Plaintiffs Gene and Susan Gonzales, Horwath Family Two, LLC, and the Washington Landlord Association filed a complaint against Governor Jay Inslee in Lewis County Superior Court, Cause No. 20-2-0073621. The complaint seeks injunctive relief. Read the Entire Complaint.
This Complaint is the culmination 10 months of Emergency Orders, frustration, and monopolization of governance by the Governor. There are families and businesses struggling and the Governor has failed to address the needs of “ALL” Washingtonians. Working families, property owners, landlords, and small businesses need real economic relief.
Peter Abbarno, Representative-Elect from the 20th Legislative District.
The compliant enumerates Five Causes of Action:
- Governor’s Lack of Authority to Issue Proclamations 20-19 through 20-19.4;
- RCW 43.06.220 Unlawfully Delegates Legislative Powers and Violates the Separation of Powers Principle;
- Unconstitutional Interference with Power of the Judiciary and Right to Petition Government for Redress of Grievances;
- Violation of the Takings Clause of Article 1, Section 16 of the Washington State Constitution;
- Unconstitutional Impairment of Contracts.
The Governor has arbitrarily and unequally issued proclamations. Keeping people housed through this year is one part of the equation. The other part is keeping landlords viable and available to rent to the community now and into the future. The vast majority of landlords are small or family-owned businesses and retirement investment property. If landlords and property owners can’t afford their obligations, there will be nothing to rent. The governor, acting alone, has not done enough to protect financial investments of landlords or ensure COVID-19 stimulus rental payments made it from the tenant to the landlord.
Peter Abbarno, Representative-Elect from the 20th Legislative District.
