Washington lawmaker accused of ethics violations cites troubled past at public hearing

Washington state Rep. Tarra Simmons, a Democrat from Bremerton, is facing ethics charges that she used her standing as a lawmaker to get a friend hired at a nonprofit she is closely associated with, and that she used leftover campaign money to help another nonprofit where she used to work.

The accusations culminated in a rare two-day public hearing before the state’s Legislative Ethics Board this week. Proceedings wrapped up Tuesday evening, but it could be weeks or months before the board makes a final decision about Simmons’ conduct.

Simmons, the first formerly incarcerated person to serve in the Legislature, could face a fine of $5,000 per violation and would have to pay the state’s legal costs, if she’s found to have violated ethics rules.

Sitting before the board on Tuesday, Simmons clutched her emotional support dog and tearfully detailed her personal history and her decision to run for the state House.

https://www.kuow.org/stories/washington-lawmaker-accused-of-ethics-violations-cites-troubled-past-at-public-hearing