Wilkerson calls citizens’ volunteer ethics commission “broken”
Posted 22 December 2023
Spokane City Council President Betsy Wilkerson appears before Citizen Ethics Commission Dec. 14, 2023
Volunteer Spokane Ethics Commissioner tells Betsy Wilkerson her defense , “Doesn’t pass the smell test.”
In a press release issued by a Spokane City Council-hired communications staffer yesterday, Dec. 21, 2023, Spokane Council President Betsy Wilkerson states:
“The ethics review process is broken and needs reforming, specifically commissioner selection and when those commissioners should recuse themselves. The bar is set high for elected officials, and similar expectations should be in place for volunteers who sit in judgment of them.”
Wilkerson does not provide details on …
How she believes the ethics process is “broken”
Which ethics commissioners should recuse themselves
What ethics “reforms” she believes are necessary
Wilkerson’s press statement fails to mention the grave concerns by at least one volunteer ethics commission member.
While the ethics case that caused her to appear (but not speak, because she enlisted a lawyer) in front of the Spokane Ethics Commission on December 14, 2023 was dismissed, Wilkerson’s ire towards the commission was evident (see video below) as commissioner Ivan “Merle” Iverson warned Wilkerson through a story about his father’s advice to him as a youngster - that:
“While you may not be wrong. It doesn’t pass the smell test”
VIDEO ABOVE: Betsy Wilkerson’s Spokane Ethics Commission Hearing. Commissioner states Wilkerson’s case “Doesn’t Pass the Smell Test.”
Wilkerson’s defense is based on one theme … “I never got the email. It was spam.”
Central to the complaint, is an email to Wilkerson, Breean Beggs (Council President at the time) and Council Member Zack Zappone from donors and political allies to the council members’ private emails. Brian Parker donated $750 to Wilkerson, Jim Dawson donated $300 to Wilkerson and Mary Winkes donated $200 to Wilkerson.
The subject matter of the email is clearly City business and involves political reconnaissance on Spokane neighborhood council proceedings regarding the 2022 city redistricting efforts. Wilkerson’s attorney in the December 14, 2023 ethics hearing goes to great lengths to claim that Wilkerson “never saw the email” and “the email was spam” and so on.
The attorney mistakenly claims that Wilkerson had no obligation to make the private email known to the City. He is wrong. Spokane employee policy states in this handbook:
Volunteer lawyer Jeffry Finer and Betsy Wilkerson make their case - FULL VIDEO
So, it’s clear that Wilkerson and her lawyer got it wrong on the matter of turning over the private political email that was clearly a shadow government strategy meeting on redistricting - what also doesn’t pass the smell test is that while attorney Finer claims that Wilkerson’s AOL email was just for “subscribing to Readers Digest” - somehow three donors, political allies (one of which a lobbyist) had that very same email!