‘I should be able to run it the way I see fit’: Pierce County Sheriff clashes with county over ICE cooperation, budget

Pierce County Sheriff Keith Swank’s desire to cooperate with the federal government and ICE has pitted him in a fight against the county’s prosecuting attorney, who cited his cooperation was a direct conflict with the state’s sanctuary laws.

Swank joined “The Jason Rantz Show” on KTTH to point out the hypocrisy of this decision.

“After I was elected the sheriff of Pierce County, the county council passed an ordinance that said, in order for me to make any changes to the sheriff’s office, I had to ask permission from them,” Swank said. “Meaning, if I wanted to promote anybody, make a command staff or anything like that, I had to ask permission from them. That’s against the state constitution. The state constitution and the Attorney General clearly ruled that I have the ability to set up my office how I want to set it up, because I’m independently elected. And Mary Robnett, who’s the prosecuting attorney, said her legal advisor said no, they had the right to do that.”

Washington’s sanctuary law, known as the Keep Washington Working Act, passed in 2019, hampers the current administration’s efforts to carry out the mass deportations. The sanctuary law prevents local police from assisting federal authorities with civil immigration enforcement through local resources.

Both Swank and Robnett were in King County Superior Court this week after Swank attempted to have his own independent attorney represent him in this matter. The judge sided with the prosecutor’s office, barring Swank from having an outside attorney represent him.

“I want an attorney, and so Mary Robnett, the prosecutor, is my legal advisor,” Swank said. “I’m at odds with her. I say that her legal counsel was wrong, and she doesn’t care. She says, ‘I’m your legal advisor.’ And so I said, ‘I want my own attorney.’ And she says, ‘No, you can’t have your own attorney. I’m your legal advisor.'”

Pierce County prosecuting attorney always at odds with sheriff

While Swank clarified that she isn’t acting in bad faith, and that this is just a disagreement where she is interpreting the law wrong, he did note that he remains suspicious because she has continuously endorsed his opponents.

“I don’t know if it’s anything more sinister or not,” Swank said. “I’ve been involved in politics for a long time, Jason, and you know politics, sometimes people want to get their gift backs.”

Court records obtained by KOMO News showed Swank and Robnett have been at odds with each other for months on several issues, including the sheriff’s intention to cooperate with the federal government and ICE. Swank wants to enter into agreements with ICE, but Robnett has stated that, under state law, he doesn’t have the legal authority to do so.

A Seattle judge weighed in

A temporary injunction was granted by the judge Monday to prevent Swank from using his own attorney, but there will be a hearing later in July. As for additional next steps, that’s between Swank and his attorney.

“I’ll be talking with my attorney and asking him about what next steps he’ll do for me, and if he will do them,’ Swank said. “If he won’t do them, then I guess I’ll have to try to find some other attorney, I don’t know.”

He stated that his commanding staff at the sheriff’s office is in full support of him.

“It’s a big, huge county, and we have a big police agency. I should be able to run it the way I see fit,” Swank said. “I’ll answer to the council if I waste money and answer to the voters if I don’t do the right thing.”

Listen to the full conversation here.

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