The Public Records Officer Podcast
The Public Records Officer Podcast
Fighting for the People’s Right to Know.
From public records battles to quiet cover-ups, from deleted chats to documents they hoped you’d never see... The Public Records Officer Podcast (PROP) exposes the ways power hides from the people it serves.
Hosted by open government advocate, a former elected official, state government public information officer and communications director Jamie Nixon, this show pulls back the curtain on the tactics used by public agencies to avoid transparency, and highlights the citizens, journalists, and legal warriors fighting back.
Season One investigates the ontologically shocking story of how Washington State agencies used Microsoft Teams to automatically delete public records after just seven days, raising questions of legality, accountability, and who gets to decide what the public has a right to see.
Each episode blends documents, depositions, interviews, and digital trails with sharp commentary and a sense of civic urgency. Whether it’s a modified invoice, redacted emails, or a policy crafted to vanish before a subpoena hits... The PROP is here to shine a light where the law demands it.
Featuring interviews with journalists, attorneys, and the officials who tried to sound the alarm before it was too late.
The truth doesn’t expire in seven days.
The Public Records Officer Podcast
Ep. 17 Are You Trying to Kill Me?
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In this episode, Jamie breaks down the May 12, 2026 Seattle Times story about a Public Disclosure Commission complaint involving Brandi Kruse, Let’s Go Washington, and alleged unreported in-kind political advertising.
But this is not just about Brandi. It is about a much bigger question: what happens when campaign-finance law collides with the modern influencer economy?
The complaint alleges that Kruse’s repeated promotion of Let’s Go Washington initiatives may have provided reportable value to the campaign. Kruse responded by framing the complaint and related media coverage as an effort to ruin her reputation — or even get her killed.
Jamie examines the actual complaint, Kruse’s response, the difference between protected political speech and reportable political advertising, and why public disclosure still matters when political advocacy happens through podcasts, social media, sponsored content, and online personalities.
Also discussed: victimhood as brand management, the hypocrisy of crying defamation while labeling critics “stalkers,” and why “I believe in the cause” is not a campaign-finance reporting category.
Transcript + Source Docs:
Get the full hyperlinked transcript and all documents referenced in this episode:
thepublicrecordsofficer.com
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About WashCOG:
The Washington Coalition for Open Government (WashCOG) fights for transparency and accountability in Washington State. Learn more:
washcog.org
Tip of the hat to the musicians who created the music used on the show: Alex Grohl, Ian Post, Jakub Pietras, lumine wave, Roberto Pravo, Solis, ...