Former Bothell mayor cautions ‘defund the police’ is on November ballot

With four City of Bothell Council positions up for grabs this November, citizens of Seattle’s sister city to the north are aware that the defund the police movement is on the ballot, and they are concerned that it’s gaining ground.

Mark Lamb, former Bothell mayor, joined KTTH’s Jason Rantz show to break down those elections and clarify how he intends to fight anti-police politics.

“I joined with four other former mayors of Bothell,” Lamb said. “We represent both political parties and span the spectrum of views. All five of us agree that this is something that is too critical to not be united on, to not speak with one voice on.”

“We’re endorsing a group of candidates that, like us, represent both political parties, … but all of us stand united against pitting one group of lawful residents against another on the basis of race. All of us stand united behind our police department, which is one of the most compassionate and effective departments in the Puget Sound area. It has been both under sort of literal and ideological attack.”

The former Bothell mayor felt personally motivated to join this fight after the summer of 2020’s unrest and political demonstrations. He invoked the murder of Bothell’s Officer Jonathan Shoop as a clear example of why police should, in his view, be supported.

“Officer Jonathan Shoop was murdered in the city by somebody who subscribed to the defund the police, anti-police mentality,” Lamb continued. “That tragedy, I think, really galvanized our community.”

“This is a national movement [of] a very sinister nature that is trying to infect local politics with
racial division, with hatred and with collectivist animosity towards to those who have dedicated their lives to law enforcement.”

Bothell Police Officer Jonathan Shoop was ‘a dedicated servant’

He gave examples of council candidates who support defunding the police, something which he claims is demonstrative of racial divisiveness, and why that should be cause to mobilize Bothell voters.

“We just had a candidates’ forum last week in which three candidates were asked, ‘would you … support funding the police?’ Two of them put like a thumb sideways, and then another one made clear further … they absolutely do support defunding the police,” Lamb continued.

“I think that kind of attitude is one that has to be taken very, very seriously because the reality is a majority of our city council is up this November.”

Lamb clarified which council candidates his coalition will be supporting this November. Those are

Jeanne Zornes, Position 1

Rosemary McAuliffe, Position 3

Ben Mahnkey, Position 5

Beca Nistrian, Position 7.

He spoke to what’s at stake in this election, that Bothell’s council has the potential to elect a majority which supports defunding the police.

“If these people get a majority, if they win four seats on the Bothell City Council, this November, they will have a majority for four years,” Lamb cautioned. “Even if we were to sweep the elections in two years, they would still have a four person majority for the next four years, and I’m concerned about the damage that they could do to the quality of life here and to our law enforcement.”

Listen to the Jason Rantz Show weekday afternoons from 3 – 6 p.m. on KTTH 770 AM (or HD Radio 97.3 FM HD-Channel 3). Subscribe to the podcast here.