By Dave Workman
Editor-in-Chief
Socialist Seattle, Washington Mayor Katie Wilson, whose response to a deadly July shooting incident during the city’s annual “Bite of Seattle” celebration was to announce she would “bring in an expert in gun violence reduction,” and work with various pro-gun control groups, is now facing a possible recall effort.
An Aug. 31 hearing is scheduled in King County Superior Court to determine whether a recall petition submitted to the Prosecutor’s Office can move forward. The petition was launched by a Seattle couple which contends Wilson’s job performance has been plagued by inexperience, including her response to the shooting and other violent crime. They told KOMO news that Wilson “is derelict in her duties for the public safety of the City of Seattle.”
Wilson made headlines last year when she defeated incumbent Mayor Bruce Harrell, despite having never before held elective office.
Following the July shooting, in which three people—including one of the suspected gunmen—were killed, Wilson held a press conference in which she declared, “We are bringing in an expert in gun violence reduction – including youth violence prevention – who will partner with our city staff and our community-based partners to strengthen our coordination and accountability across our existing bodies of work. We are also in communication with and reaching out to the National Network for Safe Communities, Cure Violence Global, the National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform, and Cities United. These are organizations with demonstrated track records of helping cities to stand up successful gun violence reduction strategies across the country. And we look forward to learning from them about gaps and opportunities to enhance our existing gun violence work.”
Wilson has only been in office about eight months. In the aftermath of the Seattle Center shooting, she fired Police Chief Shon Barnes, which critics said was an effort to deflect blame for her own ineptitude.
