JASON RANTZ

Rantz: Seattle City Attorney drags feet in charging Progressive activist

Dec 15, 2017, 5:56 AM | Updated: 9:36 am

pete holmes, Seattle City Attorney...

Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes. (AP File Photo/Elaine Thompson)

(AP File Photo/Elaine Thompson)

The Seattle Police Department recommended charging a former Seattle City Council candidate for violating the rules of the democracy voucher program back in October. Still, Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes hasn’t decided if he’ll pursue charges.

Sheley Secrest, a Progressive activist, attorney and vice president of the local NAACP, allegedly put her own money into her campaign, then falsely claimed it was donated by voters so that she would qualify for up to $150,000 in vouchers. Secrest isn’t offering a comment on the investigative findings, though in the past she’s denied any wrongdoing.

The Seattle Times reports that the detective in charge of the investigation recommended she be charged for this illegal act, a gross misdemeanor.

That recommendation was sent to Holmes’ office on October 24, yet he still hasn’t decided if he’ll pursue charges.

“The Democracy Vouchers program is new to the City, and this case is the first of its kind for the Criminal Division. We’re taking our time to make sure we get it right,” said Holmes’ spokeswoman Kimberly Mills in an email to the Seattle Times’ Bob Young.

I’m all for making sure you get this right, so long as getting it right means you’ll charge someone for trying to cheat the system – a system Holmes supported and participated in. The investigation found she broke the rules and Secrest should be held accountable.

By delaying a charge – or refusing to bring one at all – Holmes may be seen as giving a break to a candidate he ideologically supports.

Holmes has a history with dragging his feet and I hope this isn’t the case with Secrest. KIRO 7 reported earlier this year:

In dozens of cases, charges were not filed for months — sometimes even more than a year — after suspects were arrested. When charges were eventually filed, assistants working for Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes often gave no explanation for the delays.

This means that in cases where suspects are arrested for domestic violence and other serious crimes, they’ve been allowed to go free while waiting for charges.

In one case where police say a suspect committed other crimes while prosecutors waited to file, a judge described the actions by the City Attorney’s office as “a continuing problem.”

Speaking of the defendant in open court, the judge said the felony case he was later accused of “perhaps could have been avoided if the city was more diligent.”

Holmes also has a bit of a history of refusing to pursue charges that he has ideological allegiances to. In 2014, he dropped all marijuana tickets issued between January 1 and July 31 of the year because one officer was responsible for about 80 percent of tickets (there is no indication that the recipients didn’t break the law).

This is all, in part, why Holmes has such a fractious relationship with the Seattle Police Department.

Will he charge Secrest? Anyone with a vested interest in Democracy Vouchers should be asking Holmes to take this seriously. If he doesn’t, it makes the system even more susceptible to damaging criticisms.

Jason Rantz on AM 770 KTTH
  • listen to jason rantzTune in to AM 770 KTTH weekdays at 3-7pm toThe Jason Rantz Show.

Jason Rantz Show

Jason Rantz

Burien lawsuit...

Jason Rantz

Exclusive: City of Burien sues King County for breaking contract in homeless camping ban

The City of Burien filed a lawsuit against King County for its refusal to enforce a homeless camping ban that was lawfully adopted.

7 hours ago

Image: The Stevens County Sheriff's Office says it recently received an odd call from a Sasquatch h...

Jason Rantz

Rantz: Sheriff’s office asked legality of hunting Sasquatch in Stevens County

A Sasquatch hunter had an interesting question for the Stevens County sheriff. Is it legal to hunt Sasquatch?

23 hours ago

Image: Children bike past Wilson Elementary in Spokane....

Jason Rantz

Rantz: ‘Racist’ Spokane elementary school’s ‘slaves and hobos’ ignites controversy

After a teacher told students they could dress as "slaves and hobos" for an event, the Spokane NAACP cried foul.

2 days ago

Images: At left, Bellevue Police Department Officer Kevin Bereta is seen in his uniform. At right, ...

Julia Dallas

Bellevue officer injured in VP Harris motorcade recalls road to reclaiming benefits

Bellevue Police Officer Kevin Bereta's life changed while he was on VP Kamala Harris' service detail during her visit to Washington.

2 days ago

permanent supportive housing...

Jason Rantz

Rantz: You’re being lied to about permanent supportive housing in Redmond

Redmond residents rightly push back against permanent supportive housing as a solution for the homeless, as Seattle media get in the way.

3 days ago

WA State Attorney General Bob Ferguson campaigning.  (Photo by Karen Ducey/Getty Images)...

Jason Rantz

Rantz: On crime, Bob Ferguson campaign made its first massive blunder

The Bob Ferguson campaign wants you thinking his top priority is crime. His entire political history says otherwise.

4 days ago

Rantz: Seattle City Attorney drags feet in charging Progressive activist