GOVERNORRENCELY JUST SAT DOWN -- [INAUDIBLE]
-- [INAUDIBLE] >> WE SAW MANY, MANY PEACEFUL
PROTESTS ACROSS OUR BEAUTIFUL
STATE FROM FORKS AND PENINSULA
TO WALLA WALLA TO THE YAKIMA
AND TO THE RAINIER VALLEY IN
SEATTLE.
SEATTLE.
SEATTLE. THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN OUR
STATE HAVE BEEN CRYING OUT FOR
JUSTICE.
JUSTICE.
JUSTICE. AND THE FOOTSTEPS IN THE
STREET I THINK AND HOPE ARE
FOOTSTEPS IN HISTORY THAT CAN
PROVOKE US TO TAKE BIG
STRIDES.
STRIDES.
STRIDES. TO THE PROTESTERS, I WANT YOU
TO KNOW THIS.
I HEAR YOU.
BLACK LIVES MATTER.
AND BECAUSE OF MANY OF THE
PROPROTEST, MANY PEOPLE ACROSS
THE COUNTRY ARE UNDERSTANDING
THE MEANING OF THE TERM.
THAT IS MOMENT UNLIKE ANYTHING
WE HAVE SEEN.
IT'S A MOMENT TO DO THINGS
DIFFERENTLY TO DO THEM BETTER,
AND TO DO THEM WITH A REAL
COMMITMENT TO CHANGE.
ON FRIDAY I PLEDGED OUR STATE
PATROL WILL CONDUCT A REVIEW
OF THE INVESTIGATION OF THE
DEATH OF MANNY ELLIS IN
TACOMA.
TACOMA.
TACOMA. AND IT WILL DO AN INDEPENDENT
INVESTIGATION OF ANYTHING THAT
NEEDS INVESTIGATING AFTER THIS
REVOW.
REVOW.
REVOW. IT
REVOW. IT HAS TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF
EVERY SINGLE PIECE OF EVIDENCE
THAT HAS A BEARING ON THAT
LOSS AND WILL PREPARE THE
REPORT AS SOON AS IT CAN.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT IS
FAIR, JUST AND THOROUGH
EXAMINATION.
EXAMINATION. COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND FAMILY
MEMBERS DESERVE THIS AS WE
KNOW.
KNOW.
KNOW. AND
KNOW. AND THE STATE DESERVES IT AS
WELL.
WELL.
WELL. AT
WELL. AT THAT POINT, THIS
INFORMATION WILL BE FORWARDED
TO BOB FERGUSON WHO, AS
ATTORNEY GENERAL, I WILL ASK
HIM THE APPROPRIATE MOMENT TO
CONDUCT HIS OWN DECISION TO
DETERMINE WHAT, IF ANY
PROSECUTORIAL ACTION SHOULD BE
TAKEN BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL.
AROUND THE STATE COMMUNITIES
ARE DEMANDING CHANGE AT EVERY
LEVEL OF THE GOVERNMENT.
AND LEADERS CANNOT JUST REJECT
RACIST IDEAS.
RACIST IDEAS. NOT ASKING JUST FOR A VAGUE
PROMISES.
PROMISES.
PROMISES. WE NEED ACTION AND POLICIES.
AND WE NEED THEM AS RAPIDLY AS
POSSIBLE.
POSSIBLE.
POSSIBLE. THE LAST TWO WEEKS I'VE BEEN
IN MANY DISCUSSIONS WITH
MEMBERS OF THE BLACK LIVES
MATTER MOVEMENT IN KING
COUNTY, THE LEGISLATOR'S BLACK
CAUCUS, MEMBERS OF COLOR
CAUCUS, AND FAMILY MEMBERS OF
THOSE WHO LOST LOVED ONES, AND
TACOMA COMMUNITY LEADERS.
I KNOW THAT WE HAVE TO RETHINK
POLICING AND PUBLIC SAFETY IN
WASHINGTON STATE.
WASHINGTON STATE. AND WE HAVE GOT TO MAKE SURE
THOSE DISCUSSIONS ARE NOT IN A
VACUUM.
VACUUM.
