Hacks & Wonks

Crystal gives a quick update on the Hacks & Wonks schedule. Follow us on Bluesky at @HacksAndWonks. Find the host, Crystal Fincher, on Bluesky at @finchfrii.

Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown has focused on protecting state residents, filing 49 lawsuits against federal actions and prioritizing consumer protection and workers' rights during his first year in office. Join us for an inside look at the often unseen work of the Attorney General's Office.   As always, a full text transcript of the show is available at officialhacksandwonks.com.   Follow us on Bluesky at @HacksAndWonks. Find the host, Crystal Fincher, on Bluesky at @finchfrii and find Attorney General Nick Brown on Bluesky at @atg.wa.gov.

On this week-in-review, Crystal Fincher and Robert Cruickshank discuss: 😡 WA still providing driver data to federal immigration agents 🌱 New Seattle electeds inaugurated 🤨 SPOG misleads on drug policy 🥳 Mike Solan out as SPOG president 🪓 Bob Ferguson proposes an income tax – and huge austerity 💸 Inslee criticizes Ferguson's raid on climate funding   As always, a full text transcript of the show is available at officialhacksandwonks.com. Follow us on Bluesky at @HacksAndWonks. Find the host, Crystal Fincher, on Bluesky at @finchfrii and find today's co-host, Robert Cruickshank, on Bluesky at @robertcruickshank.com.

As Washington state braces for devastating federal budget cuts, State Representative Shaun Scott is leading a progressive revenue effort he says could protect critical services from austerity measures contained in the Trump administration's proposed budget. As always, a full text transcript of the show is available at officialhacksandwonks.com. Follow us on Bluesky at @HacksAndWonks. Find the host, Crystal Fincher, on Bluesky at @finchfrii and find Representative Shaun Scott at @organizewithshaun.  

Washington State Representative Chipalo Street is entering the upcoming 2026 legislative session with an ambitious agenda that includes fixing structural problems in juvenile rehabilitation, reforming the state's regressive tax system, and protecting residents from federal overreach.  As always, a full text transcript of the show is available at officialhacksandwonks.com. Follow us on Bluesky at @HacksAndWonks. Find the host, Crystal Fincher, on Bluesky at @finchfrii and find Representative Chipalo Street at housedemocrats.wa.gov/street/.

The Transit Riders Union faces a transformation as its longtime leader prepares to become Seattle's mayor. For over a decade, the grassroots organization has built power for working people across King County. With Katie Wilson headed to City Hall, TRU is navigating a leadership transition while positioning itself to push an ambitious agenda. Wes Mills, TRU's new General Secretary, discussed how the organization is adapting and what comes next. As always, a full text transcript of the show is available at officialhacksandwonks.com. Follow us on Bluesky at @HacksAndWonks. Find the host, Crystal Fincher, on Bluesky at @finchfrii, find Wes Mills on Bluesky at @oowm.org, and Transit Riders Union at transitriders.org/.

On this week-in-review, Crystal Fincher and Shauna Sowersby discuss: 🌊 Historic flooding across WA 🛡️ Protecting workers from immigration raids ⚔️ Legislature's public records fight continues 📉 County plans for Trump homelessness changes 💸 New SPOG contract = bad deal for Seattle   As always, a full text transcript of the show is available at officialhacksandwonks.com. Follow us on Bluesky at @HacksAndWonks. Find the host, Crystal Fincher, on Bluesky at @finchfrii and find today's co-host, Shauna Sowersby at @ssowersby.

Seattle's creative economy drives 18% of city GDP but artists can't afford to live here. Randy Engstrom, co-leading Mayor-Elect Wilson's arts transition team, argues culture must be central to solving housing, education, and economic challenges - not treated as expendable when budgets get tight. As always, a full text transcript of the show is available at officialhacksandwonks.com. Follow us on Bluesky at @HacksAndWonks. Find the host, Crystal Fincher, on Bluesky at @finchfrii and find Randy Engstrom on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/randyengstrom/.  

