Sun, Nov 2, 2025

To: Our thousands of supporters throughout the state
(cc’d to the media, house & senate members, and Governor, and other candidates for office)

From: Tim Eyman
Fighting for taxpayers for 28 years

Secretary of State Steve Hobbs is a Democrat politician which means he is opposed to the people’s constitutional right to initiative and referendum.

My lawsuit was spurred by the latest example of him sabotaging it.

BACKGROUND

During this year’s legislative session, the Democrats gutted the Parents Rights Initiative with House Bill 1296.

We all did everything we could to stop them:

But they ultimately passed it.

As you know, I was there for the bill signing:

Well, the next day I filed a referendum on HB 1296. 

What is a referendum?

Our state Constitution guarantees  the people the right to challenge any law passed by the Legislature. Citizens are given 90 days to collect signatures and if enough are collected, the voters in November get to vote on it (a referendum ballot question reads “The Legislature passed (description of bill), do you vote to “affirm” it or “reject” it”? 

A referendum provides the voters with the opportunity to “voter veto” any bill passed by the Legislature. 

But with House Bill 1296, the Democrats said that taking away parents rights was an “emergency” and slapped an emergency clause on it.

In our state’s 110+ year history with referendums, sometimes the courts have ruled an emergency clause on a bill was INVALID (not a real emergency) and sometimes the courts have ruled it was VALID.

It’s not a slam dunk either way.

The important thing is this: such a legal determination is a judicial question meaning it is for the courts to decide.

But with my referendum, Secretary of State Steve Hobbs — a member of the executive branch — decided HB 1296’s emergency clause was valid, thereby blocking my referendum, robbing the people of their 90 days to collect signatures.

He’s not allowed to do that. 

Steve Hobbs took his oath of office on November 22, 2021  at which he solemnly swore to uphold the Constitution, abide by Washington’s  laws, and “faithfully discharge the duties of Secretary of State.”

Here he didn’t.

Even though there’s a law requiring him to process my referendum, he didn’t. And by violating that law, Steve Hobbs has made himself subject to being recalled as Secretary of State.

Here’s the current draft of my Opening Brief — please read it — you have from now until Monday at 2pm to provide me w/ your suggestions / thoughts (click on the image below to pull it up):

If that doesn’t work, click here to read it.

I’ve never done a Recall so your advice is especially needed and appreciated.

This lawsuit — if successful — will ensure that this Secretary of State and future Secretaries of State will follow the law and process referendums (even ones they oppose) and not usurp the role of the judiciary.   

As always, I welcome your feedback.

I’m super grateful to my attorney Richard Sanders and the Pacific Legal Foundation for their ongoing efforts to overturn the AG’s ridiculously unconstitutional ruling:

Please help me continue to fight back against Bob Ferguson and this gross injustice and abuse of power by donating to my legal defense fund TODAY.

Mail your check to: 

Tim Eyman Legal Defense Fund
17404 Meridian Ave E #F PMB 176
Puyallup, WA, 98375

Or donate online:

By GiveSendGo (credit/debit card)
By Paypal (donate using PayPal or using a credit/debit card)

I love you all.

Onward!

Tim 

You can call or text me anytime: 509-991-5295

You can email me anytime: Tim@TimDefense.com

For more details, go to: TimDefense.com