In early 2019 I wrote an article reviewing the research on rent control. At the time, Councilmember Sawant was making a push at trying to get a local rent control measure passed — despite the state law prohibiting it. Earlier this year she published an updated version of her draft rent control bill, though she doesn’t seem to have much (if any) visible support from her colleagues on the Council. Now having narrowly escaped recall, Sawant is making noises about a more fervent push to pass her rent control bill. That makes it a good time to provide an update …
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Ninth Circuit Court reverses lower court, allows Sawant defamation case to move forward
Twice now U.S. District Court Judge Marsha Pechman has tried to dismiss a defamation case filed against Councilmember Kshama Sawant, and twice the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has said no. Twice now the plaintiffs have tried to have the case reassigned to a different judge, and twice the Ninth Circuit has said no.
Continue readingEthics commission votes to approve Sawant settlement agreement
This afternoon, the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission voted to approve the negotiated settlement agreement with Councilmember Sawant over charges that she illegally used city resources for a non-city purpose and to support a ballot proposition last year.
Continue readingSawant settles ethics charge, admitting violation
On Monday, the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission will hold a special meeting at which it will vote on whether to approve a negotiated settlement with Councilmember Kshama Sawant over an ethics charge stemming from last year’s “Tax Amazon” ballot proposition campaign. The ethics charge is the basis for one of the three charges in the recall petition against Sawant.
Continue readingJudge sets deadline to file signatures for Sawant recall petition
Wrapping up the final legal issue related to the recall of Councilmember Kshama Sawant, last Friday King County Superior court Judge Jim Rogers ruled on the deadline for when the recall campaign must submit the required signatures to get the recall on the election ballot, giving them until October 19 to gather just over 10,000 signatures.
Continue readingState Supreme Court sets schedule to decide Sawant recall petition appeal
Today the Washington State Supreme Court set the briefing schedule for Council member Sawant’s appeal of a lower court’s certification of a recall petition against her, with an expectation that it will decide the matter in early January.
Continue readingCatching up on the recall petitions
Two recall petitions — for Mayor Durkan and Council member Sawant — are moving through the court systems. Let’s check in.
Continue readingJudge certifies recall petition against Sawant
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.
Continue readingSawant 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 readingSawant schedules Thursday committee meeting to discuss payroll tax
In a somewhat bizarre move, Council member Sawant has called a meeting of her Sustainability and Renters Rights Committee for Thursday evening to discuss the proposed payroll tax that she and Council member Morales have introduced.
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