VACUUM. TO THAT END, I WILL BE
CONVENING A DIVERSE GROUP OF
BLACK LEADERS AND
REPRESENTATIVES OF OTHER
MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES AS
WELL AS REPRESENTATIVES OF LAW
ENFORCEMENT TO DEVELOP
PROPOSALS TO SUBMIT TO THE
LEGISLATURE.
LEGISLATURE. MY HOPE IS TO COLLABORATE WITH
THE GROUP TO WRITE MEANINGFUL
LEGISLATION IN OUR STATE.
NOW THERE ARE MANY IDEAS THAT
I KNOW WILL BE CONSIDERED.
BUT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THREE
THINGS THAT CERTAINLY NEED TO
BE ACTION ITEMS.
FIRST, WE NEED AN INDEPENDENT
INVESTIGATOR AND PROSECUTORIAL
PROCESS FOR CASES OF ALLEGED
POLICE MISCONDUCT.
POLICE MISCONDUCT. RESULTING IN DEATH OR SERIOUS
HARM TO CITIZENS.
THIS WOULD INVOLVE CREATION OF
A STATE INVESTIGATIVE UNIT
THAT IS TOTALLY SEPARATE FROM
ANY OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT
ENTITY GEOGRAPHICALLY IN THE
STATE.
STATE.
STATE. SECOND WORKERS NEED TO RETHINK
THE USE OF POLICE FORCE AND
LOOK MORE BROADLY AT POLICE
TACTICS.
TACTICS.
TACTICS. CLEARLY, THIS MEANS THAT THERE
HAS TO BE A RESTRICTION ON THE
USE OF CHOKE HOLDS.
THIRD WORKERS NEED TO CREATE
LEGALLY ENFORCEABLE OBLIGATION
THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS
MUST REPORT MISCONDUCT BY THE
FELLOW OFFICERS.
FELLOW OFFICERS. NOW WE KNOW THAT MUCH MORE IS
NEEDED.
NEEDED.
NEEDED. AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS
THAT THE TENOR OF THE MOMENTS
GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY, I
BELIEVE, TO TAKE ADDITIONAL
STEPS TO THE LARGER EFFORTS IN
ADDITION TO POLICE MISCONDUCT
ISSUES.
ISSUES.
ISSUES. LEAST MISCONDUCT IS THE
BIPRODUCT OF INSTITUTIONAL
RACISM, BUT FIXING THAT ALONE
WILL NOT SOLVE THE UNDERLYING
PROBLEMS THAT BEDEVIL US OF
INEQUITY OF EDUCATION AND
INEQUITY IN HEALTH CARE AND
ECONOMIC INEQUITIES THAT DEFY
IMAGINATION.
IMAGINATION. ALL OF THESE THINGS HAVE TO BE
ON THE TABLE FOR ACTION AND I
LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH
LEGISLATORS TO MAKE SURE IT
HAPPENS.
HAPPENS.
HAPPENS. WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY
RESPONSIBILITY TO LISTEN AND
HE TAKE ACTION.
AND WE ARE BRINGING PEOPLE TO
THE TABLE TO BE PROACTIVE IN
THE DISCUSSION BECAUSE WE KNOW
THE RESPONSIBILITY TO CHANGE
THINGS MULLET MITLY REST ON
THOSE WITH AUTHORITY TO TAKE
ACTION.
ACTION.
ACTION. SO WE ARE GOING TO, IN OUR
DISCUSSION WITH THIS GROUP,
THOSE TENANTS WILL BE FOREMOST
IN MIND.
IN MIND.
IN MIND. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK
PROTESTERS WHO FACED A VERY
SCARY SITUATION ON CAPITOL
HILL SUNDAY NIGHT WHEN A MAN
RAN HIS VEHICLE DOWN THE
STREET AND ENDED UP SHOOTING
AN INDIVIDUAL WHO TRIED TO
INTERVENE.
INTERVENE. INDIVIDUAL PROTESTERS TOOK
BRAVE ACTIONS TO MAKE SURE
THIS INCIDENT DIDN'T LEAD TO
EVEN MORE DANGEROUS ESCALATION
AS DID EMERGENCY RESPONDERS
MEDICALLY AND IN LAW
ENFORCEMENT.
