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The recall effort against Seattle Socialist Councilor Kshama Sawant may continue, the Washington State Supreme Court has ruled following an appeal to stop the movement.
Sawant is accused of abusing her office and betraying her role as a board member.
Sawant, an avowed socialist, described the recall effort as a right-wing attack. She did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News.
His campaign Twitter account on Thursday shared a fundraising post accusing the recall effort of having the backing of an unnamed “right-wing” billionaire and “business elite.”
“Seattle’s corporate elite are determined to recall Kshama and push City Hall to the right,” the campaign said.
Seattle City Council member Kshama Sawant listens to speakers at a women’s rights rally on International Women’s Day, Wednesday, March 8, 2017, in Westlake Park. (Genna Martin, seattlepi.com) (Photo by GENNA MARTIN / San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
(Getty Images)
She allegedly drove hundreds of protesters to City Hall after hours one night and is accused of joining another group of protesters at the home of Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan – though the mayor’s address is believed be kept secret because she is a former federal prosecutor.
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A spokesperson for Durkan’s office did not immediately respond to a Fox News request for comment. But at the time, the mayor said Sawant’s actions put his children in danger and protesters vandalized his home.
Sawant was also accused of abusing city resources and failing to meet public disclosure requirements.
Washington law states that recall efforts can only advance when the official has “committed an act or acts of wrongdoing” or violated an oath of office, meaning that at least one of the charges must stand or the movement would fail. There were initially six, but two were stripped by a lower court.
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His legal team had appealed the other four and argued that the charges were “factually and legally insufficient” to warrant a recall.
The state Supreme Court largely disagreed, but declined to uphold the charge that Sawant violated city employment rules by giving a socialist political group authority over a decision to dismissal.
Lawyers for the man leading the recall petition, Ernest Lou, have argued in court documents that voters should be given the opportunity to weigh in Sawant’s actions in a recall vote.
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This effort still requires collecting 10,000 signatures in the Sawant District over the next 180 days, the Seattle Times reported.
Sam Dorman of Fox News contributed to this report.
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