What happens when a government designs its record-keeping system to fail the very people it’s supposed to serve? In this episode, we dig into the human cost of Washington’s auto-deletion policies and the Attorney General’s defense of destroyed evidence.
From litigants denied a fair trial because key Teams chats vanished, to families of children with disabilities fighting for services without access to past rulings, the damage is measured, not just in megabytes lost, but in due process denied.
You’ll hear from attorney Joan Mell, journalist Shauna Sowersby, and disability advocates who’ve seen firsthand how “disappearing ink” erases justice. We also examine Bob Ferguson’s record as Attorney General, including a $3.1 million sanction for withholding evidence, and the legislature’s quiet moves to weaken public access.
The verdict is clear: erasure isn’t an accident. It’s a policy choice, and the people of Washington are paying the price.
Listen, share, and decide for yourself whether this culture of secrecy can continue unchecked.
Transcript + Source Docs:
Get the full hyperlinked transcript and all documents referenced in this episode:
thepublicrecordsofficer.com
Sign up for updates:
Join our mailing list for future episodes and investigations
thepublicrecordsofficer.com
Support the show:
We’re powered by public records and public support. Buy us a coffee https://coff.ee/thepublicrecordsofficer
About WashCOG:
The Washington Coalition for Open Government (WashCOG) fights for transparency and accountability in Washington State. Learn more:
washcog.org
Follow & Share
X (Twitter): @opengovpod
Instagram: @opengovpod
BlueSky: @thepropodcast.bsky.social
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal
Gregg Rosenthal and a rotating crew of elite NFL Media co-hosts, including Patrick Claybon, Colleen Wolfe, Steve Wyche, Nick Shook and Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic get you caught up daily on all the NFL news and analysis you need to be smarter and funnier than your friends.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.