Judicial candidate questions his opponent’s GOP backing while collecting Democrat endorsements of his own.

62 Judges Push Back on Partisan Accusations in Supreme Court Race

Court of Appeals Judge Ian Birk is in hot water after accusing Supreme Court opponent Sean O’Donnell of harboring a “partisan agenda” simply because the Republican Party recommended him. Sixty-two current and former judges have now signed a letter rejecting Birk’s claim, stating they have never seen O’Donnell inject politics into his judicial work.
The hypocrisy is hard to miss. While Birk demands O’Donnell disavow Republican support and frames it as evidence of bias, Birk’s own campaign proudly lists endorsements from former Democratic Governor Jay Inslee, Attorney General Nick Brown, U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal, and multiple Democratic Party organizations. O’Donnell, by contrast, has drawn support from both parties, including Democratic U.S. Reps. Adam Smith and Marilyn Strickland.
This is what progressive double standards look like in a supposedly nonpartisan judicial race. Birk is perfectly comfortable with Democratic political muscle behind him, yet treats Republican backing of his opponent as some kind of scandal. The 62 judges are right to push back: bipartisan support is not proof of a partisan agenda. Selective outrage over the wrong party’s endorsement, however, raises real questions about the critic’s own standards of fairness.
Judicial candidates are supposed to rise above the partisan fray. Birk’s decision to weaponize only one side’s endorsements while cashing in on the other does the opposite. Voters in this November race deserve better than a double standard dressed up as a call for transparency. Read more at The Center Square ([link removed]).

Seattle’s Business Chamber Still Begging Katie Wilson to Do Something About Crime

Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Joe Nguyen — a former Democratic state senator — co-signed a letter with more than 30 business leaders from Microsoft, Nordstrom, Starbucks, Costco, and Alaska Airlines demanding a 100-day public safety action plan from Mayor Katie Wilson.
The letter highlighted a damning statistic: Nordstrom’s downtown flagship receives a police response to just 29% of its 911 calls, compared with 100% at its Bellevue and Southcenter locations. Nguyen called the number a clear example of how the city is failing to deliver basic services.
Nguyen, who once supported taxes the business community opposed, now says progressive leadership too often offers “lip service” instead of results. He pointed to the temporary public-safety improvements during the World Cup that quickly faded, and noted that similar jobs cost $12,000 to $17,000 more in Seattle than in Bellevue according to the mayor’s own office.
He argued that a strong economy and progressive values are not separate — nearly 70% of Seattle’s tax base comes from economic activity — and that elected officials have “abdicated their responsibility to govern” by outsourcing leadership to advocates instead of serving the people who elected them.
This is what progressive governance in Seattle has produced: major employers and a former Democratic lawmaker publicly pleading for the city to restore basic police response and economic stability. When even the Chamber has to beg for a 100-day plan, the failure of the current approach is impossible to ignore. Read more at MyNorthwest.com ([link removed]).

Seattle Times Declares Downtown Crime “Plummeted” — While Citywide Numbers Stay Flat and Businesses Beg for Help

The Seattle Times published a data project claiming crime in downtown Seattle has plummeted, but the paper’s own chart shows citywide reported offenses essentially flat: 37,134 in the first half of 2025 versus 37,379 in the first half of 2026.
Downtown did improve after the city partially reversed its defund-the-police experiment. Larceny, robbery, and some assaults are down from the 2018 peak, when Third and Pike was a national embarrassment and businesses were pleading for basic order. Those gains came from putting more officers and cleanup crews on a handful of blocks — the exact approach critics of progressive policy have demanded for years.
What the paper glosses over is the starting point and the ongoing reality. 2018 was the worst of the open-air drug market era. Falling by half from that low still leaves conditions no functional city would accept. Retail vacancy remains elevated. Open drug use and stolen-goods markets continue in daylight. Last week, more than 30 major employers — including Nordstrom, Costco, Starbucks, and Alaska Airlines — sent Mayor Katie Wilson a letter demanding a 100-day public safety plan because the problem is far from solved.
Nordstrom’s own data shows its downtown flagship gets a police response on just 29% of 911 calls, compared with 100% at its other local stores. Seattle still has far fewer deployable patrol officers than promised. Many residents and businesses have simply stopped calling for non-violent crimes because they know nothing will happen. Crime that was counted often just moved to Capitol Hill, First Hill, South Lake Union, and Belltown.
This is the progressive Seattle pattern: create a crisis through soft-on-crime policies, partially walk them back under pressure, then declare victory while the underlying disorder and understaffed police force remain. A real turnaround would not require the region’s biggest employers to beg for a basic public-safety plan. Read more at Seattle Red ([link removed]).

Bodycam Footage Captures Democratic Candidate Krista Perez Refusing Sobriety Tests in DUI Arrest

Body camera footage obtained by The Jason Rantz Show shows Democratic candidate Krista Perez admitting to drinking wine, declining field sobriety tests, and sobbing prayers after her DUI arrest in Tacoma.
Perez, who won the August 4 primary in the 29th Legislative District and faces incumbent Rep. Melanie Morgan in November, was arrested after police say her vehicle struck a parked car shortly after midnight on August 11, allegedly damaging five vehicles. She has been charged with DUI with a refusal enhancement.
In the footage, Perez initially denies being in an accident, appears confused and dazed, and admits she “just had some wine” at a friend’s business. When asked to rate her sobriety on a scale of zero to ten, she rates herself a four. She repeatedly asks to go home first and declines the voluntary field sobriety tests. After being placed under arrest, she cries and prays in Spanish in the back of the patrol car, saying she does not understand what is happening.
Her attorney has downplayed the charge, telling one outlet “We’re talking about a DUI. It’s not like we’re talking about felony murder here.” Neither the campaign nor her attorney responded to requests for comment from The Jason Rantz Show.
This is not the first time Washington Democrats have faced alcohol-related controversies. Previous incidents involving lawmakers have drawn apologies but limited lasting political consequences. Perez is still asking voters in the 29th District to send her to Olympia to help write the state’s laws while the case proceeds. Read more at Seattle Red ([link removed]).

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