Author: Leslie for Washington

Leslie Lewallen Pens Op-Ed, Highlighting the Risks Posed by the Highly Political NY Trump Trial

CAMAS, WA – On Wednesday, May 22nd, The Daily Caller an opinion piece by former prosecutor and WA-03 congressional candidate Leslie Lewallen, highlighting the threat posed by the political circus that is unfolding in New York surrounding Donald Trump’s hush money case.

Trump’s Trial Has Torn Off Lady Justice’s Blindfold

“. . .As an attorney, I’ve been asked on numerous occasions what I think of the Trump trial. I have three answers — as an American, as a lawyer and as a former prosecutor and state Supreme Court clerk.

This trial has crossed a line, and all Americans should be concerned. . . .It is a politically motivated witch hunt akin to something you’d expect to see in Soviet Russia.

This case was brought by a Democratic New York district attorney before a judge whose broad gag orders and questionable rulings create serious doubts about his impartiality. These dubious rulings are further undermined by the fact that the judge is a Joe Biden donor with a daughter in political fundraising who has raised millions off this trial for Democratic political candidates. 

And who will be deciding the president’s fate? An unbiased jury of his peers? No. A jury selected from a tainted jury pool that votes for Democrats 95 percent of the time. 

For our criminal justice system to work, Lady Justice must be blind; but unfortunately for President Trump, the blindfold has slipped and pure justice has been corrupted by political avarice. If Americans do not stand up and denounce this judicial malfeasance, then a line will be crossed that risks reducing the judicial system to nothing more than a weapon with which to punish one’s political enemies.

As a lawyer, I am very disturbed by the low bar set for this case — it is old and weak. 

. . . At the end of all of this, what is the most probable outcome? . . . this case is primed to be overturned. In fact, it should never have been allowed to get to this point in the first place.

. . . As an attorney and, more importantly, as an American, I am watching the events unfolding in New York and fear that we may be witnessing the corrupting of our judicial system as we know it. Americans must demand that Lady Justice be blindfolded once more, or these trials may become a permanent fixture in American politics. If we succeed in reestablishing impartial justice, all Americans win.”

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CAMAS, WA – On Thursday, May 16th, The Daily News published an article by Brennen Kauffman that highlighted the different positions for each candidate in Washington’s 3rd Congressional District race. The disastrous collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore Harbor has put renewed attention on the bridges of Southwest Washington. Leslie Lewallen, as a voting member of the Regional Transportation Commission from 2022-2024, had a front-row seat on this issue, and has been a strong voice for the residents impacted most by the I-5 bridge replacement project. 

Specifically, Leslie has pushed back on bureaucrats’ repeated attempts to tie funding for the bridge to the addition of a light rail system. Washington voters have repeatedly voted down light rail, and the Coast Guard has cautioned against the plan because it pushes the bridge too low in the water. 

When discussing the Lewis and Clark Bridge, Leslie emphasized the importance of completing studies to determine where the bridge is the most vulnerable, and use those results to determine the next steps to mitigating those vulnerabilities. Leslie has also advocated for Southwest Washington to receive a larger share of Washington’s infrastructure monies: “King County gets more of the lion’s share of attention, while down here we have some very critical needs that could use both federal and state tax dollars.”

Beyond the bridges, Leslie has been a vocal proponent of Washington’s timber industry, both for the jobs it provides and the role responsible tree harvesting plays in the overall health of the area’s forests. There has to be a balance between maintaining our forests and keeping them accessible to the public for recreational use. For Leslie, the Nakia Fire underscored the importance of maintaining the forests through the removal of underbrush and older trees – all of which provide fuel for catastrophic forest fires –‘“There’s a liberal misconception that a hands-off approach is the best way to preserve and protect our environment. That’s not based on science or what we see at the local level,’ Lewallen said.”

As the Representative for WA-03, Leslie will work every day to ensure that Southwest Washington’s vital bridges meet the region’s needs, and that the timber industry is supported.   

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CAMAS, WA – On Friday, The Columbian published an article highlighting a poll commissioned by the Lewallen campaign that decisively shows WA-03 Republican voters are looking for candidate options beyond Joe Kent! These numbers reinforce what has long been the message of the Lewallen campaign: Joe Kent’s best shot at winning this seat was in 2022 and he lost. In the two years since his failed race, his name recognition has gone up and his popularity has plummeted. If Republicans want to win back this seat, it’s time to get behind a candidate that can actually beat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez!

