Special interest group targets leading City Council Candidate Emily Myers with extreme ads and scare tactics
Dear UAW Member,
In recent days, a Political Action Committee called “People for Seattle” sent mailers to D4 voters urging voters in District 4 (U District, Ravenna, Laurelhurst) to reject UAW-endorsed Emily Myers (a PhD Candidate in Pharmacology and Local 4121 Executive Board member) for her views advocating:
- Funding chemical dependency clinics that include medically-assisted treatment programs, safe consumption sites, and needle exchanges (see Emily’s position here and check out this page and this podcast by UW Scientists that back it up).
- Providing adequate services to homeless encampments until sufficient permanent housing can be provided, rather than supporting ineffective and inhumane “sweeps” (see Emily’s positions here and here and check out this article about work done at UW).
- Establishing rent-stabilization and rent-control policies alongside equitable zoning and investment in affordable housing (see Emily’s position here and this research that supports it).
- Reforming the criminal justice system to de-criminalize poverty, address systemic injustices faced by low-income and people of color, and move away from incarceration as a blanket policy (see Emily’s position here and check out this report that supports it).
These positions are widely accepted by scholars (and a number of progressive candidates for that matter), but a wealthy elite has contributed $200,000 to try and dissuade voters from supporting Emily. It’s telling that People for Seattle is resorting to the same anti-science strategies that have become increasingly common during the Trump era: attack the messenger, re-frame the debate (is she extreme or not?) and ignore the science beyond the policy.
You can help fight back!
- Vote before August 6, and check out UAW’s endorsement guide.
- Sign up to phonebank/text UAW members and ask them to vote – over 1,000 UAW members are voters in this city council district! Email political@uaw4121.org
- Sign up to knock doors of other union members! Over 30 UAW members have already volunteered to get out the vote in recent weeks. Email political@uaw4121.org
- Haven’t received your ballot? Go here to get a replacement or register to vote in person (through August 6th!)
A scientist and leader in our Union has built a strong-enough grassroots campaign to win a seat on the City Council. Don’t let powerful corporate interests in Seattle succeed at keeping Emily away from City Hall!