In the News
-
NYT: A Financier’s Twist on Buying Influence: Bankrolling Ballot Measures
“Some people collect coins. Some run marathons. A few spend tens of millions of dollars to influence politicians or political parties.
Brian Heywood, a hedge fund founder in the Seattle suburbs, is using his fortune to take his causes straight to the voters of his adopted state, and to try to make a very blue state more conservative or at least make Democratic legislators squirm.
Since 2022, when he formed a political action committee, Let’s Go Washington, Mr. Heywood has spent $11 million trying to put 20 conservative policy proposals in front of Washington lawmakers or voters.“
-
‘He has struck out’: Ferguson says voters will reject Heywood’s millionaires’ tax repeal as advocates warn of billions in education cuts
“Hedge manager Brian Heywood is, of course, behind this initiative,” Ferguson said.
“It is not his first rodeo. Three prior attempts he has made to roll back progress in Washington state. Capital gains tax. He put that on the ballot. Sixty-four percent of Washingtonians rejected his attempt to roll that back. The Climate Commitment Act. Once again, over 60% of Washingtonians rejected his attempt to roll that back. Washington Cares. Fifty-five percent of Washingtonians rejected that attempt to roll back progress.”
-
After more failures, is Brian Heywood finally done?
"Brian Heywood and his PAC Let's Go Washington failed again. Heywood failed to give himself and other mega-millionaires a tax cut and take away billions from education and healthcare with I-645. He failed to institute his MAGA agenda on our schools and put vulnerable kids at risk with I-001. And he failed in the effort to turn out conservative voters to elect anti-LGBTQ+ Congressional candidate John Braun by scapegoating trans children using I-638, which many say will be found unconstitutional."
-
Top 4 Lies from Heywood/Let’s Go Washington
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:
-
MAGA Sheriff Planning To Disrupt Reign FC Game
“Nothing says protecting women's spaces like disrupting a major women's professional soccer event for your own political purposes and to boost social media views. They are trying to distract from the fact that I-638 will require all girls to submit to invasive sex inspections just to play elementary, middle, and high school sports because they know voters don’t support harming girls.”
-
DEFEND WA CRITICIZES MAGA AND BRIAN HEYWOOD FOR PLAYING POLITICS WITH CHILDREN
In response to media coverage of right-wing political demonstrations around a high school running meet in Camas, Reiny Cohen, Defend WA Director, said:
“It’s shameful that a handful of interests in Camas are exploiting and harassing children for their own political gain, including platforming a MAGA candidate for Congress.
-
Let’s Go WA Running Out of Cash
Let’s Go Washington cash on hand is just $140,116 while Vote Yes I-645 cash on hand is $515,698 according to PDC records. “Let’s Go Washington (sponsored by Brian Heywood)” owes Heywood $6 million in unpaid loans.
-
GLAAD Adds Let's Go WA to Accountability List
GLAAD, the world’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) media advocacy organization, is announcing the addition of “Let’s Go Washington” to the GLAAD Accountability Project, which documents public figures and groups that spread disinformation and promote policy to harm LGBTQ people and youth.
-
Let’s Go Washington paying thousands to I-638 spokesteen’s family member
Let’s Go Washington has paid more than $22,000 to the family of a teen who frequently appears at Let’s Go Washington events and speaks to the media about I-638. Aimee Staudt, the mom of a teen girl who most recently spoke at a Let’s Go Washington event in Vancouver and on conservative talk radio in support of I-638, started receiving payments from Let’s Go Washington in April according to PDC records.
-
More backlash against Let’s Go WA donors
The $2 billion Inatai Foundation just announced they are ending their relationship with WaFd. “After reviewing Public Disclosure Commission filings, Inatai learned that our banking partner WaFd contributed $25,000 to the campaign backing initiatives that would make schools less safe for all Washington students—particularly queer, trans, and girl youth.”
-
Has Heywood Learned A Lesson?
This year Heywood skipped the Seattle Times editorial board interviews (after appearing at nearly all of them in 2024), instead sending conservative Washington Policy Center’s Vicki Murray (I-001) and Ryan Frost (I-645), and Spokane Republican donor Dori Whitford (I-638).