Poll Commissioned by Lewallen Campaign Finds Clark County Republicans Eager for Candidates Beyond Kent in Race for 3rd Congressional District

By: Dylan Jefferies, Columbian Staff Writer

A recent poll commissioned by the campaign of 3rd Congressional District candidate Leslie Lewallen, R-Camas, found that Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Skamania, has relatively low-name recognition across the district, and that many Republicans are looking for an alternative to Joe Kent, R-Yacolt.

. . . The survey found that Perez is slightly less known in the district than Kent.

. . .Of those who said they were familiar with Perez and Kent, 38 percent said that they held a favorable opinion of Perez, while 28.8 percent said they held a favorable opinion of Kent.

. . . The survey then introduced Leslie Lewallen as a candidate

. . . Respondents were then asked to vote again as though the Aug. 6 primary were held today, only Lewallen was included

. . . Perez again came out on top with 41.9 percent of the vote. However, Lewallen came in second with 32.1 percent while Kent dropped to 15 percent, leaving 11 percent undecided.

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CAMAS, WA – Today, John Nowels, the current Spokane County Sheriff, announced his endorsement of Leslie Lewallen for WA-03. 

On announcing his endorsement, Sheriff Nowels said: “As the Spokane County Sheriff, my top priority has been to facilitate a return to community policing as a way to reduce crime and build a relationship of trust between law enforcement and the communities we are charged to serve and protect. I also know the importance of joining forces with regional and community leaders to effectively address the issues of crime, homelessness, mental health crises and substance use disorders plaguing our communities. As a Camas City Council Member, Leslie has been a passionate advocate for partnerships that can address the underlying issues that lead to drug usage and homelessness. She has also been a steadfast supporter of law enforcement – ensuring they have the resources necessary to effectively fulfill their mission to serve and protect. We need more elected officials who will work alongside our law enforcement and first responders to enact effective legislation to address the issues facing Washington State. I have no doubt that Leslie Lewallen will be that leader, which is why I am proud to endorse her today.”

Leslie Lewallen, on receiving this endorsement, said: “I am proud to accept this endorsement from Sheriff Nowels,” said Lewallen. “John and his family have firsthand experience with the ravaging effects of addiction and know better than most the importance of resources to treat the root causes instead of just the symptoms of a problem. As the next Congresswoman for WA-03, I look forward to working with John and other first responders throughout Washington to ensure the availability of adequate treatment options to address drug addiction and mental health disorders while also working to rebuild the relationship of trust that must exist between law enforcement and the communities they’ve sworn to protect!”

Sheriff Nowels graduated from Eastern Washington University in 1996 with a BA in Criminal Justice. In 2019, he earned a Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership from the University of Oklahoma. Sheriff Nowels also attended and graduated from the 265^th session of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia, in September 2016. While at the FBI National Academy, he completed master’s level leadership courses from the University of Virginia. Sheriff Nowels began his law enforcement career in the Sheriff’s Office Patrol Division in 1998. In his years with the sheriff’s office, he has served as a patrol deputy, and a Technical Collision Investigator, while also working with the Property Crimes Unit and the Investigative Support Unit where he investigated narcotics cases. Sheriff John Nowels has now been with the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office for over 26 years. He was elected Sheriff on November 8, 2022, and he began serving as Spokane County Sheriff on January 1, 2023.

The Lewallen campaign continues to receive endorsements from a dynamic group of supporters from every walk of life and background- demonstrating, yet again, that Leslie is the best candidate to represent the diverse voters of Southwest Washington. While Marie Gluesenkamp Perez actively votes against the interests of WA-03 constituents, Leslie Lewallen will fight to show voters that there is a better path forward.

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CAMAS, WA – On Wednesday, Fox News reported that the Pritzker family, owners of the Hyatt Hotels Corporation, has been a major donor to a number of groups participating in the anti-Semitic protests sweeping US college campuses. 

In addition to funding these groups, the Pritzkers have also made significant donations to vulnerable Democrats facing difficult re-election battles this year. One incumbent who received money was Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez. 

