Ep. 5 The Cost of Erasure

What happens when a government designs its record-keeping system to fail the very people it’s supposed to serve? In this episode, we dig into the human cost of Washington’s auto-deletion policies and the Attorney General’s defense of destroyed evidence.

From litigants denied a fair trial because key Teams chats vanished, to families of children with disabilities fighting for services without access to past rulings, the damage is measured, not just in megabytes lost, but in due process denied.

You’ll hear from attorney Joan Mell, journalist Shauna Sowersby, and disability advocates who’ve seen firsthand how “disappearing ink” erases justice. We also examine Bob Ferguson’s record as Attorney General, including a $3.1 million sanction for withholding evidence, and the legislature’s quiet moves to weaken public access.

The verdict is clear: erasure isn’t an accident. It’s a policy choice, and the people of Washington are paying the price.

Listen, share, and decide for yourself whether this culture of secrecy can continue unchecked.

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Transcript + Source Docs:
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About WashCOG:
The Washington Coalition for Open Government (WashCOG) fights for transparency and accountability in Washington State. Learn more:
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