‘He uses his power to demonize segments of the community’: Gee backs petition to cancel Pierce County sheriff’s library events

KIRO host Gee Scott agrees with the more than 500 people who have signed a petition demanding the Pierce County Library System cancel all future events with Sheriff Keith Swank.

Gee and petition organizers pointed to Swank’s controversial social media posts, including an X post stating that being transgender is a mental health issue and that lawmakers should think about banning trans people from owning guns. Swank has also posted his thoughts about undocumented immigrants and stated that he wants to work collaboratively with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

“Should a public institution provide a platform to someone whose rhetoric makes segments of the public — the trans community, some of the undocumented immigrant community — makes them feel threatened by some of the words that he has tweeted all over X?” Gee asked on “The Gee and Ursula Show” on KIRO Newsradio. “This isn’t just someone; this is the top person in Pierce County when it comes to law enforcement. This isn’t some random citizen just renting a public space. This is someone with a badge and authority who said, ‘You will not win, ICE will win’ — full stop.”

“This is someone who also gets on X and talks about the trans people and asks if they should be banned from owning guns — that’s intimidation, that’s not dialogue, and to use a public place to do that is hot garbage. We wouldn’t even be having this question if this were at any other time. But right now, we have a time in history where the Pierce County Sheriff does not represent good leadership when it comes to law enforcement,” he continued. “As a matter of fact, he is an embarrassment to law enforcement, and there is no way in heck that they should ever allow him to use a public place.”

Pierce County Library System says it can’t deny Swank

The library said legally, it doesn’t have much choice, and the meeting rooms are first-come, first-served and cannot be denied based on someone’s viewpoint, according to The Tacoma News Tribune. Swank said he wouldn’t be silenced and booked the library space for a year.

Gee reiterated that Swank should not have a pedestal in a public place.

“He is the top-ranking law enforcement officer in Pierce County who uses his position to demonize segments of the community,” he said. “There is no way that you can let someone with that type of power go into a public place to basically — you’re not there for open dialogue, you’re there to use this part for intimidation. So this is where I say: Full stop. This is different. That dude is dangerous, period.”

As for supporters of Swank speaking, Gee had a response.

“It’s real easy to say, ‘Oh, Gee, he should definitely have a place to speak.’ It’s all fun until the rabbit gets the gun, and if it’s one of your loved ones who feels intimidated. So full stop on him having access to that,” he said.

Watch the full discussion in the video above.

Listen to Gee and Ursula on “The Gee and Ursula Show” weekday mornings from 9 am to 12 pm on KIRO Newsradio.