Sound Legal Counsel & Representing Your Interests

The City Attorney is more than the City's prosecutor. We need competent legal counsel at the top to avoid civil litigation when possible and judicial relief when necessary. Whether it’s salvaging adequate compensation for the loss of the Sonics or defending against whistle-blower lawsuits, we desperately need a City Attorney who understands legal strategy and the art of settlement. Otherwise we will continue to be forced to pay millions of dollars in civil judgments that could have been avoided.  That is a price we cannot afford with a budget shortfall of over $43 million.

The City Attorney, as an elected official, is also accountable to the people of Seattle. As your City Attorney, I will take this to heart and make sure the public's interest is represented in every decision I make. This means that I will exercise discretion and  independent judgment when deciding whether moving forward in a case is in the public's best interests. Because you, the people of Seattle, are my most important clients.

Pete Holmes Pledges to Restore Common Sense

     If you have followed the Seattle City Attorney campaign, then you are familiar with the story of Tom Carr recommending nine months in jail for a guy who stole a can of tuna.

    Carr was mad that the man had refused to plead guilty.  Luckily, a municipal court judge with a bit more common sense didn’t take Carr’s recommendation.
    Unfortunately, there are many people who have had their life savings emptied, and their careers and reputations dashed by reckless and unsubstantiated charges brought by Carr.

     It has to end.  It’s not surprising that the budget for the City Attorney’s office has soared from $13 million to over $19 million in eight years. Needless appeals rack up huge bills for the city’s law department.

  Pete Holmes pledges to bring common sense and humanity back to the City Attorney’s office – and the Law Department budget back in line.

     Here are just a few examples of recent cases that show a perplexing lack of common sense:

 

    Operation Sobering Thought – The nightclub sting was nothing more than a publicity stunt by Carr and Mayor Greg Nickels to create a sense of urgency for nightlife legislation that was coming before the City Council in a week.

     The sting cost more than $52,000 and led to 28 arrests – but not one conviction or guilty plea.  Carr says he didn’t know the extremely controversial legislation was being discussed.

    “I know I sound like an idiot, and I've said this a hundred times. I had lost track of the legislation," Carr said in recent public forums.

 

     Nerf Golf Assault -- Less than a year ago, several young men playing an urban Nerf Golf game were charged with obstruction and misdemeanor assault after a wayward foam ball bonked a bystander.

 

     Mike the Balloon Man – Carr has spent tens of thousands of dollars fighting the balloon man at Seattle Center for five years, all the way to the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

 

     Seattle Sonics Settlement – The Sonics were supposed to play in Seattle for two more seasons under their contract with the City. Instead, in a last-minute deal, after spending more than $1 million on outside lawyers to help with the case, the city agreed to take $45 million upfront, and possibly $30 million later -- a "later" that likely will never come. Just as devastating for some fans, the city gave away the Seattle Sonics’ history, including retired jerseys, banners and the 1979 championship trophy.

     “This is a very good deal,” Carr said smiling in a news conference after the settlement.

     In the documentary “Sonicsgate,” Carr acknowledges, “This was a really good agreement that turned into a very bad agreement.”

                     

                                                        Pete’s Plan

Spend Wisely. The more than $52,000 the City spent on the failed Operation Sobering Thought was more than the entire grant that started our Community Court. Money is scarce, we need to be responsible with taxpayer funds and spend money on efforts that will have beneficial, lasting effects.

No more playing with people’s lives. The office can be a problem-solver if we stop searching for the ever-bigger hammer and look for more effective tools. It’s in everyone's best interest to seek and negotiate solutions instead of creating wasteful lawsuits and trumped-up charges.

Admit mistakes, then fix them. The City Attorney needs to be able to admit when a mistake has been made and be secure and mature enough to allow for course corrections before lives are damaged and to prevent more lawsuits against the City.

Take control of the spending. Stop hiring private companies to provide legal services; give up ridiculous lawsuits that waste time and money and go nowhere; and stop wasting resources fighting our own citizens.

Provide excellent legal advice to City officials and city departments in a timely manner to avoid potential lawsuits.

Use common sense. Honesty, integrity and respect for citizens will be the guiding principles in all cases. I will encourage elected leaders and department heads to work cooperatively with citizens to find solutions.

 

www.holmesforseattle.com