The Shadow of Whitewash at the County Hospital
Prosecuting Attorney Miller demands independent oversight to clear accusations of corruption in a high-stakes county contract inquiry.
The story, cleaned up
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Prosecuting Attorney Miller returned from his visit East in order to assist in the proceedings against Krug, and was almost immediately confronted with an investigation by the grand jury of the charges concerning the contract work on the county hospital. He became irritated at insinuations that the inquiry might be condemned as a whitewashing affair if no indictments were found, and telegraphed to State Attorney General Jones at Spokane, asking him to come to Seattle and assume the task of prosecution. Mr. Jones has replied that the law forbids his appearing before the grand jury, and expresses the opinion that the county prosecuting attorney was the official charged with the duty.
“He became irritated at insinuations that the inquiry might be condemned as a whitewashing affair.”
Allegations of 'whitewashing' public corruption inquiries have echoed through Seattle's civic history for over a century. The pressure on public officials to maintain the integrity of internal investigations remains a core concern for local governance.
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