A Seattle official, Shanéé Colston, is in hot water, refusing to resign despite a video surfacing online of her silencing a disabled veteran.
The veteran was objecting to the nomination of a convicted pedophile, Thomas Whitaker, to a government homelessness agency’s board.
Agency’s Statement on Colston’s Controversial Behavior Goes Viral
Peter Lynn, from the King County Regional Homelessness Authority, demanded Colston’s resignation in an email.
He objected to her treatment of committee member Kristina Sawyckyj, who pointed out Whitaker’s status as a registered sex offender. Colston also lashed out at Sawyckyj for sharing her personal experience with Whitaker’s inappropriate behavior.
As the video went viral, the agency shared a statement on social media, expressing concern about Whitaker’s nomination and criticizing Colston’s behavior.
They asked Colston to resign in light of her actions. However, she has refused, as confirmed by an agency spokesperson to KOMO News.
Shanee Colston refuses to resign after defending convicted pedophile's nomination for board seat #seattle https://t.co/ySPhKsNZjI pic.twitter.com/Aa2hKgEeE2
— Seattle Reddit (@rSeattleWA) May 19, 2023
Zoom Meeting Sparks Controversy Over Board Nominations
The controversy started during a Zoom meeting on May 3, discussing board nominations. When Sawyckyj opposed Whitaker’s nomination, Colston strongly defended him.
Court records show Whitaker, also known as Raven Crowfoot, was convicted in 2010 for sexual involvement with a minor and has a troubling history of sexual offenses.
There is no justification for the defense of pedophiles. We will NOT call them MAPS or YAPS. We REFUSE to allow them to use the argument that “it’s the same as gay rights” NO it is NOT. Shanéé Colston you disgust us. https://t.co/A1sTDGeMgz
— Gays Against Groomers Washington (@GAG_Washington) May 23, 2023
Despite this, Whitaker was hailed as a “lived expert” on the agency’s website, due to his homelessness experiences and was nominated to serve diverse communities on the board.
Sawyckyj, a wheelchair-bound former Marine, revealed Whitaker previously touched her inappropriately and strongly opposed his nomination.
However, Colston dismissed Sawyckyj’s objections, stating it was against board rules to ‘out’ a sex offender and threatened to mute anyone else raising the issue.
Kristina Sawyckyj, a board member and a former Marine who courageously navigates life from a wheelchair following a brutal rape while in service, voiced vehement objections to Whitaker’s appointment.
Despite the vehement opposition, Whitaker’s nomination found favor with the board.
