Washington Lawmakers Exempt From Releasing Emails

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — Top lawmakers in Washington largely exempt themselves from the state's public records law, and their offices did not release emails sent and received by their government accounts when requested.

As part of a nation-wide project by The Associated Press, a week of emails and daily schedules of Gov. Jay Inslee and four leading lawmakers in Olympia were requested to examine what extent they're free from releasing their communications.

Emails and schedules from the week of Feb. 1 to Feb. 7 were not provided by the offices of Speaker of the House Frank Chopp, D-Seattle, House Minority Leader Dan Kristiansen, R-Snohomish, Senate Majority Leader Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, and Senate Minority Leader Sharon Nelson, D-Maury Island. Inslee's office released 39 emails and his daily schedules.