Washington Medical Commission Sent No Press Releases on Doctor Allegations for Nine Months Despite Legal Requirement

The Washington Medical Commission waited more than nine months to issue any public notice after filing sexual misconduct allegations against Richland doctor Brooks Watson on August 19, 2025. The commission amended the charges in June 2026 to include an alleged assault at his home.

Watson remains licensed to practice as of July 6, 2026, with no final decision posted in the state’s online provider database.

Washington state law requires the commission to send press releases to local news media and major wire services when formal allegations are filed. The state is the only one with such a mandate, according to the Federation of State Medical Boards. ProPublica and KUOW found the commission instead relied on a subscribers-only email list that often omitted descriptions of the charges.

In the case of eastern Washington OB-GYN Mark Mulholland, the commission sent a subscribers-only email six weeks after filing charges last year. The notice contained no description of the allegations. At least one patient has sued Mulholland, alleging abuse and negligence during an appointment on May 1, 2025, after the charges were filed but before any public notice.

More than 80 lawsuits have been filed against Mulholland, his former employer Kadlec, or its affiliate Providence. A review of commission records from May 2024 through July 6, 2026, identified 13 emails or press releases announcing charges while cases remained open. Five of those notices were sent more than two months after charges were filed.

In 12 additional cases, the commission issued notices only after resolving the charges, sometimes months later. Four doctors accused last year or in January 2026 still had not appeared in any public notice as of July 6. The commission receives roughly 2,000 allegations of provider misconduct each year.