Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Law

Federal Subpoena Sought Records On Employee With Past Connection To State Auditor

Washington State Auditor Troy Kelley
Washington Legislature
Washington State Auditor Troy Kelley

The Washington State Auditor’s office has released a federal grand jury subpoena it received earlier this month.

The subpoena sought information about Jason Jerue, a staff member who had worked with auditor Troy Kelley’s private business. The subpoena also demanded emails between Jerue and anyone else in the Auditor’s office about possible crime and any communications about Jerue’s prior employment at Kelley’s old real estate services company, Post Closing Department.

Attorney Scott Smith sued Kelley on behalf of Old Republic Title in 2010 alleging misappropriation of funds.

“The Post Closing Department was the business name of Kelley’s reconveyance tracking company and it employed Jason Jerue," Smith said in a phone interview. "He was essentially Kelley’s right hand person and would know as much or more about the business than anybody else other than Kelley.”

Last Monday, federal agents searched Kelley’s house. Kelley said in a statement he was out of town on vacation. He has not responded to calls for comment. 

Copyright 2015 Northwest News Network

Since January 2004, Austin Jenkins has been the Olympia-based political reporter for the Northwest News Network. In that position, Austin covers Northwest politics and public policy as well as the Washington State legislature. You can also see Austin on television as host of TVW's (the C–SPAN of Washington State) Emmy-nominated public affairs program "Inside Olympia." Prior to joining the Northwest News Network, Austin worked as a television reporter in Seattle, Portland and Boise. Austin is a graduate of Garfield High School in Seattle and Connecticut College in New London, Connecticut. Austin’s reporting has been recognized with awards from the Association of Capitol Reporters and Editors, Public Radio News Directors Incorporated and the Society of Professional Journalists.