Senator Warnick Says Governor’s Gift Was Ill Advised

State Senator Judy Warnick says she's disappointed in the misguided gesture of Governor Jay Inslee.  As her press release puts it. "In an effort to console eastern Washington communities devasted by wildfires, Gov. Jay Inslee recently stopped for a public event in the town of Malden. During his remarks, Inslee offered words of encouragement and a seemingly benign gift – a box of apples picked from his own yard."

Here's the problem.  Home grown fruit isn't supposed to be moved around the state in the apple producing regions of Eastern Washington. In fact, it's a crime! It's classified as a misdemeanor, however the agency in charge of enforcing these agricultural rules rarely prosecutes.

Sen. Judy Warnick, R-Moses Lake says, “I’m surprised and frankly disappointed....It was a nice gesture, but not well thought through. As the state’s executive, he should have followed the law to keep our state’s agriculture safe, instead of putting it at risk. I think that the stiffest penalties are in order.”

Since the Govern spent a number of years in Yakima he really should know better.  Warnick, a guest on the KIT's Morning News adds, “I think it’s a fairly serious gaffe by the state’s executive and warrants a strong penalty.”