Brian Heywood and Let’s Go Washington have a habit of stretching the truth and sharing misleading narratives. While the lies no longer surprise us, it’s still important for objective reporters to ensure voters have the facts. Here’s a count down:
4. Brian Heywood falsely claimed to a reporter he’s not a Trump donor.
The fact is Brian Heywood and his wife donated $250,000 to the Trump Inaugural Committee, making him possibly one of the biggest individual donors to Donald Trump from Washington state. He even attended Trump’s 2025 inauguration, according to the New York Times.
3. Let’s Go Washington fails to tell reporters about payments to a teen’s family.
The campaign repeatedly fails to reveal to reporters that the teen they offer to reporters on I-638, Frances Staudt, is the daughter of Amiee Staudt who has been paid more than $26,000 so far during this campaign.
2. Heywood is trying to convince public workers that if they don’t vote yes on I-645 to repeal the Millionaires Tax, it will apply to their union pensions.
But the Seattle Times fact checked this claim, and found “The tax, due to take effect in 2028, only applies to household income of more than $1 million a year. No one in the state pension system receives even half that.”
And the number one lie from Heywood/Let’s Go Washington:
1. Let’s Go Washington falsely implied support from the American Academy of Pediatrics in their voter guide statement for I-638, completely misrepresenting the associations’ guidelines.
“What Let’s Go Washington has done is use vague language that is a lie,” Dr. Eloi Hoopman told the Seattle Times. Conservative Blogger Benjamin Ryan revealed that the Washington Chapter of the AAP asked Let’s Go Washington to remove their name saying “the statement does not accurately portray AAP guidance regarding pre-sports participation exams.” Heywood refused, choosing instead to keep the lie.
Perhaps in part from disgust with this gamemanship, the Washington Academy of Family Physicians (WAFP), the largest medical specialty organization in Washington state, took the step of formally opposing IL26-638 and IL26-001.
