Sama sawan
Seattle (Associated Press)-Seattle’s voters retained Kshama Sawant, the socialist Seattle City Councilman, a controversial legislator and a long-time enemy of his hometown technology giant Amazon.
Sawant has faced recalls. On December 17, King County Elections officially certified the recall election on December 7, showing that Sawant voted “no” with 50.4% of the people and 49.6% with a “yes” vote, winning by a narrow margin.
Sawant is a 48-year-old economics professor and the longest-term councilman in Seattle.
By surviving the recall, she provided a boost to liberal Seattle’s troubled left wing, which was hit hard in the general election last month when the business-friendly candidate won seats in the mayor’s office and council.
Savant said: “It seems that we have defeated the joint efforts of big companies, the right wing, corporate media, courts and political institutions, who are trying to replace our Socialist Committee office in any necessary way.”
Recall that Sawant campaign manager Henry Bridger II said in a statement, “[Sawant’s] The fluke sent a clear message: Seattle voters are eager for constructive representatives and will not tolerate slash-and-burn politicians who shirk responsibility and divide the city. Sawant should represent all of us, not just those who agree with her, and we hope this election will show her. “
Since she started her political career under the banner of the Socialist Alternative Party in 2012, she has had a huge influence on the tone and direction of Seattle politics when she failed to run for state representative.
Sawant was elected to the city council the following year. She threatened to launch a voter initiative calling for an immediate increase of the minimum wage of $15. This was considered to be a pressure on business leaders and then Mayor Ed Murray to agree to a wage increase. Agreement to 15 dollars. several years. Seattle was the first major city in the United States to adopt such measures.
But critics say that her rhetoric is more than substance, and that her arrogant antics are incompatible with good governance.
Sawant has been pushing rent control, cutting police funding, and expanding taxes on high-income earners such as Amazon to pay for affordable housing, schools, and community services.
The recall question on the ballot cited a minor campaign financial irregularity admitted by Sawant, for which she paid a fine and claimed that she led a protest march to the home of Mayor Jenny Durkan, despite Dekan’s The address is protected by the state secrecy law due to her previous job as a federal prosecutor. The recall question also cited her decision to let in a group of protesters when the city hall was closed due to the pandemic.
Sawant denied leading the parade to Durkan’s home, although she did participate in the parade.
After George Floyd was murdered by the Minneapolis police, she defended her decision to let “black life and life” demonstrators enter the city hall.
“Seattle is an amazing place, full of potential,” Bridger said. “I ran [the recall] Campaign, because I love this city and believe that we need to work together to create a better Seattle. I am full of hope for our future, and I believe that better days are yet to come. “
