Former King County sheriff leads lawsuit blocking lawmakers from grabbing first responder pensions

Former King County Sheriff and Congressman Dave Reichert is now helping lead a legal fight against state lawmakers over a controversial pension proposal.

Reichert told me roughly 5,500 retired first responders have filed a lawsuit aimed at blocking House Bill 2034, which would redirect more than $550 million from the Law Enforcement Officers’ and Firefighters’ Retirement System Plan 1, commonly known as LEOFF 1, to help address other state budget needs.

“My first reaction is, as a retired cop, it’s illegal,” Reichert explained to KIRO Newsradio. “What they’re doing now is prohibited by other laws, federal and state laws. So, and this is not a new thing. They’ve been trying to do this since about 24 or 25 years ago. They tried to do it last year. They tried to do it other years, and we’ve had to file lawsuits in the past.”

Democratic sponsors of House Bill 2034, including House Appropriations Chair Timm Ormsby, argued the pension plan is significantly overfunded and that the bill does not jeopardize benefits. Supporters also maintain that the proposal does not undermine the state’s obligations to retirees.

Bill would redirect $569 million to state climate fund

The bill would dissolve and then reinstate LEOFF 1, allowing surplus funds to be redirected, including $569 million to the state’s Climate Commitment Act account. The bill has already cleared the House and is now making its way through the Senate Ways and Means Committee.

“They’re hoping that they pass the law, and then they go to the IRS, they have a state ruling, they go to court, and federal court decides that, you know, the law is good, much like they did with the capital gains tax,” Reichert said.

Republican lawmakers are also blasting the move. State Reps. Travis Couture, Jim Walsh, and Matt Marshall called it a money grab from retired police officers and firefighters. Walsh warned the maneuver was once considered a “third rail” in Olympia, arguing it signals a troubling shift in how the state treats public pensions.

“I know a lot of these LEOFF retirees. They’re now anywhere from their mid-70s and older,” Reichert said. “These are cops and firefighters that have, for some for 50 years, and in my case, 33 years, sacrificed a lot of time with family and dealt with injuries. In my own case, a head-on car crash in my police car. I still have back injury problems, nerve damage issues … collecting scores and scores of dead bodies over my career, that’s emotional. We feel like we’ve dedicated our lives to protecting life and property, and they’ve just taken advantage of about 5,500 retirees left in the system.”

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