Federal Lawsuit Targets Wildlife Director Over Critic Silencing

0:00A federal lawsuit dropped Thursday targets the head of Washington's Fish and Wildlife Department, accusing director Sueswind and his deputy wind rope of trying to shut down critics on the citizen oversight commission. The plaintiffs commissioner Smith, attorney Claire Davis, and her group Washington Wildlife First say its payback for their vocal pushback and lawsuit against the agency's handling of wildlife issues. This flares up an old beef that's been simmering for years between conservationists and hunters over protecting animals versus allowing hunts and fishing. It ties back to a November 2021 vote to ban spring black bear hunting, which sparked heated debates and public records fights. Folks are fired up with the plaintiffs' lawyer calling its state back repression that should alarm the governor and attorney general. Smith herself says commissioners can't do their job if they're scared to speak out. The department stands mum, saying they can't comment on active cases. Now, a governor ordered probe into whether some commissioners broke open meetings laws during

1:00that bear hunt drama is set to wrap up April 13th, it's been delayed three times already. The suit blasted department memo is full of false claims aimed at smearing the critics and dragging the governor in. All this could push the full commission to investigate Sueswind themselves and maybe even boot him, highlighting how free speech clashes with agency, power plays and wildlife battles. That's your update from Canada News Today, powered by AI.