State Supreme Court rejects effort to recall Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan

SEATTLE — The State Supreme Court rejected the effort to recall Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan.

The unanimous decision came down Thursday afternoon.

Those who petitioned to have Mayor Jenny Durkan recalled said she violated her oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution.

The recall effort blamed Durkan for the Seattle Police Department’s use of tear gas during protests in early June — and for allowing tear gas and other chemical agents to be used during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Peaceful demonstrations in Seattle, following the murder of George Floyd in Minnesota, turned to “chaos” and included property damage, multiple arson incidents, theft and injury to law enforcement, according to court documents.

Those documents stated that the petitioners failed to show that Mayor Durkan had violated her duties under law.

They also mentioned that the petitioners disagreed with the mayor’s policies and discretionary decisions, but failed to identify any facts and sufficient legal basis for recall.

“As for legal sufficiency, there is no evidence that any discretionary decision Mayor Durkan made in the midst of multiple ongoing civil emergencies was manifestly unreasonable.”

Cox Media Group