Documents indicate that this was a political move orchestrated by top Democrats in the state including Governor Jay Inslee, to decriminalize drug offenses and continue to enable the massive homeless population.
The Washington State Supreme Court overturned the state's felony drug possession, law ruling it "unconstitutional." Following the ruling, law enforcement agencies across the state were ordered to no longer arrest for drug possession and to release prisoners held on those charges and convictions.
However, documents indicate that this was a political move orchestrated by top Democrats in the state including Governor Jay Inslee, to decriminalize drug offenses and continue to enable the massive homeless population on the streets of major cities like Seattle, Tacoma and Olympia.
Representing the petitioner was Gregory Link, who was "appointed December 27, 2017 for the term ending August 2, 2018 as a Member of the Sentencing Guidelines Commission" by Washington Governor Jay Inslee.
Link was upfront about what he planned to do in the position. "For more than 20 years I have represented persons sentenced under the Sentencing Guidelines. I understand the often harsh impact sentencing policy has on those individuals and how it can lead to disparate impacts on many groups. I believe my expertise with the application of Washington's sentencing law gained through my practice would allow me to offer valuable input in developing future sentencing policy."
Under previous employment and experience in his appointment documents Link wrote, "During that time I represented indigent clients appealing criminal conviction, termination of parental rights, civil commitment… Many of those cases have pertained to Washington and Federal sentencing laws, and I have numerous publish cases addressing the proper application of those sentencing schemes. I have developed an expertise application of the Sentencing Reform Act and have been called on to speak on the topic at numerous conferences."
Link was a perfect pick for Inslee for the position because the Governor has long sought to release convicted felons from jail and enable the "indigent" to remain on the streets. Inslee even attempted to release the notorious Green River Killer, along with thousands of other felons at the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak. Many of the felons Inlsee succeeded in releasing reoffended and were rearrested.
While Link was the Director of the Washington Appellate Project, a position he listed as experience for the appointment, the agency's goal was to provide "the highest quality representation to indigent clients appealing criminal convictions, civil commitments, or terminations of parental rights."
Termination of parental rights has also been a cornerstone of Inslee's agenda which was showcased most recently in passing a controversial graphic sex education curriculum for public schools which was interwoven into multiple other subjects and was designed for children as young as kindergarten.
Inslee has also allowed the state's homeless service providers to operate with no accountability as the homeless crisis in the state’s largest cities spiral out of control contributing to spiking crime and increasing drug abuse and overdose deaths. Tent encampments have been left in place and grown as a result of guidance from the Washington Department of Health under Inslee during a pandemic.
It appears as if Inslee put an activist on the commission whose goal was to legalize all drug possession for his homeless clientele.
As a result of the ruling many of the "homeless" drug dealers, who were arrested in the state in ambitious busts last week, were already released even though police seized stolen firearms during the arrests.
Emails from the victorious activist attorneys were forwarded to law enforcement officials in Seattle by city attorney offices and law enforcement command staff immediately after the ruling ordering officers to stop arresting for possession and to release offenders that were being held. One would have expected those offices to come out with their own releases rather than forwarding "orders" from activists.
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