When asked for comment, a spokesperson for the Perez campaign gave the following statement: “Marie is a steadfast supporter of Israel’s right to defend itself and led the Defending Borders, Defending Democracies Act in Congress to provide vital military aid to Israel in its fight against Hamas and Iran. She opposes political violence and angry mobs whether organized by the far-left or far-right.”

Representative Perez is NOT a big supporter of Israel, as evidenced by her own blog posts defending Hezbollah. She is also NOT opposed to political violence or angry mobs, as evidenced by reports that she and her husband aided ANTIFA by fixing their tear gas-spreading leaf blowers during the 2020 “Summer of Love” riots in Portland.

Upon reading this report, Leslie Lewallen made the following statement: “Once again, Portland Perez has shown her true colors. While she masquerades as a moderate in the district, her true beliefs show through in her voting record, her actions and her writings. She has voted against securing the border, against parental rights, against small businesses, and against our Second Amendment rights. There should be no confusion on this point – if she gets another term in office her voting record will become more and more extreme as she sides with the far Left elements of the Democratic Party. There is only one Republican in this race who can defeat Representative Perez, and I invite the voters of WA-03 to join me. There is too much at stake in this election to repeat the mistakes of 2022.”  

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“. . .The precedent set in ‘Martin’ must be overturned or the Court must provide clarity on ‘the governing legal standard.”

CAMAS, WA – On Saturday, Clark County Today published an op-ed written by Leslie Lewallen in which she discussed the impact of the 9th Circuit’s rulings in both Martin v. Boise and Grants Pass v. Johnson. These rulings have significantly hindered attempts to regulate homelessness which has led to cities being overwhelmed by the drugs, crime and public health concerns that arise from these populations. The time has come for the Supreme Court to provide clarity on what recourse is left to states when it comes to managing homeless populations.

Lewallen: It’s Time for SCOTUS to Clean Up the 9th Circuit’s Mess

By: Leslie Lewallen

Major cities across the country are being crushed by growing homeless population

. . . The status quo is untenable. For cities to meet their obligations to their citizens, the precedent set in Martin must be overturned or the Court must provide clarity on “the governing legal standard.” Additionally, there must be an honest conversation about how to effectively and compassionately address the multifaceted homelessness crisis.

The seeds of Grants Pass v. Johnson were planted in the Ninth’s 2018 decision in Martin v. City of Boise in which the court ruled that the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment prevented cities from criminally prosecuting individuals for sleeping outside when shelter space was unavailable. However, the court also emphasized that it intended its holding to be narrow, writing that their ruling was not to suggest “that a jurisdiction with insufficient shelter can never criminalize the act of sleeping outside.”

. . . For states, cities and municipalities, much of the frustration surrounding these two cases stems from the lack of clarity provided by the Ninth Circuit as to how their rulings were to be applied. In the absence of clarity, lower district courts have stepped in to define the limits for them. Unfortunately, as Grants Pass discovered, district court rulings have broadened what was originally intended to be a narrow decision, leaving cities unsure what actions they can take without risking litigation.

For the sake of the cities being overwhelmed by homeless populations, it is incumbent upon the Supreme Court to determine if every attempt to manage and regulate vagrancy constitutes cruelty under the Eighth Amendment. If so, then it is time for the High Court to give clarity where thus far confusion has reigned by detailing what recourse is left to states who seek to manage the crime, drugs and public health concerns that arise from these populations.

Implicit within the rulings of Martin and Grants Pass is the tacit promotion by these liberal justices of the failed “Housing First” agenda so popular among progressive bureaucrats.

. . . Far too often, “Housing First” becomes “Housing Only” and the root issues that led to a person becoming homeless are left undiagnosed and untreated. Before spending more money or building more shelters, elected officials must define the metrics of success for any policies they wish to implement. The universal goal of any homeless policy should be to exit people from the state of homelessness – not build a homeless industrial complex!

Connecting people with the services they need – whether they want those services or not – must be the metric we use to gauge the success of any new homeless policy. While addressing immediate needs – shelter, food, clothing – is important, the approach taken so far clearly has not worked. It’s time to consider tying access to those immediate needs to the acceptance of treatment for the underlying causes that led the person to the streets.

. . . State and local governments must coordinate and utilize available federal resources to expand the spectrum of services available through shelters and outreach programs; and rethink their methods for encouraging those in need to accept treatment for their underlying root causes.

