Two GOP reps pushing for committee to study Kelley impeachment

HOLYMPIA – Although legislative leaders insisted Tuesday they were focusing on the state’s budgets, two Republican House members tried to start a process that could lead to the impeachment of the state’s embattled, and absent, state auditor.

Reps. Drew MacEwen, of Union, and Drew Stokesbary, of Auburn, filed a resolution to form a committee of six House members to investigate and draft articles of impeachment against Troy Kelley for malfeasance. “It is our belief Mr. Kelley is guilty of malfeasance by abandoning his office and delegating his authority to another,” MacEwen said.

Sen. Cyrus Habib, D-Seattle, also called for Kelley to resign or be impeached for going on leave during his legal case, which yesterday was announced has been delayed at least until next January.

Whether that resolution – let alone an actual impeachment debate – will come to the floor of the House remains to be seen. A few minutes before MacEwen and Stokesbary held a press conference to announce their resolution, House Speaker Frank Chopp said he and Republican Leader Dan Kristiansen agreed the time wasn’t right.

“Impeachment proceedings at this point would be a major distraction from the more pressing and time sensitive challenges facing the Legislature” on the budget, Chopp said.

Earlier in the day, Senate Majority Leader Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, said Kelley “should do the honorable thing and resign” but said he was more focused on trying to pass budgets in the special session than impeachment.

To watch the press conference by MacEwen and Stokesbary on TVW, click here.

Here’s Speaker Frank Chopp’s statement:

The Troy Kelley issue is working its way through the legal system. House Republican Leader Dan Kristiansen and I agree that now is not the time to consider impeachment.
All four caucuses and the Governor’s office have asked Kelley to resign. The Governor has taken the further, correct step in stopping his pay. And, all indications so far show that the Auditor’s office is being run competently by the Deputy Auditor.
Right now, we still have budgets that must be passed in this special legislative session. Impeachment proceedings at this point would be a major distraction from the more pressing and time-sensitive challenges facing the Legislature.
It only makes sense to get our most pressing work done first by finalizing a budget that funds education, protects the safety net, and keeps our economy working for all people.

Here’s Sen. Cyrus Habib’s statement:

Sen. Cyrus Habib offered the following statement today calling for Troy Kelley’s resignation or impeachment as Washington State Auditor after it was announced that Kelley’s trial would be delayed for seven months, from June of 2015 to January of 2016:
“It’s unacceptable that Troy Kelley remain ‘on leave’ for the rest of the year and into 2016 while we wait for his trial to commence. Given the delay of his trial from June of this year to January of next, he should put the people of Washington first and resign from office this week. If he chooses not to do so, I would hope the House would immediately consider impeachment proceedings so that we can fill this important office.
“This concerns me both personally and professionally. As someone who grew up with a disability and relied on help from services like the Washington State School for the Blind to get where I am today, I personally counted on state services to be honest, efficient and effective, as do millions of Washingtonians. An effective auditor on the job helps make that happen. As an attorney and a member of the Senate Government Operations Committee, which oversees accountability for and operations of state officials, I’m proud to serve a state with a history of integrity and clean politics. Washington is not New Jersey, Illinois or New York – we should hold ourselves to a higher standard.
“The delay of Troy Kelley’s trial until next January means that, even if he’s found not guilty of any crime and this is all a misunderstanding, the state will still have gone for most of a year without its auditor, and that’s assuming there won’t be additional delays in the judicial process. The watchdog role of auditor is too important, and waiting the rest of the year is too long, for us to have an interim replacement named by Mr. Kelley. To go without an auditor for that long jeopardizes the work of that very important office.
“Mr. Kelley should resign this week. If he does not, the legislature can and should fulfill its constitutional duty and consider articles of impeachment.”