JASON RANTZ

Two Seattle police officers personally suing Kshama Sawant

Aug 22, 2017, 1:05 PM | Updated: 2:13 pm

Kshama Sawant, democracy vouchers...

(KIRO 7)

(KIRO 7)

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Seattle police officers Scott Miller and Detective Michael Spaulding are suing Kshama Sawant as an individual for “having their reputations ruined by an ambitious politician, doing so for personal gain.”

RELATED: No charges against officers who fatally shot Che Taylor

The lawsuit, filed by Williams, Kastney and Gibbs, claims Sawant, acting beyond her scope as a city councilmember, personally defamed the two officers who were involved in the shooting death against Che Taylor after he allegedly pulled a gun on them. A gun was found at the scene and a witness corroborates the story from Miller and Spaulding. A King County inquest jury found that Taylor, indeed, posed a threat of death or serious injury to these two officers.

According to the filing, “…having never spoken to the officers, their attorney, the department, and with the investigation still incomplete, Kshama Sawant was publicly pronouncing these officers ‘murderers’ and referring to the shooting as a product of ‘racial profiling.’ As a consequence of her rhetoric, the lawsuit alleges the officers were “publicly berated and chastised” and Miller had to move.

“Citizens of this community have this right (to file the lawsuit),” said Kevin Stuckey, president of the Seattle Police Officers Guild. “Kshama Sawant said those things but it’s up to a jury to decide.”

This is the second lawsuit filed against Sawant this month. Carl Haglund’s attorney says Sawant introduced a law prohibiting landlords from raising rents for buildings that do not meet basic maintenance standards. She referred to the legislation as “the Carl Haglund law.”

We have reached out to Sawant’s office. Check back for updates. 

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Two Seattle police officers personally suing Kshama Sawant