ENFORCEMENT. SO WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO
HAVE COMMENTS ABOUT OUR COVID
EFFORTS WHICH ARE CONTINUING
OBVIOUSLY AND WITH THAT I
WANTED TO ASK JOHN WEESMAN TO
ADDRESS SOME ADVICE WE HAVE
FOR FOLKS INVOLVED IN THE
PROTEST.
PROTEST.
PROTEST. JOHN.
JOHN.
JOHN. >>
JOHN. >> GOVERNOR, ANYONE WHO
ATTENDED A LARGE GATHERING,
INCLUDING A PROTEST AND WAS
UNABLE TO MAINTAIN 6 FEET OF
DISTANCE, THE SINGLE BEST
THING PROBABLY YOU CAN DO IS
STAY HOME AND STAY AWAY FROM
OTHERS FOR 14 DAYS AFTER THAT.
AGAIN, WHEN YOU -- IF YOU ARE
GOING TO PROTEST OR RALLY,
TAKE EVERY PRECAUTION, AND IF
YOU HAVE NOT DONE THAT, REALLY
STAYING AWAY FROM OTHERS IS
THE BEST THING TO DO.
AND IF YOU DEVELOP ANY
SYMPTOMS, ANYBODY WHO DEVELOPS
SYMPTOMS TO COVID A FEVER OR
COUGH OR SHORTNESS OF BREATH,
CHILLS, HEADACHE, LOSS OF
TASTE A. NEW LOSS OF TASTE OR
SMELL, SORE THROAT, THEN
SHOULD GO AHEAD AND GET
TESTED.
TESTED.
TESTED. AND, AGAIN, THAT APPLIES TO
WHETHER OR NOT YOU'VE ABOUT TO
PROTESTS OR NOT IN TERMS OF
GETTING TESTED.
GETTING TESTED. WE HAVE PLENTY OF TESTING
SUPPLIES FOR THIS.
WE GOT ACCESS FOR FOLKS TO DO
THAT, AND WE ARE ENCOURAGING
THAT.
THAT.
THAT. NOW, IF SOMEBODY DOESN'T HAVE
SYMPTOMS AND THEY REALLY WANT
TO GO AHEAD AND GET A TEST,
YOU SHOULD FOAL FREE TO DO
THAT JUST LIKE I SAID LAST
WEEK.
WEEK.
WEEK. FOAL FREE TO GET A TEST IF
THAT'S WHAT YOU FEEL LIKE YOU
NEED TO DO.
AND IF YOU DO THAT, THE THING
THAT I ALSO WANT TO CAUTION
AGAINST IS THAT IF YOU GET A
NEGATIVE TEST, THAT DOESN'T
MEAN THAT YOU HAVE NOT
NECESSARILY BECOME INFECTED.
BECAUSE IT CAN TAKE UP TO 14
DAYS TO DEVELOP SYMPTOMS AND
CERTAINLY TO TEST POSITIVE.
SO, EVEN IF YOU TEST NEGATIVE,
AND YOU ARE IN THAT WINDOW
PERIOD, THE SINGLE BEST ADVICE
IS TO STAY HOME AND STAY AWAY
FROM OTHERS.
FROM OTHERS. SO, I THINK THAT'S REALLY THE
MAIN MESSAGE GOVERNOR FROM A
PUBLIC HEALTH PERSPECTIVE ON
ANYBODY WHO MIGHT HAVE
ATTENDED THE PROTESTS.
>> YEAH, AND IF I CAN, JOHN, I
AM GOING TO ADD ONE THING T.
TOO, IS PEOPLE IF YOU GETTING
A TEST, SO IF YOU GOT ENOUGH
CONCERN THAT YOU ARE GETTING A
TEST, IF YOU HAVE SYMPTOMS,
ISOLATE EVEN WHILE YOU ARE
WAITING FOR THE TEST RESULTS.
BECAUSE EVEN IF YOU ARE
ASYMPTOMATIC, YOU COULD BE A
TRANSMITTER AND EARLY IN THE
DISEASE, YOU CAN AND
TRANSMITTER.
TRANSMITTER. EVEN EARLY AND BEFORE YOU GOT
TEST RESULTS WHILE WAITING, IT
MAKES SENSE TO ISOLATE.
WOULD YOU AGREE