Politics
A WA lawmaker just quit to lobby for Amazon. Most states wouldn’t allow that.
Washington doesn't require a "cooling off period" before state officials can take jobs to lobby their former colleagues. Why not?
Melissa Santos
Melissa Santos is formerly a Crosscut staff reporter who covered state politics and the Legislature. She came to Crosscut from The Seattle Times editorial board, where she wrote columns and opinion pi
Latest work
Politics
Late Republican ballots thwart Democratic gains in WA Legislature
Several races where Democrats led on election night have since flipped to the GOP, leaving the overall balance of power in Olympia unchanged.
Politics
WA jobless benefits lag while unemployment taxes loom
The state is trying to fix some of the system’s most pressing issues to deal with the ongoing unemployment crisis.
Politics
Groups denounce selection of Joe Fain to redistricting commission
The former Washington state senator lost reelection in 2018 after being accused of rape.
News
Washington could become the second state to decriminalize drugs
An Oregon law decriminalizing drug possession took effect this week. Some think Washington state should follow suit.