Michael Schaffer is a senior editor and columnist at POLITICO Magazine. He has covered national and local politics for over 20 years and spent seven years as editor-in-chief of the Washingtonian. His ...

OLYMPIA — Washington voters and the federal government this year delivered big changes to the state’s background-check system designed to keep people who are not allowed to have guns from buying them.

SEATTLE - After a year of requests, the U.S. Justice Department said Thursday it is giving Washington state access to an FBI database so it can conduct nationwide background checks on people who apply ...