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County auditor says state audit and sealed criminal case have prompted litigation and records scrutiny
Summary
Franklin County Auditor Matt Beaton addressed the board to describe a state auditor report, a sealed criminal investigation and a Superior Court summary judgment in his favor; he urged further legal action related to a secret recording and criticized investigative practices described in media coverage.
Franklin County Auditor Matt Beaton addressed the Board of County Commissioners during the public‑comment period on May 21 and discussed recent developments affecting his office. Beaton said a recent state auditor report and a separate criminal investigation stemming from a secret recording had produced court activity and media coverage. He characterized the recording — made by a person identified in remarks as Mike Cronmeier (who also goes by Gonzales) — as a violation of a Washington statute referenced in his remarks, and said the matter led to search warrants and a sealed case that leaked during the 2024 election filing period.
Beaton said the state auditor’s April report had identified an invoice at the HAPO Center that the report found “not valid” and described concerns about a vendor payment that the auditor’s office believed was improper. He said the recording prompted what he called a community‑shaking investigation that involved the Snoqualmie County chief criminal deputy and the Benton County Sheriff’s Office and that a sheriff and a former prosecuting attorney had urged action that Beaton described as a smear campaign against him.
Beaton told the commissioners he expected litigation and indicated ongoing and potential lawsuits would resolve outstanding questions, adding that a judge in Spokane issued summary judgment in favor of the county auditor on all counts in a related matter. He asked for consideration of criminal charges against the person who made the recording and for recovery of alleged improper settlement funds; specifics of any charging decisions or county‑paid settlements were not acted on by the board during the meeting.
These remarks were delivered as public comment; no formal action by the Board occurred in response during the meeting. Some items Beaton discussed — including references to criminal procedures, sealed court records and media coverage — touch on ongoing legal matters that may be subject to confidentiality orders or pending litigation.
