Kshama Sawant, Seattle City Councilmember and self-identified Socialist, will head to the Washington State Supreme Court this coming January to continue her appeal of a recall effort made against her.. Capitol Hill resident and LGBTQ+ activist, Ernie Lou, submitted the petition for recall of Sawant on August 18, 2020. Yet the campaign still had approximately $90,000 in unspent donated campaign money that appears to now be going to Sawant's allies. "[36], She is also a supporter of expanding public transit and bikeways, ending corporate welfare, ending racial profiling, reducing taxes on small businesses and homeowners, protecting public sector unions from layoffs, living wage union jobs, and social services. An … Closing out her first term four years ago, Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant was riding high. Though this could be seen by some as just normal campaign staffing practices, also listed on the filing is SurePayroll, which is listed as a vendor for "payroll taxes." Be bold. She is a member of Socialist Alternative. SCC Insight continues "…The domain name 'socialistalternative.org' is registered to the Seattle office, and the administrative contact is Ted Virdone — a longtime SA member and currently a legislative assistant working for Sawant." [20][37] Her campaign for a $15 an hour minimum wage has been credited for bringing the issue into the mainstream and attracting support for the policy from both Seattle former Mayors Michael McGinn and Ed Murray. "[63], In 2013, Sawant urged other left-wing groups, including Greens and trade unions, "to use her campaign as a model to inspire a much broader movement. Her reported marriage to a high-powered Microsoft engineer, Vivek Sawant, raised eyebrows given how she railed against the gentrification of Seattle. District 3 Councilmember Kshama Sawant announces bid for third term Socialist Alternative member pledges to fight for people, against corporate interests Photo by Brandon Macz: District 3 Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant announces her re-election campaign at Saba Ethiopian Cuisine on Thursday, Jan. 24. ... She and her husband live in an $800,000+ home. After passing the “Amazon Tax,” Seattle City Councilwoman Kshama Sawant went on this unhinged rant. UPDATE 1/8/2021 9:00 AM: Any decision in the case has not been publicly announced as of … A new marriage won’t be the only change for the firebrand progressive. wokeism, and political correctness, all while covering up corruption from the corridors of power. Sponsored Three veterinarian-recommended tips According to SCC insight "Sawant and Priest had over $13,000 of travel paid for them over the course of 2017: $1,850 by 'Movement for the 99 percent' and $11,176 by Socialist Alternative. Seattle councilwoman who facilitated occupation of city hall asks city to pay legal fees for her recall. While Sawant and her allies have been profiting off the campaign, businesses in Seattle continue to flee. [37][61] Sawant has stated that she does not advocate for any system like the "bureaucratic dictatorship" of the former Soviet Union, but for "democratic socialism" meaning "the society being run democratically in the interest of all working people on the planet, all children - everybody who has needs, and all that being done in an environmentally sustainable manner. Sawant ran unsuccessfully for the Washington House of Representatives before winning her … Oct. 10, 2019 at 6:00 am Updated Oct. 24, 2019 at 2:01 pm . [37] After Occupy Seattle protesters were removed from Westlake Park by order of Seattle Mayor Michael McGinn, Sawant helped bring them to the Capitol Hill campus of Seattle Central Community College, where they remained for two months. SCC insight notes that in 2018 "Sawant gave $13,800 to Socialist Alternative, and Socialist Alternative in turn spent over $11,000 flying Sawant and Priest around the world." up to our mailing list so we can stay in touch with you, our community. [59] Durkan also alleged that Sawant had used her council office to promote the "Tax Amazon" ballot initiative, urged protesters to occupy the East Precinct police station, and involved Socialist Alternative in her council office staffing decisions. She is an activist who brings a passion for social justice to her work as a public servant. Kshama Sawant (pronounced “ SHAH-mah sah-WANT “) is a 41-year-old part-time economics instructor at Seattle Central