On this week-in-review, Crystal Fincher and David Kroman discuss: ✂️ Ferguson budget relies on cuts 🧑‍⚖️ Trump sues WA 🏢 Affordable housing bailout 🔮 Significance of Wilson hires ✋ Eddie Lin sworn into Council 🚈 Light rail arrives in South King Co!   As always, a full text transcript of the show is available at officialhacksandwonks.com. Follow us on Bluesky at @HacksAndWonks. Find the host, Crystal Fincher, on Bluesky at @finchfrii and find today's co-host, David Kroman at @kromandavid.

Senator Rebecca Saldaña is preparing for her 10th year representing South Seattle's 37th Legislative District with plans to address healthcare access, immigration protections, and Washington's budget shortfall. In a recent interview on the Hacks & Wonks podcast, Saldaña outlined her priorities for the January legislative session. She said her work remains grounded in the experiences of immigrant and refugee families, working people, LGBTQ residents, and those fighting displacement in her district. As always, a full text transcript of the show is available at officialhacksandwonks.com. Follow us on Bluesky at @HacksAndWonks. Find the host, Crystal Fincher, on Bluesky at @finchfrii and find Senator Rebecca Saldaña at @rebeccasaldana1.  

On this week-in-review, Crystal Fincher and Erica Barnett discuss: ▶️ Mayor-elect Katie Wilson's transition ▶️ KC Exec Zahilay's staff review ▶️ Council hands a budget of Harrell's priorities to Wilson ▶️ Pipeline spill raises safety concerns ▶️ Is ICE using local surveillance in WA?   As always, a full text transcript of the show is available at officialhacksandwonks.com. Follow us on Bluesky at @HacksAndWonks. Find the host, Crystal Fincher, on Bluesky at @finchfrii and find today's co-host, Erica Barnett, on Bluesky at @ericacbarnett and on PubliCola.com.

Washington state's 2025 elections saw progressives win across multiple cities and legislative districts, with people-powered campaigns and bold ideas beating out establishment moderates. Listen in to the Hacks & Wonks 2025 Post-Election Roundtable from Tuesday, November 11, 2025, as the strategists who saw it coming explain what pundits missed!   Panelists: Stephen Paolini, Principal at Bottled Lightning Collective Lexi Koren, Communications Consultant with PowerHouse Strategic Crystal Fincher, Executive Director of KVRU and Hacks & Wonks Host   As always, a full text transcript of the show is available at officialhacksandwonks.com. You can follow Hacks & Wonks on Bluesky at @HacksAndWonks. Find the host, Crystal Fincher, on Bluesky at @finchfrii and find today's special guests, Stephen Paolini at ‪@stephenpaolini, and Lexi Koren at @lexikoren.

On this week-in-review, Crystal Fincher and Robert Cruickshank discuss: 🤩 Katie Wilson elected mayor! 🌊 Progressive wave across region and state 👀 What to watch out for next 🏫 Role of Stranger school board endorsements ⚔️ Looking forward to legislative session   As always, a full text transcript of the show is available at officialhacksandwonks.com. Follow us on Bluesky at @HacksAndWonks. Find the host, Crystal Fincher, on Bluesky at @finchfrii and find today's co-host, Robert Cruickshank, on Bluesky at @robertcruickshank.com.

On this week-in-review, Crystal Fincher and Robert Cruickshank discuss: ⚾ Mariners! 💸 Seattle wastes homelessness money ⛔ SPOG undermining popular CARE team 🚫 Seattle School Board rejects cop at Garfield 🗳️ Use dropboxes to vote!   As always, a full text transcript of the show is available at officialhacksandwonks.com. Follow us on Bluesky at @HacksAndWonks. Find the host, Crystal Fincher, on Bluesky at @finchfrii and find today's co-host, Robert Cruickshank, on Bluesky at @robertcruickshank.com.

On this week-in-review, Crystal Fincher and Melissa Santos discuss: WA/CA/OR vaccine alliance Cell phones in schools Firefighter immigration raid = inside job Harrell pushes light rail extensions despite shortfall Autonomous vehicles pilot starts   As always, a full text transcript of the show is available at officialhacksandwonks.com. Follow us on Bluesky at @HacksAndWonks. Find the host, Crystal Fincher, on Bluesky at @finchfrii and find today's co-host, Melissa Santos at @melissajsantos.

