County Council Considers Resolution Asking Washam to Resign

The Pierce County Council has drafted a resolution asking County Assessor Treasurer Dale Washam to step down. Following on the heels of last week’s decision to end County funding for Washam’s mounting legal fees, the Council is considering requesting the rogue Assessor Treasurer put his chief deputy Albert Ugas on administrative leave before voluntarily resigning from his own position.

The chances of this happening are slim to none, and because Washam is an elected official he cannot be fired by the Council. Nonetheless council members supporting the resolution feel it will send an important message to the public that Washam stands alone, and that his words and actions do not have the backing of the Council. Legal fees already paid by the County amount to almost $700,000, with pending complaints seeking $3.5 million more. And then there is the pending investigation by the County Ethics Commission into possible ethics code violations. And the U.S. Department of Justice investigation into possible civil-rights violations…

The resolution had its first reading this week, and will face a final vote at the County Council meeting on March 20. Washam is in the final year of his elected term.

Previously on Exit133: Washam Cut Off

Read more from The News Tribune.