When a Sequim woman criticized a public records seminar as “divisive,” she missed the point entirely. The event wasn’t about politics—it was about the constitutional right to transparency. Citizens left empowered, not enraged. So why is teaching people how to access public records suddenly controversial?
On July 17, the Sequim Elks Lodge hosted a public seminar designed to equip Clallam County residents with the tools to access and understand government records—how their money is being spent, whether local agencies are operating efficiently, and how to ask questions rooted in facts, not politics. The event was organized and held by the Republican Women of Clallam County, who deserve to be thanked for providing such a valuable and constructive resource to the public.
But not everyone saw it that way.
In a recent letter to the editor published by the Sequim Gazette, local resident Donna MacLean criticized the event, associating it with “outrage” and “division” and suggesting that educating citizens about public records somehow promotes “neighbor against neighbor.” Her letter focused not on what was taught, but on who hosted it, who presented it, and the national narratives she believes are tied to it.
DOGE Washington (Department of Government Efficiency) training is not part of any federal program or agency. In Washington State, DOGE is a citizen-led effort aimed at helping residents understand and legally access public records. It is a constitutional right under both the First Amendment—which protects freedom of speech and assembly—and Article I, Section 5 of the Washington State Constitution, which guarantees that “the right of the people to petition the government shall never be abridged.”
That includes Donna MacLean’s right to write a letter, speak her mind, and peacefully protest. In fact, back in 2017, she exercised that very right during a women’s rights rally in downtown Sequim. We supported her right to protest then—and we support it now.
But those rights work both ways. The citizens who attended the DOGE seminar did so peacefully. They asked questions. They took notes. They left the meeting more engaged and better prepared to advocate for transparency and accountability in their local government. The room included people from all political stripes—including members of the League of Women Voters. It wasn’t about division. It was about participation.
It’s worth addressing another claim MacLean made: that the Sequim Elks Club “rents to anyone.” That’s exactly the point. The Elks Lodge is a community resource, and it would be illegal for them to discriminate based on the viewpoint of the renters. Whether the event had been hosted by a Republican club, a Democratic organization, or a nonpartisan group—it’s the Elks’ mission to welcome all. That’s called equal access, and it’s protected by both state and federal law.
The suggestion that providing public records training is somehow sinister or dangerous reveals more about the biases of the critic than it does about the event. Transparency is not a partisan issue—it’s a civic virtue. And the willingness of people like Donna MacLean to pre-judge an event without attending it only fuels the very division she claims to oppose.
If she had joined the event with an open mind, she might have discovered neighbors—just like her—who care deeply about their community. She might have seen that questions about government spending, process, and accountability aren’t acts of aggression. They’re acts of citizenship.
At the end of the day, the DOGE seminar wasn’t about Glen Morgan, Republicans, or any political agenda. It was about tools. Rights. Participation. Sunshine.
And when sunshine becomes controversial, maybe the question isn’t why citizens are asking questions—but why some people want them to stop.
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