Rob Anderson shares the latest on ‘the story that keeps on going’
Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are those of the author alone and may not reflect the editorial position of ClarkCountyToday.com
One year ago this week, Clark County watched as the C-TRAN Board prepared to vote on a proposal that would have effectively killed light rail in Clark County, a move that would no doubt save taxpayers millions, maybe billions. Instead, the vote was abruptly halted by a motion to table from Sue Marshall, and the outcome reversed when Councilor Michelle Belkot — who was expected to cast the deciding vote — was removed from her appointed place on the C-TRAN Board within 24 hours.
As you probably know, with great reporting by Clark County Today, what followed were lawsuits, a criminal investigation, the Skamania Report, and months of stonewalling by county officials. But one of the most significant pieces of evidence has remained hidden until now.
In this week’s Reformcast Episode 9, I began revealing what was happening behind the scenes. One detail is a text message, never released to the public before now, sent by Council Chair Sue Marshall to Councilor Matt Little at 11:11 p.m. on March 11, 2025 — just hours after the C-TRAN meeting where Marshall had already moved to table the vote, effectively saving light rail.
That night, with the next day’s council meeting looming, Marshall texted Little: “Can we check in before council time? Thanks.”
That single text is explosive because Marshall, the following month, signed a sworn affidavit under penalty of perjury declaring she had turned over every text message from her personal devices pertaining to the March 12 meeting. She didn’t. This message was withheld.
The only reason it surfaced is because Matt Little produced it nearly five months later — after I informed the county’s attorney, Paul Lawerence from Pacifica Law Group, that I had reason to believe councilors were withholding communications from their personal devices. Even after being warned that missing records would be a serious problem, Marshall never produced the message herself, but Matt Little did.
This is not a minor oversight. Signing under oath that all records were produced while withholding a communication tied to a major government decision raises serious questions. Combined with additional emails sent the following morning and the rapid, apparently pre-prepared motion to remove Belkot, the evidence suggests the decision was coordinated outside a public meeting in violation of the Open Public Meetings Act.
Now, nearly a year later, the council is still haunted by that decision, for they are currently considering rewriting county rules to give itself removal powers the charter never granted in the first place — while the Skamania Report and its findings remain unresolved.
The full story — including the withheld text, the sworn declarations that conflict with the evidence, and the public records documenting it — is detailed in Reformcast Episode 9.
Next week, I’ll be laying out more evidence that indicates Sue Marshall isn’t the only councilor who may have committed perjury … it’s the story that keeps on going.
For more details, watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/OjZTCXWLjzs
Rob Anderson
Clark County
Also read:
- Letter: ‘One year later, a withheld text message points to perjury’
Clark County resident Rob Anderson argues a previously undisclosed text message tied to a C-TRAN board dispute raises questions about sworn statements and public meeting rules. - Opinion: It’s not just the increased taxes that are driving businesses away
Mark Harmsworth of the Washington Policy Center argues taxes, workforce challenges and economic uncertainty are driving businesses to relocate outside Washington. - Opinion: There is no such thing as a ‘free’ lunch, and an income tax isn’t more palatable because it offers one
Elizabeth New of the Washington Policy Center argues the proposed Washington income tax and universal school meals policy reflect a broader state spending problem - Opinion: Democrat Party penalizes marriage in Washington
Lars Larson argues that Washington’s newly passed income tax unfairly targets married couples by creating what he describes as a financial penalty for filing jointly. - Opinion: Gov. Ferguson has abandoned his own tax relief demands
Ryan Frost of the Washington Policy Center argues that Gov. Bob Ferguson’s support for the state’s proposed income tax contradicts his earlier demands for broader taxpayer relief.
