Sawant’s anti-Amazon efforts didn’t violate Seattle’s ethics code
Jun 22, 2018, 12:11 PM | Updated: 12:12 pm
Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant speaks, Tuesday, June 12, 2018, at City Hall in Seattle before a meeting to repeal the city’s controversial head tax. Sawant opposed the repeal. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
(AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
Seattle’s ethics authority has dismissed four complaints against Councilmember Kshama Sawant over her use of city resources, promoting anti-Amazon events for her own political party.
RELATED: Seattle council says Amazon is making head tax all about them
“In dismissing your complaint, I conclude only that Councilmember Sawant’s use of city time and equipment did not violate the Ethics Code. I make no judgement as to whether the use was prudent,” writes Wayne Barnett, executive director of Seattle’s Ethics and Elections Commission.
There were four complaints filed against the council member between May 15-16 over her use of city resources. Complainants argued that city resources should not be used for Sawant’s personal political party — literature and fliers supporting “Tax Amazon” events in April and May. One complaint cited MyNorthwest’s story on the issue for background.
A flier calling on Seattle to “tax Amazon” bears the seal of Seattle and Councilmember Kshama Sawant’s name. (Dyer Oxley, MyNorthwest)
Complaints note Councilmember Sally Bagshaw’s comments at a May 14 city council meeting, critical of Sawant’s use of city resources to promote anti-Amazon events — organized by her political party Socialist Alternative. The rallies supported the employee hours tax — aka the head tax — that the council was considering at the time.
“It is not known what cost of photocopying (machine use, wear and tear, cost of paper, cost of ink) but it is likely extensive. It is also unknown how many tens of thousands of flyers (sic), posters, and brochures that Ms. Sawant has inappropriately siphoned away at taxpayer expense,” one complaint reads.
None of the complaints cite city regulations or ethics codes.
Seattle’s Ethics and Elections Commission looked into the matter and sent a response to the complainants on June 20. It states that Sawant’s office did use city copy machines and city office time to promote anti-Amazon events calling to “tax Amazon” and “stand up to Bezos’ Bullying.”
Citing Seattle Municipal Code 4.16.070(2)(b), the ethics commission found that Sawant’s use of city resources served a city purpose — the council was promoting its head tax on Seattle’s top earning companies.
“…Councilmember Sawant was, however, acting within her scope of authority when she determined that the rally was a tool she could use to advance her position in support of the (employee hours tax) …. I do not believe that Councilmembe Sawant’s use of city resources to support the rally violated the Ethics Code. Accordingly, by this letter I am dismissing your complaint.”
Complainants can appeal the dismissal to the commission.
