Oppose the Confirmation of Jim Anderson and Molly Linville to the Fish & Wildlife Commission

Please act now to tell your senator that these appointments take the Commission in the wrong direction.

Washington’s wildlife is at grave risk. On Tuesday, February 24, 2026, the Washington Senate placed Jim Anderson (SGA 9241) and Molly Linville’s (SGA 9242) controversial appointments to the Washington Fish Wildlife Commission (Commission) on its confirmation calendar, meaning they could be brought to the Senate floor for a final vote at any time. 

Under pressure from national trophy-hunting special interests like the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance, Governor Ferguson reappointed Anderson and Linville to the Commission last year, despite widespread opposition and their record of voting against wildlife protections. At the same time, he reversed two of Governor Inslee’s appointments, including the reappointment of former Commissioner Dr. Tim Ragen, the former head of the U.S. Marine Mammal Commission and a champion of conservation and science-based wildlife policy.

These reappointments take the Commission in the wrong direction: reversing progress toward a Commission that prioritizes wildlife protection and represents the interests and values of all Washingtonians, and taking us back to the days of a rubber-stamp commission that serves the 2.4% of Washingtonians who hunt.

They also come at a deeply troubling time. Over the past year, Kelly Susewind, the director of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has escalated his vindictive campaign against independent commissioners who question his power and champion wildlife protection, science-based decision-making, and agency accountability. These attacks are the culmination of Susewind’s four-year campaign to bring back spring bear hunting, one of his favorite pastimes.

In the face of the national rollback of protections for wildlife and the environment, we need a strong Commission now more than ever, which will stand up for wildlife against entrenched special interests and provide independent oversight of Susewind’s leadership. We need to act now to let Senators know how damaging these confirmations would be for Washington’s wildlife.

Take Action to Oppose Both Appointments

Please click here to write your senator and tell them how damaging these confirmations would be for Washington’s wildlife.

We have provided some draft text to get you started, but please personalize your message, or draft a new one based on our talking points, which detail how the reappointment and confirmation of Linville and Anderson:

  • Flips the Balance of the Commission to Emphasize Wildlife Exploitation over Protection
  • Satisfies Out-of-State Trophy Hunters at the Expense of Washington Interests and Values
  • Shows Disregard for the Safety and Welfare of State Employees
  • Increases Dysfunction and Signals a Return to a Rubber-Stamp Commission
  • Undermines Efforts to Protect Endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales and Wild Salmon

OR, call and/or email your senator directly

Use our talking points to craft your message and call and/or email your senator. They need to hear directly from their constituents why both of these appointments must be rejected.

Not sure who your senator is? Use the district finder tool.

Additional Resources

Thank You for Taking Action!

Your support is critical in ensuring our politicians prioritize the protection of Washington’s wildlife and ecosystems. Please share this webpage with your friends, family, and networks!