SEATTLE (AP) - A man is trying to start a petition drive to recall City Council member Kshama Sawant, who has been one of Seattle’s most vocal critics of the police department.
City council members this month approved the cut of $3 million from the police department’s budget, which Sawant was heavily involved in crafting. The action resulted in the layoff of about 100 officers.
A formal complaint was filed by Ernie Lou, who accused the councilwoman of misconduct, KOMO-TV reports.
The complaint requests that the Kings County Elections Office start the lengthy process of putting a recall vote of Sawant onto the ballot.
If officials verify that the complaint has followed the law, the complaint is forwarded to the prosecutor’s office. A judge then decides if the allegations warrant a recall vote. If so, then Lou would have 180 days to collect about 10,800 signatures in order to put the recall vote on the ballot.
Lou argues that Sawant violated city and state laws by misusing city funds and her authority when she opened City Hall in June to protesters and helped lead a march to Mayor Jenny Durkan’s house. Lou argues that because Durkan’s home address was not publicly available, that incident rises to the level of misuse of authority.
Sawant was not immediately available for comment.
An elected official can be recalled in Washington state if he or she “has committed some act or acts of malfeasance or misfeasance while in office or who has violated his oath of office.”
Please read our comment policy before commenting.