Ex-Inslee advisor tied to $500K WA budget allocation

Conservative watchdogs raise red flags in WA state budget

Are funds pledged to make Washington greener instead being rewarded to political allies? Half-a-million dollars earmarked in the state budget is raising some serious red flags for one conservative watchdog group.

OLYMPIA, Wash. - Government workers rallied outside the Washington Statehouse on Wednesday, protesting furloughs and budget cuts that they say could put their jobs and livelihoods in jeopardy.

While these protests are focused on the state’s budget shortfall, they come at a time when questions are also being raised about how the remaining taxpayer funds are being spent.

The Washington Policy Center is pointing the finger at $500,000 in Climate Commitment Act dollars earmarked in the state budget to a Seattle-based firm with ties to a former maritime advisor to Governor Jay Inslee.

Allegations of insider trading for former Inslee advisor

The backstory:

Todd Meyers, Vice President of Research at the Washington Policy Center, has been scrutinizing the proposed budget. Meyers uncovered the $500,000 he says is pledged to Washington Maritime Blue, a Seattle-based firm led by Joshua Berger, the former maritime sector lead at the Washington State Department of Commerce. According to Meyers, the firm’s connection to a political insider raises concerns about a possible kickback or conflict of interest.

"You can call it malfeasance, or corruption or whatever — it’s wrong," Meyers said. "It’s insider dealing. It’s funneling money to a specific organization tied to a political ally and insider."

Dig deeper:

Meyers reports Berger is not explicitly named as the recipient of the $500,000 as it would directly violate Washington State law. However, he pointed out that the language in the bill for the budget directly mirrors the Washington Maritime Blue mission statement.

A simple Google search conducted by FOX 13 Seattle confirmed the match.

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Although Meyers believes the funding will benefit the organization rather than lining anyone’s personal pockets, he argues the process still amounts to a misuse of taxpayer dollars.

"Wasting money this way doesn’t help the environment," added Meyers. "They were promised that paying these taxes would help us reduce CO2 emissions, and then they find out that the money is actually going to political allies."

FOX 13 Seattle has reached out to the lawmakers responsible for the budget language but has not yet received a response. FOX 13 Seattle has also contacted Joshua Berger directly, but he has not responded to requests for comment.

The Source: Information in this story comes from original reporting by FOX 13 Seattle reporter Lauren Donovan.