Losing candidate claims sheriff’s office rewarded reporter for election “hit pieces”

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – A former candidate for Lewis County sheriff is contending a back room deal between the sheriff’s office and a local news reporter where assistance in obtaining a new job was given in exchange for news coverage that reflected badly upon him during his run for public office.

Brian Green claims the county concealed public records that showed evidence of a political pay off to Stephanie Schendel.

Schendel was a crime reporter at The Chronicle during the 2014 campaign. She was subsequently hired as a police officer by the city of Bellevue, with help from a formal recommendation from the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office, according to Green.

Green, an Onalaska resident who ran as an Independent, received less than 23 percent of the vote in the November 2014 election. Former Deputy Sgt. Rob Snaza got 77 percent and replaced outgoing Sheriff Steve Mansfield.

Green’s allegations come in a lawsuit he filed alleging a violation of the state public records act by Lewis County.

Eric Eisenberg, one of two Lewis County attorneys who submitted the response to the lawsuit, says there was no deal to get Schendel to write anything about Green.

“No, of course not,” Eisenberg said. “The county doesn’t do business that way.”

It was an honest mistake in which the sheriff’s office didn’t realize until Green sued, that he wanted other records beyond just the copy of the job recommendation, he said.

The suit was filed Nov. 17 in Thurston County Superior Court. The details of Green’s suspicions of a “politically motivated quid pro quo” are presented in a motion he filed earlier this month, in which he asks a judge to find in his favor, claiming there are now no disputed material facts.

Green writes in his court documents that after Schendel “orchestrated a series of prejudicial media hit pieces” that were “instrumental in ensuring” his campaign would be unsuccessful, he was surprised to learn she obtained a job as a police officer.

So he set out to determine if her career change from a small town newspaper reporter to a big city law enforcement officer was related, he wrote.

According to the allegations which Eisenberg does not dispute, Green made a records request on November 19, 2014 asking the sheriff’s office for any and all official correspondence endorsing, advocating, commending, recommending or otherwise recognizing Schendel.

And on the same day, Chief Deputy Stacy Brown responded, asking for clarification, Green replied back and Brown partially fulfilled the request by sending Green a copy of a letter of recommendation she had written for Schendel.

Green subsequently discovered in records he obtained from the city of Bellevue there were documents Brown had failed to produce, in the form of email correspondence between the two agencies as well as a questionnaire seeking Brown’s input for the police department’s background investigation in early August 2014.

In Lewis County’s answer to the lawsuit, a declaration from Brown states it never occurred to her the questionnaire might be a document falling within the phrasing Green used in making his request, and she hadn’t even recalled it existed.

Brown indicated to the Bellevue investigator she believed Schendel would make an excellent police officer and an outstanding addition to the Bellevue Police Department.

She noted that no one else from the media in the previous 18 years had been able to build such a positive relationship with the sheriff’s office as Schendel.

Brown wrote about how hard Schendel worked to prepare herself physically and mentally to become a police officer, having talked about wanting to be a police officer for over a year.

Green contends the materials Brown withheld are the smoking gun evidence of a payoff to Schendel.

He is asking the court to award him costs, attorney fees and penalties.

Eisenberg acknowledges Lewis County violated the public records act, but says the non-compliance was a good-faith mistake. And, as soon as the county learned there were other records he had wanted, it provided them to Green, he said.

He acknowledges Green is entitled to an award in the amount of costs he incurred, for his $240 court filing fee.

The next question is the penalty, according to Eisenberg, which the county is arguing against having to pay.

The public records act provides for, at the discretion of the court, an award to the requestor of up to $100 per day for each day a record was withheld.

A hearing is scheduled in April for each side to present evidence on its view of the case.

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23 Responses to “Losing candidate claims sheriff’s office rewarded reporter for election “hit pieces””

  1. A. Lurker says:

    King Gringo says:

    So do you have someplace in mind to move, Lurker, if the cops here are too oppressive for you? Perhaps Seattle? They’ll let you do anything there (with free RV parking/dumping!) and those black helicopters aren’t nearly so loud because they have to hover above taller buildings.

    Haven’t seen any black helicopters. I saw a hummingbird drone once though. Months later I saw it again on TV. The FBI made a statement that the bird drone had never been used on US soil. That would mean that one of us is lying. You just believe whoever you want.

  2. Sleepless in Sintralia says:

    Yes your right about the police state. When George Bush blew up building 7 and lauched a missle into the Pentagon and signed the Patriot Act. It’s all turning into one big gang of police criminals acting out on the people.

