WA Government

Drama that ensued last week when three people named Bob Ferguson all filed campaigns to run for Washington’s governor appeared to have boiled over Monday when two of the trio of Bobs dropped out of the race. On Monday afternoon, state attorney general Bob Ferguson issued a public statement in which he threatened to take legal action if the other two people by the same name did not withdraw their candidacies by the deadline later that day.

Friday was the deadline to file for political office in the Aug. 6 primary in Washington, and Monday was the deadline for candidates to withdraw from races if they changed their minds.

The U.S. Justice Department expects to have a decision by the end of this month on whether it will pursue criminal claims against Boeing following two fatal 737 Max crashes.

Monday marked the beginning of candidate filing week in the state, opening the doors for Washingtonians to officially throw their hats in the ring for more than 400 federal, state, judicial, legislative and county offices up for grabs in the November election.

Spokane Valley Mayor Pam Haley is hoping to win a second public office.

The U.S. government is moving toward reclassifying marijuana as a less harmful drug, a federal spokesperson confirmed this week. If finalized, this change in classification by the U.S. Department of Justice would federally recognize the medical use of cannabis. It would not federally legalize the drug for recreational use, however.

The Airway Heights City Council voted Monday night to put a public safety measure on the Aug. 6 primary ballot.

The race to represent Eastern Washington in Congress is heating up, as evidenced by the $1 million raised by a dozen candidates – most of it in the first three months of the year.

High-capacity magazine sales will remain illegal in Washington, a state Supreme Court Commissioner ruled Thursday after the law was initially deemed unconstitutional earlier this month.