Rantz: Seattle council woman a ‘hard pass’ on punishing drug crime

A Socialist Seattle city councilwoman declared she’s a “hard pass” on legislation making public drug use a misdemeanor crime.

Democrats in the state Legislature balked at a fix to the State v. Blake decision, which invalidated the state’s felony drug possession law. Consequently, drug possession becomes legal July 1, leaving cities and counties with the responsibility to pass drug legislation. But in Seattle, the most extreme voices are hellbent on making the drug crime crisis even more deadly.

Moderate Democrat councilmembers Sara Nelson and Alex Pederson teamed with moderate Republican City Attorney Ann Davison to introduce legislation turning public drug use into a misdemeanor crime, punishable by up to 90 days in jail if the criminal addict refuses drug treatment. It is a watered-down, weak bill for anyone serious about tackling the historic rise in fatal overdoses and drug-related crimes. But it is the best that one could hope for in far-left Seattle, where fringe Democrats hold the power.

Socialist Councilmember Tammy Morales was asked to support the plan. Her response was, “Hard pass.” That should be the response from voters she’s asking to re-elect her. She’s a monster.

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Morales has one big accomplishment: Enabling Seattle drug crimes

Morales is happy to keep addicts on the street using until they finally succumb to the inevitable fatal overdose. Though she pretends to stand for social justice causes, all she’s doing is hurting addicts who are disproportionately black. She’ll say black lives matter while turning a blind eye to their suffering. She has no interest in solving Seattle’s drug crime crisis.

If members of the City Council can’t back the weakest of weak compromises, it signals absolute disaster. Morales spends little time in the communities she’s destroying, so she can feign ignorance while she stands on a soap box to self-righteously declare herself a hero for not “criminalizing addiction.” But that’s a bumper sticker talking point used by ignorant politicians who love using the suffering of others to prop up their sorry political careers. If the drug addicts were smoking fentanyl in the front yard of her multi-million dollar home, she might support commonsense laws. Many addicts need consequences, or their addiction won’t ever get treatment.

We’re supposed to criticize policies, not people. But when the person stands in the way of a life-saving policy without any attempt to even pretend to offer serious solutions in good faith, she’s the problem. She’s a monster with blood on her hands. When given the opportunity to help save lives, she’s actively getting in the way even though she knows she’s ensuring an addict’s death. She might as well be the drug dealer; she emboldens the drug addict all the same.

Hard pass https://t.co/3oG6Ll1lr7

— Councilmember Tammy J. Morales (@CMTammyMorales) April 28, 2023

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