Local advocates catch candidate misleading voters and spreading fear and hate
On June 27, conservative candidate for Spokane Mayor Nadine Woodward accused reporter Daniel Walters at The Inlander of misquoting her about her proposed ban of homeless people at the library. He proved she was lying when he shared the recording of the interview with other news outlets. https://www.kxly.com/news/no-homeless-allowed-library-employees-surprised-by-mayoral-candidate-s-comments/1089989543
Now she is at it again, this time telling very different stories to different audiences about her position on enforcing an existing city ordinance around Border Patrol’s activities at the Greyhound station. In the October issue of The Black Lens newspaper, Woodward makes it sound like she is opposed to the activities of Border Patrol but believes her hands are tied.
“Federal Law supersedes any state or local statutes … Regardless of any personal belief I may have about this important issue, it is not under City of Spokane jurisdiction but is instead guided by Federal statutes.” Page 11, http://blacklensnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/October-2019.pdf
Yet when asked about the same issue on July 19, she told a crowd at the Spokane Rotary Club:
“I've met with the Border Patrol. I've seen what they do …. And I think they're doing an incredible service at the intermodal station. When you see the arrests that they're making with the illegals and especially in the drug trade… And I think they do a great job.”
Listen to the full audio clip here:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/zfv2jfqgr5gv5fi/Woodward%20-%20Border%20Patrol.mp3?dl=0
“Woodward is willing to say whatever she thinks people want to hear to get their votes.“ said Jim Dawson, Program Director at Fuse in Spokane. Dawson continued. “She owes the immigrant community and all voters an apology for spreading unfounded fear and hate and intentionally misleading voters about her views on this issue.”
Calling immigrants drug dealers and illegals is both inaccurate and offensive. Fuse could not find a single reported case of border patrol arresting any undocumented immigrants at the Greyhound Station for drug trafficking in the past several years. Here is more background on why the term "illegal" is both a dehumanizing and offensive term:
https://www.teenvogue.com/story/why-you-shouldnt-use-the-term-illegals
Background On Border Patrol’s Activities
No one should be harassed when coming to Spokane just because they 'look like an immigrant.' These are buses that are not traveling to or from the border. In the cases that have been documented by community observers, Border Patrol does not have judicial warrants to perform these searches.
Border Patrol made international news and has given our community and country a bad name for this racial profiling by harassing a famous comedian Mohanad Elshieky, a documented immigrant who was visiting Spokane to perform. Elshieky is now suing Border Patrol for violating his rights.
Border Patrol is wasting taxpayer resources that would be better spent dealing with the humanitarian disaster on our Southern Border where children are being left in inhumane conditions that violate our values as Americans and are a further disgrace to our Country.
“Nadine Woodward’s refusal to stand up to this racial profiling and enforce the ordinances that City Council passed to protect visitors and families in Spokane from harassment is a disgrace.” said Dawson.