-
Heywood 0 for 3 With Seattle Times
In just one week, Brian Heywood struck out on getting the state’s largest editorial board’s support for any of his three initiatives. The Ed Board called his proposals “flawed,” “poorly written,” and “fear-mongering".
-Defend WA, Sept 7, 2026
-
“Conservatives tried to repeal one of the country's strongest climate policies. They failed big time.”
“I actually want to thank Brian Heywood and his cronies for putting this on the ballot, and just reaffirming to everybody that we care about climate change in Washington state.”
- Vox, Nov. 8, 2024
-
“Voter repeal effort against WA's 'millionaires tax' launches following failed lawsuit”
“If hedge fund mega-millionaire Brian Heywood and Let’s Go Washington move ahead to try to repeal the Millionaires Tax intended to make life a little more affordable for 99% of Washingtonians, voters will once again reject his ballot initiative.”
- KUOW, May 8, 2026
-
Let's Go Washington caught lying in voter guide statement
“What Let’s Go Washington has done is use vague language that is a lie,” said Dr. Eloi Hoopman.
-Seattle Times, Aug 27, 2026
-
Let's Go Washington "Tearing people apart"
“The initiative, backed by the conservative PAC Let’s Go Washington, is part of a national movement to disenfranchise and dehumanize the transgender community.
What better way to solicit broad support for their cause than to insert it in the world of sports, an activity that supposedly brings people together? But in this case, it’s tearing people apart and all based on fear.”
-Seattle Times, Sept 3, 2026
-
"This initiative is lifted nearly word for word from an identical law in Louisiana."
I-001 is "poorly written, not tailored for Washington and could expose already vulnerable kids to harm in instances where they are victims of abuse at home.”
-Seattle Times Editorial Board, Aug 29, 2026
-
Let's Go Washington admits initiative is poorly written
"Let’s Go Washington could not connect me with an attorney willing to defend its interpretation of the legislative text on the record, though campaign spokespeople Darren Littell and Hallie Herzberg said they consulted lawyers while crafting the ballot language. “I agree with you that it should have been explicit to say, ‘Here’s all the ways in the universe that you could verify a child’s sex’ and we didn’t do that, and that’s where we are now,” Herzberg told me.”
- Vox , Sept 3, 2026
-
In Our View: Voters should know how much initiatives cost
A court ruling Friday could be significant to the November election in Washington. It also calls to mind the need for voters to be informed.
- The Columbian, June 11, 2024
-
A welcome victory for more information during election season
Washington voters face some very weighty ballot measures this November. They should have all the facts at their fingertips to make the most enlightened decisions.
Thankfully, the fight for more information and full financial disclosure just won an important legal battle.
- The Seattle Times, June 11, 2024
-
GOP initiative backers lose fight to keep budget impacts off WA ballot
OLYMPIA — A Thurston County Superior Court judge on Friday blocked an attempt by GOP backers of a slate of voter initiatives to keep the budget implications of their proposals off the ballot.
- The Seattle Times, June 8, 2024
-
Washington judge denies GOP attempt to keep financial impact of initiatives off November ballots
Information about how much money three GOP-backed initiatives would cost the state of Washington must appear on the November ballot where voters can see it, a judge on Friday ruled.
- The Associated Press, June 7, 2024
-
Opponents of three fall ballot initiatives come out swinging
Opponents of three initiatives Washington voters will address on their November ballots are working to preserve the laws associated with those ballot measures through rallies, education campaigns and other means. Those in favor of the initiatives, which would repeal the laws or adjust how they're applied, say they stand firm.
- Columbia Basin Herald, May 18, 2024
-
Defend Washington publicly releases recent polling showing Brian Heywood and Jim Walsh’s slate of initiatives on track to fail
The coalition working to protect Washington from three measures that seek to repeal or sabotage funding for education, climate action, and long term care says it's on a winning trajectory.
- The Cascadia Advocate, May 15th, 2024
-
3 ballot questions you should know about
On KOMO’s ARC program, a spokesperson for Defend Washington laid out the problems with I-2124, and other initiatives on the ballot.
- ARC Seattle, May 7, 2024