Amy Sundberg, public safety reporter for The Urbanist and publisher of Notes from the Emerald City, joins Hacks & Wonks to discuss how Seattle's City Council is poised to expand the city's surveillance pilot program before collecting any evaluation data on its effectiveness, raising concerns among privacy advocates about potential federal access to the data amid heightened immigration enforcement. The expansion, scheduled for a final council vote on September 9 at 2:30 p.m., would install new cameras in three areas and tap into Seattle Department of Transportation's existing network of traffic management cameras, adding more than 365 cameras total to the Seattle Police Department's Real-Time Crime Center.   As always, a full text transcript of the show is available at officialhacksandwonks.com. Follow us on Bluesky at @HacksAndWonks. Find the host, Crystal Fincher, on Bluesky at @finchfrii and find Amy Sundberg at @amysundberg.

On this week-in-review, Crystal Fincher and Robert Cruickshank discuss: 🧊 Spokane blocks warrantless ICE action 🥡 $15m Uber Eats settlement 🛒 UFCW 3000 backs Wilson 🚲 Biker hit where safety upgrades were cancelled 🏫 School board updates 🪧 Protests against Microsoft use by IDF   As always, a full text transcript of the show is available at officialhacksandwonks.com. Follow us on Bluesky at @HacksAndWonks. Find the host, Crystal Fincher, on Bluesky at @finchfrii and find today's co-host, Robert Cruickshank, on Bluesky at @robertcruickshank.com.

Hacks & Wonks hosted a 2025 Post-Primary Roundtable on Tuesday, August 12, 2025 to dig into the 2025 primary results - what they mean, how they happened, and what's next - with the people who actually do the work of winning (and sometimes losing) campaigns in Seattle and King County. Listen to the roundtable as a podcast or watch the recorded livestream on YouTube! By bringing together a panel of seasoned local political consultants who've been in the field, in the strategy rooms, and on the phones - not just pundits looking at numbers from a distance - they cut through the noise and spin to give insights not found in typical news coverage. Panelists: Riall Johnson, Principal Partner at Prism West Stephen Paolini, Principal at Bottled Lightning Collective Lexi Koren, Communications Consultant with PowerHouse Strategic Crystal Fincher, Political Consultant with Fincher Consulting and Hacks & Wonks Host   As always, a full text transcript of the show is available below and at officialhacksandwonks.com. You can follow Hacks & Wonks on Bluesky at @HacksAndWonks. Find the host, Crystal Fincher, on Bluesky at @finchfrii and find today's special guests, Riall Johnson at @rialljohnson, Stephen Paolini at ‪@stephenpaolini, and Lexi Koren at @lexikoren.

On this week-in-review, Crystal Fincher and Erica Barnett discuss: ⛪ Christian nationalist rally moves to new park 🤑 Police execs take bonus meant for officers 🛡️ Trump admin targets sanctuary cities – 📮 -- and vote-by-mail 🕵️ Tacoma ICE facility must open for inspections   As always, a full text transcript of the show is available at officialhacksandwonks.com. Follow us on Bluesky at @HacksAndWonks. Find the host, Crystal Fincher, on Bluesky at @finchfrii and find today's co-host, Erica Barnett, on Bluesky at @ericacbarnett and on PubliCola.com.

On this week-in-review, Crystal Fincher and David Kroman discuss: 💰 Seattle B&O tax overhaul proposal 📉 Seattle budget forecast 👁️ Seattle surveillance expansion ⚖️ Tacoma minimum wage initiative sues city ⚔️ MGP challenger in CD3 🗳️ Election results update   As always, a full text transcript of the show is available at officialhacksandwonks.com. Follow us on Bluesky at @HacksAndWonks. Find the host, Crystal Fincher, on Bluesky at @finchfrii and find today's co-host, David Kroman at @kromandavid.