Council President M. Lorena González (Citywide, Pos. 9) issued the following statement in response to Mayor Durkan’s letter making multiple allegations against Councilmember Kshama Sawant and requesting the City Council ‘investigate’ her actions in order to potentially ‘punish or expel’ her for ‘disorderly or otherwise contemptuous behavior.’
“Over the past several months, I have heard from many of my constituents and it is clear to me that the people of Seattle want us to focus on addressing the concurrent crises facing thousands of families and small businesses in Seattle. There is an ongoing pandemic, a worsening economic and job loss crisis, and a civil rights movement demanding we divest from racist, anti-Black systems and redirect those investments towards housing, education, and wealth-building opportunities for Black and Brown community members. These are the issues that demand our attention.
“These critical and concurrent challenges are unprecedented and require us to set aside our personal and political grievances and work together. The public airing of issues amongst and between independently elected officials will not advance solutions on the deepening needs of our constituents. I remain focused on finding solutions and would welcome a letter from Mayor Durkan detailing her vision on how we can work together on enacting concrete solutions that meaningfully address these crises.
“Mayor Durkan copied the director of the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission (SEEC) in her letter. As a former SEEC Commissioner, I have full faith in that independent agency to handle complaints that may fall into their jurisdiction. ”