Sue Lani Madsen, a respected journalist and civic watchdog, joined The Ari Hoffman Show on Talk Radio 570 KVI to critique Washington State Governor Bob Ferguson’s Domestic Violent Extremism (DVE) and Mass Violence Task Force. Madsen, who reviewed the task force’s preliminary report, raised serious concerns about what she described as its “one-sided” and “selective” presentation of extremist threats in Washington State.
"I think they genuinely don’t see violence from the left as a problem.”@SueLaniMadsen critiques Gov. Bob Ferguson’s Domestic Violent Extremism & Mass Violence Task Force's preliminary report for its "one-sided" & “selective” presentation of extremist threats in WA. pic.twitter.com/fO2O8cSzK6
— Ari Hoffman 🎗 (@thehoffather) June 6, 2025
Preliminary Report Already Feels Final
Although labeled a preliminary draft—since the final version is not due until 2026—the report’s filename curiously refers to it as a “final” report. That detail, Madsen says, “doesn’t inspire confidence” and hints at pre-determined conclusions. “You’re really not going out of your way to try to build trust in the process,” she said.
Preliminary version of @AGOWA's Domestic Extremism and Mass Violence Task Force Report is now available. Still reading but several things jumped out immediately, starting with . . . 🧵1/
— Sue Lani Madsen (@SueLaniMadsen) June 4, 2025
Convenient Historical Omissions
. . . the list of violent incidents in the 1990s seems to have at least one glaring omission. Can you spot it? 3/ pic.twitter.com/pvVTTjhhSq
— Sue Lani Madsen (@SueLaniMadsen) June 4, 2025
One of Madsen’s major criticisms is the report’s selective use of historical data. While it includes a timeline of violence in Washington State by decade, it omits significant events, most notably:
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The 1999 WTO riots in Seattle—dubbed the “Battle in Seattle”—are widely recognized as a defining moment in the city’s protest culture, if not the origin of the city’s protest and riot reputation.
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The 2020 Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone (CHAZ/CHOP), where six people were shot and two teenagers were killed.
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Repeated May Day riots in downtown Seattle, often marked by destruction and violence.
“These weren’t minor blips,” Hoffman noted. “These were defining events, and they’re just not there.”
. . . seems like there was some sort of domestic extremism and mass violence going on in Seattle in the 2020s, something missing from this list of events, what could it be? Can you spot it? 6/ pic.twitter.com/lOVQomBX0s
— Sue Lani Madsen (@SueLaniMadsen) June 4, 2025
Even more curiously, Madsen said, “the report omits all of the 2023 incidents,” including the takeover of a University of Washington building that caused over $1 million in damages. “That happened just days before the task force’s last meeting. They had a perfect opportunity to acknowledge it and didn’t,” she said.
One-Sided Presentations, Ignored Public Comments
Madsen emphasized that the task force seems to rely heavily on scheduled presentations, most of which lean in one political direction. “The report could have been written before the task force even met,” she said. Despite receiving numerous public comments urging a more balanced perspective, including her own, the final draft failed to reflect any broader scope.
She did, however, acknowledge one small improvement: the public comments and agendas have now been posted on the Attorney General’s website, reducing the need for public records requests. “At least that much they got right,” she noted.
A Blind Spot, or Something More?
When asked whether this bias is part of a broader political strategy to target dissenting voices, Madsen leaned toward another explanation: systemic blind spots.
“When one party holds most of the power in a state, they lose sight of the full picture,” she said. “I don’t think it’s always malicious. I think they genuinely don’t see violence from the left as a problem.”
However, both Madsen and Hoffman pointed out the national rhetoric surrounding phrases like “by any means necessary” tends to come more frequently from left-wing circles. “Just Google it,” Madsen added.
Rising Antisemitism Ignored
Hoffman and Madsen also discussed the growing threat of antisemitism—especially in the wake of recent attacks like the one in Boulder, Colorado. Madsen noted how media coverage tends to “sanitize” left-wing violence, even when it targets vulnerable groups such as Jews.
“There’s been too much unrebuked antisemitism,” Madsen said. “It’s allowed to pass unchecked, and that’s incredibly dangerous.”
A Call for Honest Media and Better Oversight
Madsen concluded by calling for more critical media consumption and greater public oversight of government initiatives like the DVE task force.
“There’s a whole book to be written on this,” Hoffman quipped, urging Madsen to be the one to write it.
Follow Sue Lani Madsen’s Forthright Substack for more analysis.
Listen to The Ari Hoffman Show weekdays 3-6 pm pacific on Talk Radio 570 KVI.
