Seattle mayoral candidate launches website targeting Harrell’s response to sexual assault claims
Jun 27, 2025, 5:02 AM
Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell speaks onstage during the keynote program for the Northwest African American Museum King Day celebration. (Photo: Mat Hayward, Getty Images)
(Photo: Mat Hayward, Getty Images)
Seattle mayoral candidate Joe Mallahan launched a website targeting Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell, he confirmed to MyNorthwest.
The website, bad-bruce.com, takes aim at Harrell’s handling of sexual assault and harassment allegations.
“Mayor Bruce Harrell has looked the other way while women were harassed, silenced, and ignored—both inside City Hall and across Seattle. He defended predators, protected powerful men, and left victims without justice,” the opening statement reads. “Under his watch, the city stopped investigating sexual assault cases. His own senior deputy mayor—his niece—says he fostered a toxic boys’ club that demeaned and sidelined women.”
The website links to three articles. One, an op-ed from the Urbanist, claimed Harrell has a history of covering for abusers. Another, by KUOW, details Harrell’s niece’s story of alleged sexist behavior working under her uncle. The third is an article by KUOW and The Seattle Times regarding the Seattle Police Department (SPD).
Joe Mallahan compares himself to Bruce Harrell on KIRO Newsradio
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Joe Mallahan, former vice president of business development at T-Mobile, positioned himself as the more effective leader compared to Harell in a “Seattle’s Morning News” interview earlier this month.
“I think Bruce has badly mismanaged city government,” he said on KIRO Newsradio. “He’s allowed the police department to develop, I mean, there’s a lot going on there, but there’s a dysfunctional and demoralized police department, and he hasn’t been an activist mayor, even remotely in that regard. And homelessness continues to be a huge problem, and he shows very little vision.”
Harrell looks to reform SPD
In January, Harrell called for significant changes within SPD following a detailed investigation into allegations of gender discrimination and sexual harassment.
In April 2024, Harrell hired an outside investigator to look into claims of gender discrimination and sexual harassment in SPD after four women working for the department accused its leadership of harassment and discrimination.
