"If Kshama Were a Man She’d Be Treated Differently': Democratic Women Defend Sawant - The Stranger

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Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant gives speech on the step inside City Hall as people stand behind her holding signs that read “We need rent control” and “build city owned housing.” (Photo Courtesy of the City of Seattle)

Councilmember Kshama Sawant has called the recall campaign many things: racist, right-wing, an act of voter suppression. Women who stand against the recall, whether they support Sawant’s leftward politics or not, add an additional descriptor to the attempt to unseat the loudest woman of color on the council: sexist…

In February, the 43rd District Democrats, a local party organization that covers the district Sawant represents on council, opposed the recall and called it out as racist and misogynist.

The 43rd LD Dems communications chair, Kelsey Hamlin, said in an email, “Men have always been allowed ‘mistakes’ and even atrocities yet still remain respected members of the US and local political spheres.”

She pointed to mayor-elect Bruce Harrell, who was accused of hiding wage theft at a The Royal Esquire club, a private social club for Black men that he’s led…

“Apparently even that isn't enough to keep him from winning office,” Hamlin said. “But a brown woman gives access to a public City Hall, paid for with our tax dollars, for a peaceful sit-in one time, and that becomes one of the biggest tools in the Recall Sawant toolbox? Come on.”

…Shasti Conrad, who is the first woman of color to chair the King County Democrats, agreed that men in Seattle have seen less backlash for far greater sins, citing Mayor Ed Murray and his sex abuse allegations as an example.

The King County Democrats have never endorsed Sawant, and Conrad thinks Sawant should “maybe re-evaluate” some of her tactics, but the former D3 resident supports the council member in the recall because she believes the campaign is an effort to “undo democratically elected processes.”

“Recalls are often used on people that the folks think have vulnerabilities, and a lot of times that is unduly put towards women people of color,” Conrad said. “Women, and people of color, and women of color pay a price that isn't leveraged at others, especially white men.”

Even in her own position, Conrad noticed that members of the public and people within her organization are more likely to push back on her than on her vice chair, who is a white man.

The other women on the council also face a high level of scrutiny. To pick one example, in 2016, hundreds of men sent hateful emails to the women on the council after the majority rejected a street vacation for an NBA arena.

…Conrad called the Seattle Times editorial an act of “character assassination.” She described the editorial as a bunch of ''dog whistles'' that amount to “we don’t like this lady.”

“It’s all respectability politics, and that is not enough to turn over an election,” Conrad said. “You know how many men have yelled and been gross and horrible? And we've had to live with them.”

…As Nolan’s comment implies, the recall will inevitably be a judgement of Sawant’s polarizing leadership style as well as the charges. Because of this, Conrad fears that attacks on Sawant’s character may do the socialist council member in, especially after more conservative candidates dominated in the general election.

Hamlin expressed a similar concern. “If Sawant is recalled… it gets us into a really dark place in Seattle that says men with money in 2021 can still, and should, thwart democracy to advance their agenda and constantly monitor elected women of color under a microscope to do it,” she said.

Ready to deploy new PAC in support, 43rd District Dems take progressive approach in 2021 endorsements: González, Oliver, Thomas-Kennedy - CHS Blog

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It was a calm and orderly takeover Tuesday night as progressive candidates completed a mostly clean sweep of November election endorsements by the 43rd District Democrats. Meanwhile, the local Dems from neighborhoods across Capitol Hill to across Lake Union in Fremont and Green Lake hope to deploy new influence this election season as they launch a first for the community group — a political action committee to raise funds to support its slate of endorsed candidates.

We're proud to endorse Seattle’s bold progressives: Nikkita Oliver, Nicole Thomas-Kennedy, & Lorena Gonzalez

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SEATTLE — The 43rd District Democrats are excited to announce that we’ve elected to endorse our most progressive slate of candidates yet. And, this year, it hits a little different: These candidates will have the backing of our snowballing PAC. Thanks to a growing list of founders, we will put not just words but material actions behind our candidates.

“We voted loud and clear for Seattle’s most vulnerable tonight,” said Scott Alspach, the 43rd’s Chair. “The candidates we’ve endorsed are those who have repeatedly stood by Seattle’s displaced working class and impoverished. These candidates have already been and will be the bold, unfearing leadership we need to address so many of our current inequitable crises.”

“I’ve worked on the frontlines of many of the crises facing our city,” Seattle City Council Pos. 9 Nikkita Oliver said. They know we must respond to the climate crisis in front of us by ending exclusionary zoning, building workforce housing, and expanding a free transportation system. Oliver won with 74.55% of our votes (in a count of 82 to 20).

“Our shortage of affordable housing is a crisis,” said City Attorney candidate Nicole Thomas-Kennedy, the only Democrat in the race. “Jail is not an answer, housing is.” She was endorsed with 77.68% (87) of our votes.

In an 88 to 25 vote (76.52%), the 43rd District Democrats also endorsed Lorena Gonzalez for Seattle Mayor. “I’ll demilitarize police, hold bad cops accountable, and expand the civilian community service officer program,” Gonzalez said. “We can push for the policies that make sense for our people, and not abandon our progressive values.”

