WA Attorney General Threaten Reporters

What Nick Brown Said

Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown posted a message on Twitter saying his office had heard from members of the Somali community who felt harassed and accused of fraud, and that his team was in contact with the Department of Children, Youth, and Families. He warned that showing up on someone’s porch, filming minors, or threatening people is unsafe and may be criminal, and he urged anyone who feels threatened to contact local law enforcement or his office’s Hate Crimes and Bias Incident Hotline. He also added that if fraud is found and verified by law enforcement and regulators, people should be held accountable.

What Independent Journalists Did

Independent reporters posted videos and on the record accounts showing visits to addresses tied to daycare payments. Some reporters say they found cases where payments to so called home based daycares do not match what neighbors or occupants say. The journalists argue they were doing basic reporting on public, taxpayer funded programs and documenting what they saw. One reporter shared a short teaser that said a single daycare name had received more than $210,000 in state funds in one year and people living at the address said there was no daycare there.

Reaction From Media and Legal Voices

Conservative and independent commentators pushed back, saying Brown’s post could chill press freedom because it links reporting on alleged fraud to harassment and hate crime reporting. Andy Ngo and others said journalists have a duty to investigate public spending when government officials do not. Harmeet Dhillon’s civil rights group also warned that any official who chills journalists’ First Amendment rights may face legal scrutiny under federal law that bars willful deprivation of rights under color of law.

What the Law Covers and What It Does Not

Reporting and asking questions about government spending is protected speech. At the same time, harassment, threats, or filming children in private homes raise safety and privacy concerns that can involve child welfare and criminal laws. The legal line is whether the reporters’ actions were lawful newsgathering or whether behavior crossed into harassment or endangering minors. Brown’s statement stresses contacting authorities when crimes or threats occur and waiting for regulators to verify fraud before public punishment.

Community Claims and Enforcement Steps

Brown said his office heard from members of the Somali community who reported harassment tied to accusations about home based daycares. His post said the Attorney General’s office was coordinating with the state agency that oversees child care. He also reiterated that if fraud is substantiated by the proper agencies, there will be accountability. That phrasing matters to critics who say relying solely on agency verification can slow or block exposure of wrongdoing if agencies do not act quickly.

Why This Matters to Readers

This story touches on three big issues at once: protecting children and neighbors, preserving free speech and watchdog reporting, and making sure taxpayer money is used correctly. Voters want clear, fair enforcement. They also want reporters to be free to investigate public programs without fear of official intimidation. The challenge for officials is to protect safety while not discouraging lawful journalism that checks government power.

My office has received outreach from members of the Somali community after reports of home-based daycare providers being harassed and accused of fraud with little to no fact-checking.
We are in touch with the state Department of Children, Youth, and Families regarding the claims…

— Attorney General Nick Brown (@AGOWA) December 31, 2025

It is the duty of journalists to visit taxpayer-funded nonprofits and businesses to investigate where you have failed. The journalists have documented their visits on camera and there is no harassing or threatening behavior. You are trying to threaten journalists by telling…

— Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) December 31, 2025

🚨SOMALI FRAUD IN WASHINGTON: @choeshow and I spent yesterday investigating Somali daycares in WA.

“Dhagash Childcare” has received over $210,000 just this year. People living at the address claim there has never been a daycare there.

We lay out the facts in this teaser ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/KNkmJfV2Ss

— Cam Higby 🇺🇸 (@camhigby) December 30, 2025

ANY state official who chills or threatens to chill a journalist’s 1A rights will have some ‘splainin to do. @CivilRights takes potential violations of 18 USC § 242 seriously!

Govern yourselves accordingly! ❤️#1A https://t.co/6H50NkaqwW

— AAGHarmeetDhillon (@AAGDhillon) December 31, 2025

WE’D LOVE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS! PLEASE COMMENT BELOW.

JIMMY

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