THE SPORTSMEN ’ S ALLIANCE WINS IN COURT , PRESERVES LAW AND CONTINUES TO WATCH .
The FRONT LINE
ENSURING RULE OF LAW IN
OF LAW IN
WASHINGTON
THE SPORTSMEN ’ S ALLIANCE WINS IN COURT , PRESERVES LAW AND CONTINUES TO WATCH .
Washington state Superior Court Judge Mary Sue Wilson issued a declaratory judgment in favor of the Sportsmen ’ s Alliance Foundation ’ s claim that Fish and Wildlife Commissioner Lorna Smith was in violation of state law prohibiting commissioners from simultaneously holding another elected or appointive office .
Smith , who was appointed to the commission in January 2021 , has long served on the Jefferson County Planning Commission , with her bio on the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife website pointing out that she is “ currently serving her second and third terms ” in this position . State law is clear : the Revised Code of Washington 77.04.040 states that members of the Fish and Wildlife Commission “… shall not hold another state , county , or municipal elective or appointive office .”
After her declarative order , Judge Wilson asked the parties to discuss options to resolve the ongoing violation . To preserve the precedent and thwart any attempt by the state or Smith to
side-step the judge ’ s order , the Sportsmen ’ s Alliance accepted settlement terms that include Smith resigning from the Jefferson County Commission while retaining her position on the Fish and Wildlife Commission .
Smith is the former executive director of Western Wildlife Outreach , a predator-protection organization , and is among a group of new commissioners pushing an extremist view of fish and wildlife management . Adamantly opposed to the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation , Smith was a driving force behind the cancellation of the spring black bear hunt and has pressed for other initiatives to destabilize traditional management approaches and systems in the state — including presenting at Pathways 2023 at Colorado State University . Her presentation was titled “ Conservation of What , Management for Whom ? Wildlife Governance as if Democracy and Extinction Mattered ” with co-presenters Samantha Bruegger of Washington Wildlife First and Kevin Bixby of Wildlife For All .
CONFIRMED COMMISSIONERS CONTINUE ADVOCACY
For the first time in recent memory , all nine Washington Fish & Wildlife commissioners have been confirmed by the state ’ s senate . The hurried process came immediately after the Sportsmen ’ s Alliance filed suit against Lorna Smith .
“ I wasn ’ t thrilled about doing any favors for the [ Washington ] Department [ of Fish and Wildlife ],” Sen . Kevin Van De Wege , Senate Agriculture , Water , Natural Resources and Parks committee chair , told the Spokesman Review . “ I wasn ’ t necessarily looking to do any favors for them because they weren ’ t necessarily helping out with my priorities .”
The newspaper said Van De Wege disagreed with the department ’ s salmon strategy , which he believes allows too much harvest . The senator then expressed support for the newly appointed “ conservation-minded commissioners .”
Conflating conservation and preservation is a key theme in Washington these days , with commissioners leaning into the verbiage in regulation discussions concerning everything from coyotes to beavers while crafting the game management plan .
Likewise , Commission Chair Barbara Baker has renewed her “ Conservation Policy ,” a pet project that she and former WDFW Director of Conservation Jeff Davis ( now Director of Colorado Parks and Wildlife ) dreamed up to define “ conservation ” for the department — and , of course , to guide its direction and actions . The draft is rife with ambiguous language and preservationist ideas and ideals , so much so that former Commissioner Kim Thorburn has said it should be called a Preservation Policy .
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