Comments

2
Nikkita is running for mayor, not city council.

Jon Grant has the experience and the background of standing up to powerful interests. I'm not sure if a literal business owner or a candidate backed by the Democratic party could say the same.

Jon is what this city needs more of on the council. He has the endorsement of current and former councilmembers as well as numerous leaders and organizations across the state. These personal attacks are getting old.
3
@1 Derp wrong race. But at least Oliver is running a campaign in support of vulnerable communities from a place of authenticity, as a queer POC renter, instead of as a white male homeowner from Bainbridge Island doing performative activism enabled by his privilege, like the photo-op arrest at Chase Bank or slumming it overnight in a tent, in front of cameras, at a homeless encampment. Oliver's also built a grassroots treasury of real cash coming straight out of the purses and wallets of people putting skin in the game, rather than found-money Democracy Vouchers.

In a race with stellar candidates including a Latinx public health advocate, a gay Muslim doctor, and an accomplished female POC community activist, how can one advocate for replacing Tim Burgess with another mediocre white male? Populist campaign slogans, non-disclosure agreements obscuring the facts amid accusations of mistreatment of female and/or POC subordinates...which phony demagogue does that remind you of?
4
When they can't win with their platform, they try to win with personal attacks.
5
Every time these far lefties are criticized they obfuscate by screaming about corporate interests. Hopelessly predictable. I hope this idiot gets knocked out in the primary.
6
Shorter version: Grant's a typical politician: ethically shaky and focused solely on his own career.
7
Weird how the Chamber of Commerce candidate is sent out to peddle the capital-L Labor attack that hadn't taken hold for months
8
On the one hand, yes, Sara Nelson seems guilty of some opportunism in refocusing on this controversy less than a week before the primary election. On the other hand, Jon Grant's mismanagement at and dubious departure from the Tenants Union are valid concerns. Voters should know about Grant's controversial tenure there, although Nelson's timing suggests as much a desire to win as to enlighten. I note, too, how recent Grant's Tenants Union service was and how reticent he was to acknowledge the depth of his problems there. These issues remain troubling, especially as several other highly qualified candidates, without this sort of baggage, are running in this race.
9
@8, Grant is running for Council, not for an ED position at an organization. I doubt if too many -- or any -- current Councilmembers would be good organizational EDs, but they're all doing just fine as Councilmembers. And if you are conversant with Grant's difficulties at the TU, why don't you specify how you came to that knowledge? Otherwise, it sounds like you're just assuming what some others say is correct.
10
Remember the last time a centrist white woman backed by corporate interests tried mudslinging her way into an office? We ended up with that Orange Buffoon as president. Sara Nelson isn't going to be happy until we get an equivalent of Dave Reichert on the city council.
11
Anyone slinging mud at Jon Grant simply can't argue against his record or his policies, so they're going for the low-hanging fruit of personal attacks.

His record and his platform stand on their own. There are many good candidates in the race, but none of them have a proven track record of standing up to big money interests like Jon does. Vote Grant.
12
The empire, I mean the monied establishment strikes back.
13
Please people, don't get tricked into basing your vote on this tacky article.

When I needed help getting my landlord to do his job, Jon and the TU were there. When our daycare teacher refused to pay her rent increase until she got her oven fixed, the TU backed her up. Jon has a lengthy record of speaking truth to power and getting shit done.

There are many good candidates in this and other city-wide races, including Teresa Mosqueda. But looking at position 8 and comparing the real-life differences the candidates have made in individuals' lives, especially in the south end, I can think of no better person to represent us than Jon Grant. People who work hard but don't get ahead need a voice like Jon's on the city council.

I am so sick of the Stranger driving wedges between Seattle progressives. Especially this season. I would have much preferred an article comparing the candidates' solutions to the housing crisis (see Jon's website for lots of great ideas!) than a shady article about the TU's office squabbles. That's their business, not ours.

14
#3 nails it. Most embarrassing SECB endorsement since Mark fucking Sidran.
15
I awoke this morning to the the overcast and drizzle, opened my glowing electric box and began to visually digest the day's events. And to that I say, "Hooray for the comments section!!!" Reading the half-baked musings of readers fills me with delight. I am constantly upbraided by my contemporaries for my jaundiced view of the average persons ability to comprehend. it has caused me, from time-to-time, to doubt the veracity of my beliefs. But then, like a gift from Olympus, I am vindicated!

Whether it is a planted shill for one candidate shouting, "Vote for Mr. Bumblestick! He has the experience to do the few narrow things my small emotional brain likes!", or, the indolent prattle of self-styled, pseudo-political (not to mention, self-appointed) (I hope I used enough hypens!) opinion wonks and their cobbled together explanations to us "lay baffoons," one is always guaranteed to be amused and bemused.

In the past I have been critical of The Stranger, but in this case I applaud them and pity them in equal measure. Applaud them for writing, what I read, as a reasonably balanced and unbiased article about Jon Grant and a troubling mystery that he only compounds by his vague and obfuscated reasoning. He's splitting hairs and the reasonable person should be asking, "why?" I pity The Stranger because none of this work matters. It fell upon blind-eyed ideologues. If, as Mencken so aptly coined, the "Booboisie" thinks my head is filled with fallacious sailboat fuel, I have done good work in the service of the thinking class.

But, that's not what I came to talk about, I merely wanted to thank you all, it made my first cup that much tastier.
16
When I needed help getting my landlord to do his job, Jon and the TU were there.

The TU is a great organization that provides a crucial service for renters, something that was true before Grant was hired and will continue to be true as long as it exists. That these services are valuable and important is why we should be particularly wary of Grant, who tried to shift the organization away from this kind of work, toward more grandstanding political advocacy for quixotic campaigns for rent control--a campaign that will do nothing for tenants, but helped Grant launch his political career.
17
@2: TIL Fremont Brewery and small businesses who create jobs and stimulate the economy are evil "powerful interests".

Great god, this city sometimes...
18
Basically, the people who actually worked with him day-in and day-out thought was extremely lousy. That says quite a lot about the guy.
19
Pretty sure the excerpt below, that references Grant's own well lubricated words, demonstrates his suitability for city council. A+ for pandering, good sir! We are proud of your ability to recognize your white privilege, come forward to receive your reward!

When asked about the complaints earlier this month, Grant said in a written statement he “tried in every situation to empower my staff,” but recognized that “there were concerns from some staff about my leadership.”

“I want to take responsibility for that as a person with both white privilege and positional authority,” Grant said. "It is clear I did not meet the expectations of these staff members to support them as people of color within the organization.”

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