Community College. The judge determined that testimony provided by police demonstrated that it was technically the police themselves, not protesters, who had blocked traffic. She is an activist who brings a passion for social justice to her work as a public servant. [75], Sawant unsuccessfully opposed the construction of the Alaskan Way Viaduct replacement tunnel calling it "environmentally destructive" and "something most people were against, most environmental groups were against". Kshama Sawant faces Egan Orion in the most expensive Seattle City Council race so far this year . [20][37][38][39], During the 2014 Israel–Gaza conflict, Sawant urged the Seattle City Council to condemn both Israel's attacks on Gaza and Hamas's attacks on Israel, and called on President Obama and Congress to denounce the Israeli blockade of Gaza and to cut off all military assistance to Israel. But in 2013 it stopped filing the required annual Form 990 financial disclosures (a nonprofit’s equivalent of a tax return), and in 2016 the IRS revoked its 501(c)(4) status.". [21] On November 15, 2013, Conlin conceded to Sawant when returns showed him down by 1,640 votes or approximately 1% of the vote. The most recent filing with the Public Disclosure Commission for the Tax Amazon campaign included Sawant's husband Calvin Priest who works for The Socialist Alternative. Council member Sawant’s filing this year adds additional information than it did in the past, and in so doing challenges us to “follow the money.” They are hand in glove with the Democratic Party, pouring hundreds of thousands of dollars into their campaigns, and they tell rank and file workers that you have to be happy with these crumbs..." Sawant believes the American Labor movement should break with the Democratic Party and run grassroots left-wing candidates. As a member of the Seattle City Council, Kshama pledges to be a voice for workers, youth, the oppressed and the voiceless. [48][49], Voters returned Sawant to the City Council and made her the first District 3 representative in November 2015, with 17,170 votes counted for Sawant and 13,427 for Banks, or 56% to 44%. Copyright ©2021 The Post Millennial All Rights Reserved. [14], After moving to Seattle, she taught at Seattle University and University of Washington Tacoma and was an adjunct professor at Seattle Central College. Kshama Sawant, the socialist on the Seattle City Council, is up for re-election, and the Establishment is determined to defeat her and the ideas she champions before they spread. Seattle councilwoman who facilitated occupation of city hall asks city to pay legal fees for her recall. Don’t take their narrative as fact. But thanks to dogged supporters, it is a refuge for nature, and nature lovers, in the city", "Socialist sworn in as Seattle city council member", "Kshama Sawant, Seattle City Councilwoman: McDonald's Doesn't Need Time To Phase In $15 Minimum Wage", "Speech by City Councilmember Sawant on $15 Victory", "Activist Democrats Support Socialist Candidate Kshama Sawant", "Sawant Lands Tom Morello/Serj Tankian 'Axis of Justice' Endorsement", "Mike O'Brien Expected to Make 'Significant Statement' In Support of Sawant", "Endorsements for the August 7 Primary Election", "Why Socialist Kshama Sawant's Campaign Matters, Win Or Lose", "Kshama Sawant: A Socialist, Indian-American Woman Running For Seattle City Council... And She May Win", "For Seattle council: Conlin against Sawant, O'Brien against Shen", Seattle's Socialist councilwoman to accept less than half of $117K salary, "Meet the Seattle Socialist Leading the Fight for a $15 Minimum Wage", "Kshama Sawant Speech at Vote Sawant election night party 11/6/2012", "War in Gaza: Israel takes fire from two Seattle City Council members", "Ambassador of Israel to US says Seattle's Kshama Sawant will have to retract statements", A Quick Interview With Journalist Chris Hedges, Kshama Sawant: I represent "aspirations of tens of thousands of people", "Kshama Sawant Is A Socialist But What Does That Even Mean? That she would donate the majority of her salary to charity Sawant on the campaign, businesses in Seattle to... Including phone numbers and addresses Supply in a Rural, Less Developed Economy: an Empirical.... Touch with kshama sawant husband, our Community 's Socialist City Council middle-class Tamil family in the spotlight North Carolina State in. 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