. . . Today’s housing crisis did not happen in a vacuum. Clarity from courts combined with a holistic approach to helping people leave the streets are two necessary steps to turning this crisis around. Housing alone is not enough, because there is NOTHING compassionate about providing shelter while still allowing someone to suffer.

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CAMAS, WA – Today, Brad Thurman, the current Cowlitz County Sheriff, announced his endorsement of Leslie Lewallen for WA-03. 

“As the Cowlitz County Sheriff, I know the impact elected officials can have on law enforcement agencies’ abilities to hire and retain good officers. Movements like “Defund the Police” and legislation that reduces penalties for committing crimes or possessing drugs make it harder for law enforcement to keep our streets and communities safe. I am endorsing Leslie Lewallen for Washington’s 3rd Congressional district because, as a former prosecutor, I know she will fight to uphold law and order while ensuring that our officers have everything they need to keep our communities safe.”

Brad Thurman has been in law enforcement for 36 years, the entirety of which has been spent serving in the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Department in a variety of positions. Prior to his election as Sheriff, Brad served in patrol, deputy, detective, sergeant and drug investigator roles. He holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Administration of Justice/Sociology from Portland State University, and previously served as the Chairman of the Cowlitz County GOP.  

“I am proud to accept this endorsement from Sheriff Thurman,” said Lewallen. “Brad’s entire career has been spent serving the residents of Cowlitz County. The core values of his department- leadership, excellence, service and sacrifice- perfectly encapsulate the work ethic he and his officers exhibit every day. Like Sheriff Thurman, I look forward to serving the voters of Southwest Washington with passion and determination while working to address the most pressing issues facing our region- crime, addiction, and a crisis at our southern border that touches the residents of WA-03 every day!”

The Lewallen campaign continues to receive endorsements from a dynamic group of supporters from every walk of life and background- demonstrating, yet again, that Leslie is the best candidate to represent the diverse voters of Southwest Washington. While Marie Gluesenkamp Perez actively votes against the interests of WA-03 constituents, Leslie Lewallen will fight to show voters that there is a better path forward.

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“This heavy-handed tactic risks fracturing our party further and losing more winnable seats for Republicans.”

CAMAS, WA – On Saturday, The Columbian published an op-ed written by Leslie Lewallen in which she lays out the risks associated with the Washington State Republican Party’s attempts to control who appears on the ballot in the state’s August primary. “Circumventing the electorate by trying to manipulate who appears on the ballot at the state convention risks endorsing a candidate who does not represent the views or needs of the district they seek to represent.”

Lewallen: GOP Attempt to Force Unity Will Fracture Party

By: Leslie Lewallen

. . .This election cycle, the Republican Party of Washington has taken the familiar theme of unity to new extremes.

The party is attempting, in the spirit of “unity,” to use the state convention to whittle down the field of candidates before voters ever have a chance to cast a ballot. Far from bringing Washingtonians together, this heavy-handed tactic risks fracturing our party further and losing more winnable seats for Republicans.

Expecting candidates and voters to fall in line with the endorsements made by a self-selected sampling of party representatives is undemocratic and antithetical to the robust electoral process envisioned by our Founding Fathers.

. . .Circumventing the electorate by trying to manipulate who appears on the ballot at the state convention risks endorsing a candidate who does not represent the views or needs of the district they seek to represent. It also opens the process up to undue influence by candidates seeking to strong-arm endorsements outside the prescribed processes.

This undue influence came to bear at the state committee meeting in August, when the rules were sidestepped to secure a premature “endorsement” for my Republican opponent in this congressional race.

A mere 40 people ignored the will of more than 100,000 3rd Congressional District voters who clearly demonstrated in 2022 that they wanted a Republican who wasn’t Joe Kent to represent them.

. . . For more than 30 years, there hasn’t been one federal or statewide rematch in Washington state that has resulted in a flipped outcome. History is not on Joe Kent’s side, and ignoring the will of voters isn’t going to lead to different results this time around.

Unlike Joe Kent, I know what it is like to win an election and represent voters, and it’s not by circumventing their voice.

As such, I will not be participating in a convention that has shown itself willing to support a failed candidate over the concerns of Southwest Washington voters.

I do not think the process, as it has played out, reflects the will of the electorate; and it is the electorate that I want to hear from.

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