SEATTLE NEWS ARCHIVES & FEATURES

Dori: Dow Constantine allegedly gave county contracts to accused rapist

Jul 18, 2019, 4:00 PM

Constantine, Dow...

King County Executive Dow Constantine. (KIRO Radio, Hanna Scott)

(KIRO Radio, Hanna Scott)

We have been covering Dow Constantine for the last couple of months rather extensively and exclusively along with reporter Carolyn Ossorio.

We had multiple stories about Dow Constantine allegedly using the King County Sheriff’s Office Executive Protection Unit as his own private taxi service, making them ferry him around after business hours so he could go out drinking nearly every night.

As we mentioned before on the show, Dow Constantine has suspected one of his protection deputies of being the source of our stories. This deputy was actually not the source. However, because of Dow’s suspicions, every time the deputy is assigned to protect Dow Constantine, he allegedly gets removed from the Executive Protection Detail, losing out on some nice overtime.

This has happened even though King County Sheriff Mitzi Johanknecht said in a memo that there would be no retaliation for anybody who spoke to KIRO Radio, and even though the guy was not actually our source in the first place.

Is Dow Constantine’s affair our business? Dori weighs in

This is the kind of person that Dow Constantine has shown himself to be. These events also reveal that, apparently, Mitzi Johanknecht lied when she promised us on-air that she would always come on our show to address concerns. We have soft-pedaled that for about three months, and I will soft-pedal it no more. She lied to me and she lied to you. And when the head of your county law enforcement agency lies, that is a pretty critical issue for the public.

Now we are learning even more about our county executive. In Thursday’s edition of The Seattle Times, according to a complaint made by the former head of the King County Parks Division, Dow Constantine got the division to give a concessions deal to Seattle restaurant and nightclub owner David Meinert. Meinert is currently facing sexual assault and misconduct allegations from 11 women. What he allegedly did to these women, according to KUOW’s extensive reporting, is pretty horrific.

The fact that Dow Constantine allegedly funneled multi-million-dollar food and beverage contracts for Marymoor Park events — including the Marymoor Park concert series and Cirque du Soleil performances — to this alleged rapist because Meinert donated quite a bit to his campaign is more than a little troubling, but it’s in-line with everything we have come to learn about our county executive.

Dow, you are welcome to come on the show and refute the things that we say because of our sources. Our sources are rock-solid, but you always have the chance to come on-air and dispute them.

The corruption in King County is as bad as we have ever seen. We will keep following this because we are getting tips on a daily basis. The more we talk about it, the more that people who work for the county are coming forward with very credible information about how bad this system is.

Italy's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani addresses the 81st session of the...

Associated Press

They said it: Leaders at the UN, in their own words

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Many leaders saying many things about many topics that matter to them, to their regions, to the world: That’s what the U.N. General Assembly invariably produces each year. And each year, certain voices dominate. Here, The Associated Press takes the opposite approach and spotlights some thoughts from leaders who might have […]

1 hour ago

FILE - President Donald Trump, center left, shakes hands with Javier Milei, President of Argentina,...

Associated Press

US will make up to $7 billion in loans to help Trump ally Milei tap Argentina’s oil and minerals

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — The Trump administration said Wednesday it would set aside $7 billion for loans to support energy, mining and infrastructure projects in Argentina, its latest move to secure energy and critical minerals closer to home and back the South American country’s libertarian president. The U.S. Export-Import Bank, a federal agency, would […]

1 hour ago

gluten free...

MyNorthwest Staff

Gluten-free brand recalls flour, bread, and pizza mixes

A gluten-free brand is recalling multiple mixes due to potential undeclared wheat gluten.

2 hours ago

Lummi Island Ferry...

Brooke Griffin, KIRO 7 News

Whatcom County receives $25 million grant to replace Lummi Island Ferry

The Lummi Island ferry is next in line for a major upgrade!

3 hours ago

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg speaks during the Meta Connect conference, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026, in M...

Associated Press

Meta bets big on wearable AI, new AI agent as Zuckerberg pushes back against AI doom

Meta is going all in on a consumer-friendly AI agent and pushing forward with AI-powered wearable devices during a moment in the industry when its CEO Mark Zuckerberg acknowledged it is a “wild time to be building.” At the company’s annual Connect conference on Wednesday, Zuckerberg opened his keynote address by saying “it’s no secret […]

3 hours ago

Unlicensed animal rescue Puyallup...

Frank Lenzi

15 dogs, 2 cats removed from unlicensed animal rescue in Puyallup

Authorities removed 15 dogs and two cats from what they described as "deplorable conditions" at an unlicensed animal rescue at a Puyallup home on Tuesday.

3 hours ago

Dori: Dow Constantine allegedly gave county contracts to accused rapist