Thursday, October 1, 2026
District Five Commissioner Emily Clouse expressed deep regret about her decision to be in a relationship with a Thurston County employee, and shared her commitment to move forward following the conclusion of an investigation that found her in violation of ethics policies.
The Thurston Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) announced the findings of the investigation, which revealed breaches of trust and ethical violations by Clouse.
According to a Dec. 6 statement from the BoCC, her actions were found to have violated Thurston County Human Resources (HR) policies, her Oath of Office and the public's trust.
The investigation, conducted by an independent third party, detailed deliberate deceptive behavior, misuse of public resources and personal gain, which caused confusion within the board, the county organization and the public.
“Commissioner Clouse’s actions were a direct violation of Thurston County HR Policies, her Oath of Office, and a violation of the public’s trust instilled in elected officials,” the BoCC said in the statement.
“It is also important to note that as an elected official, Commissioner Clouse should be held to an even higher standard of accountability than any regular employee. These actions have deeply compromised the County’s ability to operate with integrity and professionalism," the BoCC added.
The BoCC also noted that as an elected official, Clouse is not subject to the same disciplinary actions as regular county employees, who would face termination under similar circumstances.
In her response, Clouse acknowledged the situation and expressed regret.
“While the findings confirm that the allegations against me were largely unsubstantiated, I deeply regret my decision to be in a personal relationship with a County employee that started the investigation and affected our community,” Clouse wrote in a statement posted on her Facebook page.
“I acknowledge the Board's recommendations and am committed to a higher level of professionalism and reflection as I move forward. I am glad to put this behind me and get back to representing our county on the many important boards and committees I am pleased to serve on.”
Clouse further explained the circumstances leading to the investigation, noting that the employee involved was a longtime friend who sought employment with the County to support her vision.
She described issues with the employee’s unprofessional behavior and suggested that the false allegations were made to preemptively avoid termination due to these issues. Clouse encouraged the public to review the investigative findings carefully.
The BoCC called on Clouse to reflect on her actions and rebuild trust with the Board, the county organization and residents of Thurston County.
They urged her to take appropriate actions to hold herself accountable and to commit to professional development before recruiting and hiring a new executive aide, with a hiring panel involved in the process.
In response to the investigation, the BoCC and Thurston County HR have begun implementing several preventive and structural measures, as stated in a press release on the issue.
• Strengthening county policies to enforce boundaries regarding workplace relationships, conflicts of interest, and public resource use.
• Enhancing anonymous reporting systems for employees to report ethical concerns without fear of retaliation.
• Implementing safeguards to prevent conflicts of interest in hiring practices.
• Providing periodic ethics reviews for all elected officials and publishing updates to maintain transparency.
The Board reaffirmed its commitment to restoring public trust and ensuring accountability. They acknowledged that Clouse's actions represented a serious lapse in judgment and failed to meet the ethical and professional standards expected of a public official.
The Board plans to reinstate Clouse to her 2024 boards, commissions, councils and committee assignments.
9 comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here
JulesJames
"Largely unsubstantiated"? That is the mirror opposite of the investigation's conclusion. Ms. Clouse needs a new line of work -- the sooner the better.
Wednesday, December 11, 2024 Report this
bonaro
Nice try but this is far from over.
Thursday, December 12, 2024 Report this
Claire
Close needs to resign. She has impugned the BoCC enough. Thurston County is broken.
Thursday, December 12, 2024 Report this
BobB
How thoughtful of her to try and call attention to her employee's "unprofessional behavior." Can you spell R-E-C-A-L-L? I think it is more likely than not the citizens of Thurston County aren't going to "move forward" as Clouse imagines us doing. The only thing she can put behind her is her career as a politician.
Thursday, December 12, 2024 Report this
Porter
HEY! I thought only the POTUS was allowed to pracice nepotism.
Thursday, December 12, 2024 Report this
Chappellg
Unlike the previous comments, I thought the commissioner finally did her mea Culpas, acknowledged her errors and promised to do better. That’s much more than she’s done before. I do think it would help if she got counseling for herself, but that’s a private issue. And remember, she’s young. Everyone deserves a shot at rehab. It seems to me that her colleagues agree with me, as they’re putting her back on her committees.
Thursday, December 12, 2024 Report this
Southsoundguy
Clearly unfit.
Thursday, December 12, 2024 Report this
LivinginthePNW
This situation is a great example of why local jurisdictions need to have a formalized Code of EThics - the City of Olympia, when most cities it's size do, does NOT yet have a Code of EThics, and it's way past time it does, https://olyethics.org
Thursday, December 12, 2024 Report this
JW
Oh, no, we will not be putting this "behind us". RESIGN in disgrace
Friday, December 13, 2024 Report this