Residents urge King County Council to introduce resolution seeking governor's declaration of emergency over federal actions

Several residents urged the Metropolitan King County Council on March 25 to introduce a resolution and hold a public hearing asking the governor to declare a state of emergency in response to actions by the federal executive branch.

Kenneth Randolph said he supported a proposed resolution that, in his view, would open public debate about what he called "the most serious constitutional crisis in our history" and asked council members to introduce the resolution to debate it in public chambers. "When the Congress and the judicial branch of our government is unable or unwilling to stop this dangerous development, then the next line of defense ... are states and their subdivisions, counties," Randolph said. He told the council he had shared an updated version of the proposed resolution with members by email the day before.

Janet Wei, identifying herself as a Shoreline resident, also spoke in support and said the policies of the Trump administration were affecting civil rights, immigration, law enforcement, transportation, environmental protections and funding. She asked council members to "make a strong stand to protect our constitution" and to support introduction of the proposed resolution so public debate can occur.

Both speakers asked the council to hold a public hearing and to use the council's platform to examine options that local governments might pursue. No motion to introduce such a resolution was recorded in the meeting minutes; the comments were given during the public comment portion of the agenda.