SPOKANE, Wash. — Two days after Spokane Mayor Nadine Woodward triggered a political firestorm over her embrace of Matt Shea at a prayer event, the incumbent is now deflecting some attention to her challenger.
Woodward, who has denounced Shea since Sunday’s event, released another statement on Wednesday accusing Lisa Brown of hypocrisy because a staffer she contracted with had previously called to “defund the police” on Twitter.
The staffer, New York-based Jermey Parkin, was paid $1,080 for voter outreach planning in March.
“I don’t think it’s hyperbole at this point for anyone, including elected officials, to say that the only way we make our cities safer is by defunding police departments,” Parkin wrote in a Tweet.
Parkin also previously worked as a field director for Brown’s failed 2018 run for Congress.
Brown’s public safety plan, which she published earlier this year after months of criticisms for not having one from Woodward, calls for “funding and supporting” the Spokane Police Department and Spokane Fire Department. Details on exactly how are murky.
Brown has also touted her record on public safety, including several laws she voted for or sponsored during her time as Representative and Senator in the Washington State Legislature.
It must be noted that Shea was widely denounced by state Republicans in 2018 over a leaked manifesto, titled “Biblical Basis for War,” which explicitly called for the death of any man who failed to abide by “biblical law.”
Former Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich said at the time that he immediately alerted the FBI, calling Shea dangerous.
In 2019, a congressional investigation into Shea connected him to multiple instances of domestic terrorism.
After Sunday’s prayer event, Woodward slammed Shea, and targeted Brown as well.
“I am deeply disturbed that Matt Shea chose to politicize a gathering of thousands of citizens who joined together yesterday to pray for fire victims and first responders” Woodward said. “I attended the event with one purpose only and that was to join with fellow citizens to begin the healing process.”
“I am also disappointed that Lisa Brown has chosen to distract from our community’s primary purpose at this moment – and that is to do all that we can to embrace the victims and help them in their time of need,” Woodward continued.
In a Tweet, Shea noted the event was planned long before the fires.
“She was invited and she accepted BEFORE the fires started on Friday,” Shea wrote. “We of course wanted to pray last night for all those who have lost everything and be there for them and also pray for our leaders.”
“Praying for leaders, especially during a crisis, isn’t political it is Biblical,” Shea continued. “She is the one that politicized what everyone knows was a worship event. We are praying for Nadine.”
