill.”

The legislation has also drawn national attention. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) called the changes “utterly insane,” while former President Donald Trump weighed in on Truth Social, claiming, “Washington State Democrats voted not to inform parents if a child is sexually abused by a school employee.” Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk also shared the news, amplifying conservative criticism.

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Catholic Church To Excommunicate Priests for Following New US State Law

The Catholic Church has issued a warning to its clergy in Washington state: Any priest who complies with a new law requiring the reporting of child abuse confessions to authorities will be excommunicated.

The new law, which will take effect on July 27, eliminates the long-standing confidentiality of the confessional, forcing Catholic leaders and lawmakers into a highly charged standoff over religious liberty and child protection.

However, the Archdiocese of Seattle and several bishops argue that the law not only contravenes church doctrine but crosses constitutional lines, while supporters maintain it is a crucial step to protect minors from abuse.

Newsweek contacted the Archdiocese of Seattle and Washington Governor Bob Ferguson and the three Democratic state senators who sponsored the bill for comment via email and online inquiry forms.

The issue spotlights the enduring tension between religious freedom and the state’s duty to protect children from abuse. By compelling clergy to breach the confessional seal, Washington joins a small group of states stripping traditional confidentiality protections.

The law has triggered a national conversation about the boundaries of church and state, setting a precedent that could have implications for religious practices and privileged communications nationwide. The outcome may influence how other states approach mandated reporting requirements for clergy, especially as constitutional and civil rights groups enter the debate.

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New law requires clergy in Washington to report child abuse

Religious leaders in Washington will be required to report child abuse or neglect, even when it is disclosed in confession, under a new law signed by Gov. Bob Ferguson on Friday.

“Protecting our kids, first, is the most important thing. This bill protects Washingtonians from abuse and harm,” Ferguson said, noting Washington is one of five states in which clergy are not currently mandated reporters.

It took Sen. Noel Frame, D-Seattle, three years to get the bill to the governor’s desk. Making sure disclosures during confidential conversations between a penitent and religious leader were not exempt was critical, she said.

“You never put somebody’s conscience above the protection of a child,” she said.

Senate Bill 5375 passed by margins of 64-31 in the House and 28-20 in the Senate. It takes effect July 27. 

It adds clergy members to the state’s list of individuals legally required to report suspected child abuse to law enforcement or the Department of Children, Youth and Families.

Clergy would join school personnel, nurses, social service counselors, psychologists, and many others with a duty to report when they have “reasonable cause to believe that a child has suffered abuse or neglect.”

A “member of the clergy” is defined in the legislation to cover any regularly licensed, accredited, or ordained minister, priest, rabbi, imam, elder, or similarly positioned religious or spiritual leader.

While disclosures in confession or other religious rites where the clergy member is bound to confidentiality are not exempt, religious leaders will retain their privilege to not be compelled to testify in related court cases or criminal proceedings.

More than half the states make clergy mandatory reporters and most exempt what is heard in a confessional. Washington will join several states, including New Hampshire and West Virginia where such conversations are not exempt.

“It says the church is not above the law, especially when it comes to protecting children,” said Mary Dispenza, a founding member of the Catholic Accountability Project and member of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. “We know children will be safer as a result of passing this law.”

Removing the confessional privilege proved the most divisive provision in legislative debates. 

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Washington state Democrats pass bill effectively legalizing infanticide

Washington state Democratic legislators have sent to Governor Bob Ferguson a bill that, if enacted, will make it more difficult for law enforcement to investigate infanticide and sex trafficking. 

Deceptively titled “an act relating to dignity in pregnancy loss,” substitute Senate Bill 5093 (SSB 5093) “repeals the crime of concealing a birth and guts the authority of coroners to investigate suspicious infant deaths unless there’s an obvious, provable crime attached,” according to conservative talk show host Jason Rantz.  

“Democrats are disguising it as a measure about ‘dignity in pregnancy loss,’” noted Rantz. “It’s not. It amounts to a state-sanctioned shield for traffickers, abusers, and anyone else looking to cover up a dead infant.”

“Unless a baby is clearly murdered with intent and there’s a smoking gun, no one’s allowed to ask questions. That’s not compassion. That’s enabling murder,” said Rantz.

Republican State Representative Brian Burnett, a former sheriff, had urged his colleagues during a floor discussion to amend the bill to hold traffickers accountable, according to a report by The Center Square.  

Burnett shared the harrowing story of his own adopted daughter’s experience with human trafficking.  

“She was impregnated many times at a very young age,” recounted Burnett, “from miscarriage to forced abortion to delivering some of those premature babies not knowing what happened to them and even later bringing back a different baby and telling her, ‘You will care for it now until we say different.’”

Unmoved, speaker pro tempore, Rep. Chris Stearns, a Democrat, shut Burnett down, accusing him of impugning the arguments of others. 

“These are often very young girls who end up pregnant because they are being used as sex objects and the pimps and traffickers abuse them and often beat them up because they got pregnant and cause a miscarriage,” Rep. Jim Walsh, a Republican, told The Center Square. 

“Sometimes a baby is born and neglected and dies; I mean it’s horrible stuff,” said Walsh. “The reason the law should stay on the books is it gives prosecutors and cops a tool for investigating these situations where a baby is born and dies and make sure there is no criminality involved.”

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Washington State’s racist policies and infanticide dreams

Washington State is a geographically blessed place. It’s got two gorgeous mountain ranges that invite outdoor activities, a rare and beautiful rainforest, a gorgeous coastline with a great harbor around Seattle, and a climate and soil that are perfect for all kinds of agriculture. It’s also gone completely insane, for it’s now engaged in the highly unconstitutional act of giving financial benefits based openly on race and is on the verge of making infanticide legal.

Washington has been a Democrat redoubt for a long time. Its last Republican governor left office in January 1985, the State House of Representatives hasn’t had a Republican majority in the 21st century, while the State Senate last managed a fragile Republican majority in the 2017-2018 session. As with most Democrat-controlled states, on an acre-by-acre basis, it’s mostly a red state, but the demographic heft (and, perhaps, election fraud) in the coastal, urban regions is enough to control the state’s politics.

And as we’ve learned, when you have a Democrat-majority state government, you get laws that are unconstitutional, illegal, and immoral.

In the unconstitutional and illegal category, Washington has just passed a law that provides forgivable loans (i.e., no-strings cash) of up to $120,000 for first-time homebuyers.

Oh, wait, I misspoke. The law doesn’t apply to all first-time homebuyers; it applies only to blacks and, perhaps, can be stretched to accommodate other racial minorities.

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