  3. King Gringo says:

    So do you have someplace in mind to move, Lurker, if the cops here are too oppressive for you? Perhaps Seattle? They’ll let you do anything there (with free RV parking/dumping!) and those black helicopters aren’t nearly so loud because they have to hover above taller buildings.

  4. A Lurker says:

    Soaper says: In short, he was aiming to try and slow down the rate that we are becoming a police state.

    I hope you open your eyes because we are already there.

  5. A Lurker says:

    “No, of course not,” Eisenberg said. “The county doesn’t do business that way.”
    Just how many of you folks believe this crock of shit? Unfortunately the dirtbag that got elected, has too many rednecks supporting him to get impeached. That fact alone, should make you all proud to live in Lewis county.

  6. Jeff says:

    I feel sorry for Bo. That campaign meant everything to him. Has anyone actually sat down and tried to have a conversation with him? He is not so bad, just very passionate and intelligent. He isn’t crazy, his social skills are just extremely lacking.

  7. Bhurt says:

    So…does Green actually work somewhere? Does he have a job? I wonder how he can afford paying his bills and still have time to be so angry. I guess that is what you do when you run a campaign and lose, by a landslide. I remember those videos of his. His loss was due to being certified crazy and not anything mischievous. Plus, can anyone imagine BoBo as an UnderSheriff? haha. Get real.

    Can you go up to Pierce County again? lol

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gofYZVLmkw4

  8. BobbyinLC says:

    Free Air and Sharyn,
    I agree with both of you. Transparency is an important factor in our government and access to public records is a big part of that.

    There are also cases where inmates request public records just to try and get the fines for late responses and that is how some people supplement their income.

    Overall I believe that Stacy Brown did make an honest mistake in not releasing the documents since the documents do exist and are not covered up.

    I do not remember any “hit pieces” against Brian either but there were articles that did quote him.

    To think there was a great conspiracy one would also have to include the Bellevue PD.

    Anyone who knows/knew Stephanie realizes her goal of becoming a police officer was something that was always there and not a “sudden” decision.

  9. Free Air says:

    adminsharyn says:
    Friday, January 29, 2016 at 12:31 pm
    Free Air, asking a judge to require an agency to turn over public documents is not frivolous … it is part of a state law that protects and promotes government transparency …–News reporter, Sharyn Decker

    I stand corrected, and full agree such transparency is indeed part of the checks and balances that should keep governing bodies on the straight and narrow.

    From this chair, it just seems like some requests are more rooted in harassment than a sincere search for truth.

    In a perfect world, all government decisions and records would be instantly searchable and retrievable on a central clearing house from anyone, anytime. Until then, it takes time and money to do all the research asked for regardless of the root purpose of the request.

  10. adminsharyn says:

    Free Air, asking a judge to require an agency to turn over public documents is not frivolous … it is part of a state law that protects and promotes government transparency …–News reporter, Sharyn Decker

  11. Free Air says:

    John says:
    Friday, January 29, 2016 at 10:30 am
    Don’t some of you people get tired of government agencies covering for each other and when they get caught using “good faith mistakes” as an excuse?

    I guess I’m more tired of professional victims filing frivolous lawsuits that end up costing taxpayers money due to all the time spent in researching for defense that would have otherwise gone into filling potholes or improving other public services.

    I would however not mind seeing this “hit piece” that was written republished in full. I just don’t recall any such article so well written as to make Green go from a qualified candidate to unelectable.

  12. John says:

    Don’t some of you people get tired of government agencies covering for each other and when they get caught using “good faith mistakes” as an excuse? Do you believe Hillary Clinton made a good faith mistake (thousands of times) as she was running a shadow government? There really are bad people running things at all levels. Even at the very local level. This is where things begin. Corruption doesn’t just start in Washington D.C. These are the people who decide what your property taxes (rent) on your homes are. Don’t forget it.

    These people stay in power by lying and covering up for each other. People in government know of incompetent coworkers and permit it all the time to a certain amount to permit their own existence. When someone exposes them they are usually labeled nutballs, extremist and having an ax to grind against the system. The truth they expose is almost always lost. When fraud and incompetent workers are exposed people just don’t care. They go back to surfing porn and facebook and being the zombie most people have become today.

    I guarantee you that right now there is no much fraud in the school system alone it would make your head spin. These people need each other to survive. Many would not be able to get jobs in the free market and they make us lowly subjects believe we are lucky we have them.

