Department of Natural Resources (DNR) head Hilary Franz, is again in the hotseat, as allegations surface from numerous staff of hers that her image and race for higher office has been the focus of her tenure at DNR. As someone who has covered the Commissioner of Public Lands since her first run for office, I can say that these charges do not surprise me at all. Her lack of honesty in dealing with issues has been a hallmark of her tenure to those of us who have needed her support. A simple example is that she denied she ever approved the controversial DNR leasing to an industrial aquaculture company of the waters inside the Dungeness Spit Wildlife Refuge, even when shown her own signature on the DNR documents. Her comment to me at the time was, “I have no idea about that.” That staffers openly say her only goal was higher office also goes hand in hand with what I’ve witnessed in her dealing with Jefferson County Democrats during fundraisers. As readers know, this blog has come out in favor of her opponent, Emily Randall.
The Times has endorsed Franz, and even beloved cartoonist David Horsey decided that the charges were not worth worrying about in his editorial. Needless to say, he has never worked with her, nor needed to deal with her department to try and protect the shores of our waters. And this is the problem, to a casual observer, she appears to be a great choice, but when one actually has to work with her and her department, it’s a totally different story. Horsey claims Hilary doesn’t kowtow to industry, when all of us who have been involved in following her choices know that is just not true. To Horsey, I would only say, Hilary is not just an ambitious politician, she is all about whatever it takes to promote Hilary’s march to Washington. And the environment is just a prop to gain power and distract those that are not paying attention.
Franz came and talked to the Jefferson County Democrats in her first race for Lands Commissioner. We welcomed what seemed like a bright, energetic woman who claimed she was all about protecting the environment. We also could tell how ambitious she was, in her slapping her buttons on the chests of those of us in line to get in before even introducing herself to us. It was an odd introduction. But after she took office, we began to see that she was far more interested in promoting industry over the environment and that all the issues were about Hilary and her supposed accomplishments. It was not listening but telling. Always a warning when dealing with a politician.
Long time Jefferson County Democratic party activist and environmental leader Connie Gallant, tried to work with Hilary on numerous occasions and came to same conclusion. Ms. Gallant sent a strong letter describing her feelings about the Times article to her environmental email list, redoubling her support for Emily Randall.
If this candidate was a Republican, or Donald Trump, the Times would likely have more real outrage about the allegations. But given that Hilary plays well with the environmental movement leaders in places like Bellevue and Seattle who never seem to get out of their tower offices to see what is happening on the ground in places like the Olympic Peninsula, papers like the Times will cheer her on.
It’s totally likely that she will be our next Congressional Representative, given the support Franz has received from the usual suspects. I guess we could at least say she will be out of our hair on a local level and worrying about a much wider range of issues than the environment. Her support of business over the environment will likely have less negative impacts. She will have a replacement who hopefully will care more about protecting the environment than she has, though our state’s reliance on turning forests into tree farms and turning virgin shorelines into industrial aquaculture farms means the fight will have to go on indefinitely.
Here’s the crux of the Times story. Please either subscribe to the Times, as it is one of our only regional newspapers left or go to your local library and read it for free. And take a look at our choices for elected officials we have found listen to us, do the hard work to stand up for environmental protection, or have pledged to do so. Our recommendations are at
Election24: primary recommendations | Olympic Peninsula Environmental News (olyopen.com)
Fifteen current and former DNR employees described in interviews with The Seattle Times how Franz aggressively used the agency to burnish her image to run for higher office — first for governor and now for Congress — in ways that some say blurred lines governing the use of public resources for political purposes.
The current and former employees, including women and men who have worked as senior aides and managers, said they were pressured to organize official events driven by Franz’s campaign needs and to help her secure political endorsements.
The current and former employees, including women and men who have worked as senior aides and managers, said they were pressured to organize official events driven by Franz’s campaign needs and to help her secure political endorsements.
Hilary Franz’s DNR work prioritized political gain, some staffers say | The Seattle Times
Filed under: Olympic Peninsula, Politics | Tagged: DNR, Election 2024, Emily Randall, Hilary Franz |
Well said, Al! Hear, hear!!!