After this morning’s hour-long hearing, late this afternoon King County Superior Court Judge Jim Rogers certified four charges in a recall petition against Council member Sawant to be factually and legally sufficient to proceed to the signature-gathering phase of the recall effort.
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Sawant recall effort heads to pivotal hearing Wednesday
On Wednesday a King County Superior Court judge will hold a hearing on whether to certify the recall petition against Council member Sawant.
Continue readingState Supreme Court will hear appeal of Durkan recall petition certification, quickly
The past week has been a crazy whirlwind in legal filings as Mayor Durkan appeals to the state Supreme Court a lower court’s certification of the recall petition against her.
Continue readingJudge denies motion for reconsideration of Durkan recall petition
This afternoon, King County Superior Court Judge Mary Roberts denied a request by Mayor Durkan to reconsider the certification of a recall petition against her.
Continue readingCouncil votes to place Transportation Benefit District renewal on November ballot
This afternoon, the City Council voted unanimously to place a renewal of the Seattle Transportation Benefit District on the November ballot for voter approval. But before pushing it out the door, they made a few last-minute changes.
Continue readingPetition to recall Mayor Durkan certified for signature collection
Last Friday a King County Superior Court judge certified, in part, a petition from a group attempting to recall Mayor Jenny Durkan because of her actions (and inaction) during the recent protests. The recall election process is similar in many ways to voter initiative and referendum processes, but it also has its own unique aspects. Let’s review the whole process, where the current effort stands, and what happens from here. (update: a couple of technical corrections made below based upon feedback from the city)
Continue readingWhat happens to voter initiatives during a pandemic?
You don’t have to read very far in the Washington State Constitution to understand the priority given to grassroots democracy. The second sentence in the Constitution reads: “All political power is inherent in the people, and governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed, and are established to protect and maintain individual rights.” Article II doubles down on this idea, in an amendment adopted in 1911: The legislative authority of the state of Washington shall be vested in the legislature, consisting of a senate and house of representatives, which shall be called the legislature of the state …
Continue readingCatching up on Sawant’s alleged misdeeds
There are several pending allegations of law-breaking against Seattle City Council member Kshama Sawant. Let’s get caught up on where they currently stand.
Continue readingSupreme Court declines to hear appeal of Democracy Voucher challenge
Today the United States Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal of the Washington State Supreme Court’s ruling last July upholding the legality of Seattle’s “Democracy Voucher” program, putting to final rest the legal challenge to the campaign finance program.
Continue readingSawant responds to ethics commission charges
This afternoon, Council member Sawant issued a statement in response to the charges of ethics violations filed against her yesterday by the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission.
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