Cascadia today: Cascadia remembers Jan 6 + WA ferries in trouble + Hillsboro's new flag

January 6 insurrection continues to affect Cascadia

It's been five years since Donald J. Trump encouraged right wing supporters to stage a violent insurrection in the US capitol in an attempt to prevent certification of the 2020 election. Trump should have been prosecuted and prevented from running for president, and prosecutor Jack Smith's recently released testimony indicates he had a strong case against Trump.

But, here we are. Trump leads a lawless administration that ignores the constitution, engages in rampant corruption, uses the justice system against its critics, and retaliates against states that resist his rule. In one of his first acts as president, Trump pardoned some 1,500 convicted insurgents, including some three dozen from Oregon and Washington.

Of those from Cascadia, Jared Wise, a former FBI agent from Bend, Oregon who urged his fellow insurrections to kill police, is now an advisor to the Justice Department. Proud Boy member Ethan Nordean of Auburn, Washington is one of five conspirators suing the US government for $100 million over their arrests. Enrique Tarrio and Joe Biggs, two Proud Boys leaders who also stoked right wing violence at protests Portland, were also pardoned.

The violence of January 6 wasn't limited to the US capitol. In Olympia, Washington, a group of about 100 armed right wing insurgents broke through a gate and threatened the governor's mansion. I wrote about that incident two years after it happened for Crosscut. During the uprising, some insurgents threatened to kill all the journalists present. One participant, Proud Boy member Tusitala “Tiny” Toese, was sentenced to 8 years in prison for violently attacking protesters in Portland about six months later.

Six Seattle Police officers participated in the Washington DC insurrection.

Head of Seattle police union to step down

Speaking of right wing Seattle police officers, Mike Solan, the head of the Seattle Police Officers Guild (SPOG) and a frequent guest on FOX News, is stepping down, KUOW reports. Solan has been a controversial figure, blaming the January 6 coup on BLM and antifa protesters. He was the other person on the call when SPD officer Daniel Auderer joked about a pedestrian struck and killed by an officer having "limited value."

New safe supply rules increase hurdles in BC

CBC reports on new rules put in place on December 30 for those who receive "safe supply" – medical-grade opioids designed to reduce fatal overdose – in British Columbia. Those receiving the drugs must now take them under supervision of a pharmacist or medical professional. Some advocates for drug users say the new rules will push users back to more dangerous street drugs. In 2024, I reported on BC's safe supply system, which prevents overdose and has helped some users get their lives back on track.

WA ferries out of commission, highlighting budget woes

The Seattle Times reports that three of Washington's large ferries are out of commission, leading to delays in service. Governor Ferguson, on Bluesky, said this was all the more reason to support his $1 billion proposal for new vessels.

Meanwhile, the Urbanist takes a deep look at Ferguson's proposed state budget, which borrows from the rainy day fund and proposes deep cuts to address a $2.3 billion deficit. Though Ferguson has proposed a wealth tax on those making over $1 million a year it won't go into effect until 2029.

In response to Ferguson's austerity budget, Rep Shaun Scott (D-Seattle) has proposed a Well Washington Fund that would backfill federal cuts to health care and social services by taxing large corporations for each employee who make more than $125,000 per year.

City of Hillsboro adopts new flag

The Portland suburb of Hillsboro adopted its first ever flag, OPB reports. The city worked with Portland-based vexillologist Ted Kaye, an expert on clear, symbolic, and easily reproduced flags, on the design. It incorporates the native trillium flower and it looks amazing! There's also a growing movement to redesign Washington state's flag to remove the image of a slave-owner who never visited Cascadia and create a more relevant design. Yes, please.

Thanks for reading! --Andrew