U.S. federal authorities search Washington state auditor's home

By Victoria Cavaliere SEATTLE (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Department agents have searched the home of Washington state auditor Troy Kelley, and his office has turned over documents subpoenaed by the U.S. Department of Justice, officials said on Friday without disclosing what was sought. It was unclear if anything was removed from his home in Monday's search. Kelley's office said it had turned over documents to the Justice Department by a Thursday deadline. Emily Langlie, a spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney's office in Seattle, declined to say if Kelley, a Democrat elected in 2012, was being investigated. By early Friday, no case or papers had been filed in federal court. Governor Jay Inslee on Friday urged Kelley "to work with authorities and to the greatest extent possible, and as soon as possible, be open with the public." The state auditor's office received the Justice Department subpoena on March 6, said Thomas Shapley, a spokesman for the office. He said he had not seen the subpoena and did not know the nature of the documents that were given to federal investigators. Kelley was out of the office on Friday on a pre-planned family vacation, Shapley said. He was expected to return to work next week. "I have not been served a search warrant and have not been informed of any reasons for a search," Kelley said in a statement. He said he was out of town when his home was searched. The Treasury Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Susan Hutchison, chairman of the Washington State Republican Party, has called for Kelley to step down, saying in a statement that "the character of the State Auditor is called into question." (Reporting by Victoria Cavaliere; Editing by Cynthia Johnston)