State Supreme Court upholds decision tossing auditor recall effort

OLYMPIA – Washington’s Supreme Court has unanimously upheld a lower court’s decision throwing out an effort to recall indicted state Auditor Troy Kelley.

Justice Charles Wiggins wrote in the opinion Thursday that the recall charges submitted by former lawmaker Will Knedlik were either legally or factually insufficient. The charges accused Kelley of not adhering to a constitutional requirement to live in Olympia; of failing to investigate Sound Transit; and of pressuring his staff to hire an office employee outside of normal procedures.

Kelley, a Democrat who was elected auditor in 2012, is scheduled to face trial later this month. He’s charged with tax evasion, money laundering and possession of stolen property in connection with his prior operation of a real-estate services firm called Post Closing Department, which tracked certain transactions for mortgage title and escrow firms.