Seattle City Attorney Ann Davison has been hiding rather than leading since Trump took office.
In his first two weeks in office, Trump has already caused tremendous harm – and he is not slowing down.
From stranding the families of our military personnel overseas, to separating children from their parents, to freezing contracts for important programs here in Seattle, this administration has shown its willingness to inflict pain and suffering, and to sow chaos.
What role could the Seattle City Attorney play in protecting our city from this insanity? And what is our current City Attorney, Ann Davison, doing to combat the harm and chaos caused by Trump? We don’t know the answer. She hasn’t made a statement. And when Seattle Times Reporter Daniel Beekman asked to interview Ann Davison about her plans to respond to Trump, she declined.
In light of our current City Attorney’s abdication of leadership, I offer my suggestions:
- Make it clear that Seattle stands with the families of our immigrant neighbors. Seattle officials, including police officers, are here to support the community, not enforce hairbrained national policies that tear families apart. Seattle officials do not, and will not, request information about an individual’s immigration status. Just look to the statement issued by the Chief of Police of Tukwila for an example of how to clearly state your intention to continue to focus on local law enforcement, not federal immigration enforcement.
- Assure Seattle residents that we will fight for the social programs we’ve built and for which we’ve been promised federal funding. Trump has attempted to pause approximately $3 trillion in federal funding across a broad range of programs. Fortunately, attorneys are acting quickly to block these moves. My former classmate, Federal Judge Loren AliKhan has asserted that Trump does not have authority to pause funding that Congress has formally budgeted. We need our City Attorney to take action, like the attorneys in Washington D.C., to ensure we receive the funds we’ve been promised to maintain programs that are vital to Seattle residents.
- Encourage Assistant City Attorneys to apply their skills in support of our community. Seattle has come together to provide clinics for individuals who need to change their gender markers or need emergency immigration assistance. Assistant City Attorneys should be given the leave they need to engage in these vital community efforts. We must support One America, Northwest Immigrants Rights Project, and the Seattle Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs – and all the people fighting in the trenches for our friends and neighbors whose lives are put at risk by this administration.
- Reach out to lawyers and law students who have been harmed by the Trump Administration. The incoming administration has rescinded job offers to hundreds, even thousands, of law students who were scheduled to start working for the federal government after law school. The administration’s extremism is also causing experienced lawyers to resign their positions. For the past three years, Ann Davison has had trouble recruiting and retaining the attorneys Seattle needs to protect our residents. Why not reach out to law students who have had their job offers rescinded and experienced government lawyers who have quit in protest and encourage them to work for us?
- Support the Governor’s rapid response efforts. Trump plans to tear families apart to encourage “self-deportation.” Fortunately, Governor Bob Ferguson created a rapid response team to support impacted families. The City Attorney should do everything they can in Seattle to support Governor Ferguson’s efforts.
Perhaps Ann Davison’s silence is a signal that she generally supports Trump’s policies. Perhaps she plans to run as a Republican for statewide office in the future and doesn’t want to upset her MAGA base. Maybe she doesn’t know what she’ll do because she doesn’t know what she really stands for.
Ann Davison, if you’re reading this, please consider some of the actions outlined above. I’m happy to debate and discuss them with you. Let’s come together to protect our community.
Editor’s note: Rory O’Sullivan is running for Seattle City Attorney, challenging Davison for her seat. The Urbanist Elections Committee will weigh in on this race; watch for our Primary Endorsements in July.
Rory O’Sullivan
Rory O’Sullivan is a founding partner at Washington Employment Benefits Advocates, a law firm that helps people with unemployment insurance claims. He has served as an Administrative Law Judge, as a pro tem judge with the Seattle Municipal Court, and as an adjunct professor at the University of Washington School of Law and Seattle University School of Law.