“There’s a reason that Lorena González Nikkita Oliver, Nicole Thomas-Kennedy, and Teresa Mosqueda are the only candidates in their races with endorsements from local Democratic Party organizations. They are the progressive leaders our city needs, and are each the clear choice for Democratic voters in Seattle.”

For other races, our 2021 primary election endorsements carry over to the general.

Durkan Text Scandal Whistleblowers Sue City for Retaliation - The Urbanist

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(Photo by Kelsey Hamlin)

Mayor Durkan was facing a recall campaign urging her to resign or face removal with an online petition that had gathered more than 43,000 signatures by late October. The City’s Human Rights Commission, LGBTQ Commission, Seattle Immigrant and Refugee Commission, and three Democratic groups — the 43rd District Democrats, 37th District Democrats, and 36th Districts Democrats — called for the Mayor resignation or removal.

We oppose the Recall campaign against Councilmember Kshama Sawant

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Tuesday night, Feb. 16, we passed a resolution supporting Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant with 82.5% of the votes casted in favor.

“We have stood behind Councilmember Sawant before, and there is no reason for us to stop now—in fact, quite the opposite,” 43rd Democrats Chair Scott Alspach says. “It is shameful to see such an undemocratic and retaliatory effort led by the same upper-class in Seattle who perpetuated racist and misogynistic attacks against Sawant for years. As a Council District 3 resident myself, I call on fellow Democrats to join me in opposition to the Recall effort.”

43rd District Democrats have previously endorsed Sawant for her successful re-election campaign in 2019. During that campaign, Sawant faced PAC opponents and flyers led by former Councilmember and ex-police officer Tim Burgess. The petition’s allegations mirror Mayor Jenny Durkan’s, a former federal prosecutor who had wrongfully imprisoned and prosecuted protesters that were out of town. Given her responses to the summer events of 2020, we have previously called on Durkan to resign. Both the Recall petition and Durkan weaponize Sawant’s support for Black Lives Matter, claiming she led a march to Durkan’s house which was in fact led by people of color in Seattle’s grassroots organizing communities.

Prominent people in Seattle’s business community are among those who lead the Recall effort and have long opposed Sawant’s stances. Her own 2019 opponent, Egan Orion—who was backed by large businesses and corporations, like Amazon, and the aforementioned PAC—gave the emails of his campaign’s supporters to the Recall effort.

"I had the pleasure of being a colleague with Councilmember Sawant for six years,” former Councilmember Mike O'Brien said during the meeting. “Don't get confused by the rhetoric of people who disagree with her policy that she's 'hard to work with.' She's committed to her values and when those values align, she is a great ally. She doesn't make the easy compromises that have bogged down our political system and put us where we are."

“As you know, this right wing recall campaign is an attack on all progressives,” Sawant said after the 43rd Democrats’ vote. “It's an attack on Black Lives Matter and all Seattle’s working people. It is a-right wing, big business effort not only to overturn a democratic election, but also our many victories."

We call for Mike Solan’s resignation

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SEATTLE — The 43rd District Democrats join all of the Seattle City Council, the mayor, Martin Luther King Jr. County Labor Council, Black Lives Matter Seattle-King County, and the Black Law Enforcement Association of Washington calling for the resignation of Seattle Police Officer Guild’s (SPOG’s) president, Mike Solan. The resolution calling for his resignation as president and as a Seattle Police Department (SPD) officer passed unanimously Jan. 19th.

We call attention to the people’s right to be free of police violence, especially given the Department of Justice investigation found that when SPD uses force, it’s unconstitutional 20% of the time. Such violence can and will reflect white supremacist state power unless checked. Such white supremacist power inherent in policing is evident not only with the five officers, so far, under investigation for joining the DC Capitol’s fascist mob, but also in Solan’s own social media use: from tweets to following the Proud Boys founder, Gavin McInnes, on Parler. Solan is also one of eight officers who have broken the law with impunity, using various SPD precincts or the Seattle Police Athletic Association address as a voting address. Solan has also skirted his own department’s public affairs recommendations.

The behavior Solan exhibits online and on camera as SPOG president has led to a citywide loss of confidence in his ability to perform as an officer of the law, and in his ability to be a good faith partner in contract negotiations.

"Trust is crucial in any healthy relationship, and officer Solan has abused the trust of the people of Seattle one too many times,” said 43rd District Democrats member Jessica Trupin. “I want to see him be accountable for his actions and make room for new leadership that recognizes what Seattle needs is not a police force that seeks conflict with protesters or that believes it's above the law, but prioritizes human safety and human rights. After a decade under the Consent Decree, things have gotten worse, not better, and officer Solan is very much a part of the leadership that has brought us to this terrible moment."

“This unanimous vote demonstrates loud and clear the extent to which Seattle’s residents no longer feel safe under Solan’s reign,” said 43rd District Democrats’ Chair Scott Alspach. “Mike Solan’s refusal to resign despite such sentiments shows that he cares more about advancing his own agenda than the safety of our city.”

The 43rd District Democrats strongly support the implementation of accountability measures sought by community groups in the next SPOG contract.