Council names veteran investigator, former FBI Special Agent as first Inspector General for King County

October 6, 2026

The King County Council on Tuesday appointed Stuart Robinson as the county’s first Inspector General. Robinson will head the new Inspector General Division within the Office of Public Complaints to strengthen oversight and independently investigate complaints of misconduct, misuse of public funds and more.

“We are fortunate to have found an incredibly qualified leader of our brand-new Inspector General’s office here at King County. He literally ‘teaches the class,’” said Councilmember Rod Dembowski, who was the lead sponsor of legislation to establish the office. “I’m proud to have sponsored the legislation to create this new watchdog agency, and I look forward to working with Mr. Robinson as he stands up this new office and works to ensure that King County taxpayers are protected from waste, fraud and abuse.” 

Robinson comes to the role with a background neatly fitted to the newly minted office. He has served the past nine years as the Director of Investigations for Palm Beach County, Florida Office of Inspector General, as well as a year prior working in the Broward County Office of the Inspector General in Fort Lauderdale. Before that, Robinson was a Special Agent and Supervisory Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, where he held multiple leadership and training positions and focused on financial crimes, fraud against the government, public corruption, and civil rights matters. He also spent the last three years as an instructor and national course manager for the Association of Inspectors General.

“Ultimately, this is about effective, transparent government and the King County Council’s dedication to providing it,” Robinson said. “I am incredibly honored to be leading an organization that will provide integrity, oversight, and measurable results for King County.”

Robinson’s appointment, a five-year term, is the latest in a series of efforts by the council to overhaul oversight of taxpayer funds and improve reporting systems. It builds on last year’s King County Council vote approving a comprehensive reform package to overhaul oversight of taxpayer-funded grants within DCHS. That action followed an audit and an ongoing investigation by the Office of the Ombuds, which identified widespread oversight failures and potential fraud in county contracts. The legislation behind creation of the office – sponsored by Dembowski along with Council Chair Sarah Perry, and Councilmembers Reagan Dunn, Pete von Reichbauer, Steffanie Fain and Rhonda Lewis – also advances recommendations from a 2025 joint report by the King County Auditor and Ombuds, which identified significant gaps in financial oversight and reporting systems.

“A 26-year FBI veteran is exactly the kind of candidate we hoped to attract when we created this office,” Dunn said. “At a time of sky-high costs, strained public trust, and continuing reports of financial misuse, King County taxpayers deserve a watchdog with the experience and authority to conduct rigorous oversight, pursue independent investigations, and ensure meaningful accountability. I’m glad taxpayers will now have someone of this caliber looking out for them.”

The Inspector General Division will investigate reports of financial fraud and abuse, with the authority to issue subpoenas and pursue recovery of misspent funds. Robinson will initially work to build out the rest of the staff including investigators and administrative personnel.

“We are excited to bring a recognized expert and instructor of best practices in the field of Inspector General on board,” Perry said. “Stuart Robinson brings deep, practical knowledge and experience in the areas of fraud, waste, and mismanagement to his role as King County’s first ever Inspector General. His appointment is a significant step in ensuring that the King County Legislative Branch does everything in its power to establish and maintain fiscal structures and practices deserving of the trust of our residents. I look forward to working with him and introducing him to our King County communities.”

To ensure transparency and accountability, the Inspector General Division will be required to issue written findings and recommendations when fraud, waste, or abuse is identified, and to submit an annual report to the County Council and Executive. County agencies will also be required to report suspected misconduct through established channels.

“As the chair of the Government Accountability and Oversight Committee and a co-sponsor of the legislation that created the Inspector General Division, I firmly believe that transparency and accountability are essential responsibilities of local and all levels of government,” Councilmember von Reichbauer said. “These principles are essential for ensuring that as we allocate important resources to benefit our communities, we also hold ourselves accountable. This guarantees that the programs implemented by King County serve everyone effectively, and when they fall short, we are prepared to collaborate with the inspector general to address the issues.”

The same ordinance also establishes a centralized King County Fraud Hotline, overseen by the Inspector General Division, creating a single point of access for reporting suspected fraud and improper conduct. The backing legislation also updated county policies by clearly defining fraud, waste, and abuse, requiring standardized inspection language in county contracts and grants, and aligning King County practices with those used by county, state, and federal Offices of Inspector General nationwide.

Robinson’s office will work collaboratively with the County Auditor and Ombuds, whose roles remain distinct, focusing on performance oversight and administrative misconduct, respectively.