Editing Ron Sims (section)

=== Armen Yousoufian and Qwest Field ===
On May 30, 1997 Armen Yousoufian, the owner of the University Plaza Hotel in Seattle, requested documents from Mr. Sims’ office concerning the upcoming election (June 17, 1997)  about and financing documents for Seattle’s [[Qwest Field]].  It took Mr Sims's office nearly four years to provide Yousoufian with the documents.  Yousoufian eventually sued to be given the documents, and was also awarded five dollars a day for the delay, plus $87,000 in attorneys’ fees.  In 2005, after further appeal by Yousoufian, the amount was increased to 15 dollars a day bringing the total to $122,000, plus a further $171,000 in attorneys’ fees, which some claim to be the highest such fine ever assessed in state history.<ref>[http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorialsopinion/2002460046_rulinged31.html Seattle Times: Right to know, Part 1: a county's negligence]</ref>  Yousoufian appealed further, and in January 2009 a divided [[Washington Supreme Court]] agreed that the $15 a day fine was insufficient.  Two justices recommended that the [[King County Superior Court]] award $100 a day, the maximum provided for under the law.<ref>[http://www.theolympian.com/109/story/737022.html The Olympian: Large fine may deter records withholding]</ref>