    I don’t know for sure if this woman got her job for writing hit pieces on Green to make him look bad. I don’t read that particular paper. But it smells bad and I don’t just write it off as a guy calling foul for nothing when they failed to give up documents they knew they had. They did this for a reason. I would be interested to see any other electronic communications/phone records from the interested parties, not just related to employment. I wouldn’t doubt if certain people have burner phones as well. This doesn’t just happen on spy shows ya know.

  13. King Gringo says:

    I voted for Snaza in no small part because Green seemed a little, uhh, “off” but that was based on things he actually said. I don’t recall any articles about him being hit pieces and I can usually spot those.

    However, I find it curious that someone can go directly from being a reporter at a smalltown newspaper to a cop at the Bellevue PD. I grew up in Bellevue and that’s one department that typically didn’t hire people off the street to be cops. In fact, we used to joke that Renton cops were guys who weren’t good enough to get on in Bellevue. And how can the LCSO recommend someone who’d never worked a day in her life as a cop to BPD? As a PIO, maybe, but for working a beat?

    Green may be an oddball, but this does raise an eyebrow. Ingratiating yourself to cops doesn’t mean you’re qualified to be one yourself any more than being pals with Lebron James means you’re qualified to play in the NBA.

  14. red tape says:

    Smoke them dirty rats out.

  15. Soaper says:

    Although Green probably didn’t have that great of a chance in an area like this winning against a guy who has been a cop for many years. I don’t doubt for a second that something foul went on behind the scenes. Hell, they even admitted it did, but used the old “honest mistake” excuse that there seems to be a never ending supply of (for them) and thats that. Unfortunately their victims are all but powerless to do anything about it.

    Whether they all could’ve been implemented or not I think Green had some good ideas regarding changes that should be made to the department. In short, he was aiming to try and slow down the rate that we are becoming a police state. Someday there will be a lot of people that will come to regret what they have allowed to happen by way of their voting. Or at least the 75 that can still legally vote will.

  16. Free Air says:

    I sincerely hope Brian & Co. are just trying to make a few bucks off of the county’s mistake, and don’t truly believe he was a qualified candidate in any way, shape or form to be a Sheriff.
    The former has a financial reason, the latter is delusional.

  17. SW says:

    uh-may-zing…Green’s really a piece of work

  18. CrazyOldMan says:

    I have met Stacy Brown and was very impressed with her professionalism, honesty, and caring nature. I’m sure there was no quid pro quo in her recommendation. I hope Stacy runs for sheriff someday. I have been critical in the past of how Rob Snaza was set up by Mansfield to succeed him. I feel a bit guilty about that as I just met Sheriff Snaza on the job investigating the death of an acquaintance. He is genuinely a very personable guy. I had this image of him as an old school cop. In person he is just a really likeable guy. Very nice person to have a conversation with in difficult circumstances. I doubt there is anything to this but a sore loser.

  19. brian is stupid says:

    how stupid can you be. this loser had no chance in hell of ever being the sheriff of lewis county. i really thought that after the drubbing he got he would crawl back under a rock somewhere and we would never hear from him again. him and bobo the clown must still be plotting together. what a joke…

  20. Jeff says:

    Interesting Glad to see Brian Green and Bo Rupert finally getting some justice. They are deserving of it. After all the trouble, ridicule, and torment they have been put through! I feel the worst for Bo, he got blamed for a lot. I hope they take the county for everything that it’s worth.

  21. hoss says:

    It’s not a crime whenever lewis county does it. It’s a good faith mistake. They sure do have alot of good faith these days.

  22. Astonished says:

    Green is still hurting over the drubbing he got in the election? Although it appears that there was an error made and restitution has been or will be made. But seriously.. Green lost by what 54%? If the reporter could swing THAT big of percent wouldn’t she be aiming for a national media outlet? She could make real bank writing articles to swing voters thinking. Seriously Brian, you lost because your crazy, some of the things you said during the campaign are just not even connected to reality. I look forward to your NEXT campaign, what office you going for next?

  23. To Be Orr Not To Be says:

    Gee, when using snitches and ciminals to build cases, the prosecutors NEVER make mistakes. But, when they get caught breaking the law, as they tend to do a lot in Lewis County, they claim it was just an ‘innocent boo boo’.

    Crime shouldn’t pay and the fines should be enough to make the Lewis County courts and Sheriff’s office think twice before committing more crimes in the future.