Do Spokane council members mix public service and campaign consultants? YOU BETsy

POSTED 23 June 2023

A tempest in a teacup has been brewed by a couple Spokane news writers.  No, the team of Walters and Vestal are not the new Woodward and Bernstein.  Casting agents are not calling Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman to read for “All the Mayor’s Men.”

Sue Lani Madsen’s recent offering, “Shocking news – there’s politics in government” turned the tempest into the tepid. 

Daniel Walters (The Inlander) and Shawn Vestal (The Spokesman-Review) in their recent rants did at least attempt to point out that it is not uncommon for politicians of all persuasions to solicit a second or more set of eyeballs on document drafts.  How true, and here’s a poignant example …

Late in the October 24, 2021 evening from her personal email, Betsy Wilkerson wrote to her campaign consultant and her City legislative aide,

“Hello here is my draft of Black Lens Article. I seek your input and wordsmith skills.”

You can see the entire exchange here.

The campaign consultant was Sean Gannon of Rising Tide LLC (whose website is still offline due to Riley’s Recent Resignation) and the legislative aide was Mark Carlos.  For quick context, Betsy’s email went out while the 2021 voters were still sending in ballots.

Why does this matter?  Wilkerson either has no understanding of the expected clear division between campaign politics and public service, or she doesn’t care. 

• It would not be unethical for a city council member to ask her staffer to help on a document. 

• It would not be unethical for a candidate to ask her consultant for help on a document. 

However, the consternation that Walters and Vestal are trying to conjure is that the two should be separated. 

The Spokane City Council majority (and their staff) must be held accountable for failing to honor the sacred public trust that requires them to leave their campaign buttons (and consultants) at home and serve all from City Hall.