This week, Seattle City Council is voting on whether to gut our Ethics Code, allowing sitting councilmembers to vote on things that directly benefit their interests. Right now, they need to recuse themselves.

This change would open the door to the same type of corrupt self-dealing and pocket-lining happening in the Trump administration.

And this isn't abstract or fears of some slippery slope. We know there are landlords on the council who desperately want to gut the tenant protections we fought hard for. That's just the first thing that will be on the chopping block.

Send a message to Seattle City Council and the Ethics and Elections Commission demanding they leave our Ethics Code alone by clicking "Start Writing."

Additionally, if you can join in person or online to give a public comment, there are three important meetings where they are taking action on this:

• Seattle City Council Meeting, Tuesday, May 6th at 2pm. You can go in person, or sign up here for online testimony starting an hour before the meeting.
• The Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission will consider this Council-sponsored legislation at its meeting on Wednesday, May 7th at 4pm. Agenda, location, and information to join remotely will be posted here soon.
• The Seattle City Council is then planning to hear this legislation during its Governance, Accountability and Economic Development Committee on Thursday, May 8th at 2pm in council chambers at Seattle City Hall. There will be both person and remote public comment. Sign up here starting an hour before the meeting.

For more info, check out this great op-ed from our very own Katie Wilson in The Urbanist: Op-Ed: Lowering Ethical Standards to Allow Elected Officials’ Self-Dealing is a Terrible Idea - The Urbanist