This Washington state legislator, accused of ‘domestic terrorism,’ won’t be expelled

Efforts to expel a controversial state representative from the Washington Legislature are likely over after no Republicans would sign a letter calling for state Rep. Matt Shea’s expulsion.

The Spokesman-Review reports that all 98 members of the state House of Representatives were asked Thursday to sign a letter calling for the expulsion of Spokane Valley Republican. All 56 Democrats signed the letter, but no Republicans did.

Democratic Rep. Tana Senn, one of the authors of the letter, says it likely signals the end of any effort to remove Shea from his seat.

An investigator’s report commissioned by the Washington House of Representatives said Shea “participated in an act of domestic terrorism against the United States.” The report is of interest in Idaho, too, because it says state Rep. Heather Scott, R-Blanchard, worked with Shea on several political incidents.

In one incident, the Veterans Administration, citing health and safety concerns, decided to remove firearms from an elderly veteran in Priest River in August 2015. Shea posted an “urgent action alert” on social media for Patriot Movement followers to travel to Priest River with him to prevent the VA from removing the firearms.

In his post, Shea wrote, “We cannot let this stand ... Rep. Heather Scott has asked us all for help since this is in her district and I will stand by her.”

Shea also distributed a document titled, “Idaho Deployment—Operation Armed Backyard,” that detailed an operations plan for the Priest River confrontation, including an assignment for Scott to “identify Patriot bail bondsmen.”

Malheur Wildlife Refuge occupation

Another incident involved the armed takeover of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in eastern Oregon in 2016.

On Jan. 4, 2016, as the Malheur occupation was just beginning, Shea sent an email titled, “Warning Order—Operation Cold Reality” to 15 individuals using code names. According to the report, one of the names, “greenbean,” is “code name for Rep. Heather Scott, Idaho, who is a member of COWS and associate of Rep. Shea.”

COWS, or Coalition of Western States, is a group founded by Shea as part of “a strategy for leadership over future Patriot Movement armed resistance against the federal government,” states the report. It identifies Scott as one of the group’s leaders.

On Jan. 9, 2016, a Harney County judge agreed to meet with local politicians and federal and county law enforcement representatives to discuss the Malheur situation. In addition to Shea, Idaho GOP Reps. Scott, Sage Dixon and Judy Boyle attended the meeting, along with Nevada Assemblywoman Michele Fiore.

During the meeting, Shea, Scott and Fiore introduced themselves as state representatives “while concealing their affiliation with the COWS organization,” states the report.

“During the meeting the (COWS) representatives gathered intelligence regarding law enforcement strategies and then traveled directly from the same meeting to the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge and met with Ammon Bundy and other armed occupiers,” according to the report.

Shea’s district abuts Idaho

The report on Shea was prepared for the Washington House of Representatives. Shea’s eastern Washington district in Spokane County abuts Idaho.

The four-month investigation found that “Shea, as a leader in the Patriot movement, planned, engaged in and promoted” three armed conflicts between 2014 and 2016: in Bunkerville, Nevada; in Priest River, Idaho; and at the Malheur refuge.

The letter asked Democratic Speaker Laurie Jinkins and Minority Leader J.T. Wilcox to take the necessary steps to begin expulsion.

It cites the conclusions of the investigation by the Rampart Group. Shea has denied the allegations and said he wants a chance to call witnesses to prove them false. But he did not agree to be interviewed by the investigators, which the letter to leadership notes. He has refused calls from leaders of both parties to resign.

After the report was released in December, Shea was kicked out of the GOP caucus, which means he can’t use GOP caucus staff and does not meet with them to discuss legislation and policy. But Wilcox says it is up to the voters of Shea’s district to boot him from office.