Washington Wildlife First (WW1) has launched a public campaign called “Not My WDFW,” complete with a petition demanding the removal of Director Kelly Susewind.
They claim that Director Susewind is unfit to lead, accusing him of poor leadership and ignoring their priorities. But what they fail to mention is why they’ve turned against him — and what’s really driving this campaign.
This effort follows the Director’s request for the investigation of four WDFW Commissioners — Lehmkuhl, Smith, Rowland, and Baker — after records and communications were uncovered exposing conflicts of interest, coordination with special interest groups, and governance failures. Many of those revelations tie directly back to Washington Wildlife First and Animal & Earth Advocates, both founded by Claire Loebs Davis and financially backed by Jody Allen’s Wild Lives Foundation.
The “Not My WDFW” campaign paints Director Susewind as hostile to reform, yet he has been a champion of non-game biodiversity and conservation within this department, creating new positions and programs that champion these issues. He is one of the few leaders of the Department and Commission that lives by the dual legal mandate of WDFW to preserve, perpetuate, and manage wildlife AND maximize recreational opportunity.
From the Conservation Coalition of Washington’s perspective, it’s clear:
This campaign is not about protecting wildlife or improving agency leadership. It’s about preserving and pushing influence at a time when records, investigations, and public scrutiny have exposed the extent of that influence over the Governor’s office, WDFW Commission appointments, and Commission Policy decisions.
