Former legislator files recall papers against State Auditor Troy Kelley



OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — A former state legislator filed recall paperwork Friday against embattled state Auditor Troy Kelley, who is the subject of a federal grand jury investigation.

Documents filed late Friday afternoon by Will Knedlik of Kirkland accuse Kelley of several violations of his terms of office, from inadequate auditing to several abuses of power, including a failure to fully vet a new hire.

Under state elections procedure, the Secretary of State's Office will send copies of the charges to Kelley and Attorney General Bob Ferguson on Monday to set the recall election process in motion.

Knedlik, who was a Democratic member of  the state House of Representatives from Kirkland in the mid-1970s, will need to collect more than 700,000 signatures to put Kelley's recall before voters.

No statewide official has ever been recalled in Washington history.

Kelley has not returned a call seeking comment.