2024 AdWatch: on Drugs

Bob Ferguson: Accountability for those who deal or supply drugs illegally

Ferguson, in an emailed statement, didn't directly respond to Mullet's criticism of his 2021 positions on drug decriminalization. Instead, he noted his stance last year on a bill lawmakers approved to overhaul the state's drug possession law. "I supported restoring criminal penalties for simple drug possession, prioritizing treatment, and holding individuals accountable for selling drugs, engaging in public drug use, and refusing court-ordered treatment," he said.

He also said he has "always demanded accountability for those who deal or supply drugs illegally or unethically -- whether on the street or in corporate boardrooms," noting $1.2 billion in legal settlements his office had won from companies with ties to the opioid sector.

Mark Mullet: Criminal penalties for possessing illegal drugs

"Right now, no voter realizes that I was a senator who was fighting to make sure we got accountability for public drug use and no voter in the state knows the person I was fighting was Attorney General Bob Ferguson," he said. "He was encouraging us to follow the path of Oregon," Mullet added. "I thought what Oregon did by initiative the previous year was a complete disaster. And it's played out exactly as I said it would."

Mullet's 30-second ad will run on television in the Seattle area. "I can't imagine a more important public policy position to be on the wrong side of," Mullet said.