Keith Swank, vocal on transgender issues and women’s sports, says county charter review targets him politically.
By Catholics for Catholics
His views on transgender issues and other culture war points are the reason a Washington State Sheriff may end up removed from office via a new proposal, he said, according to a story by Fox News.
Keith Swank, a Pierce County Sheriff, is vowing to fight a ballot proposal that would permit county leaders to appoint, rather than elect, future sheriffs, contending the effort is less about government reform than silencing a sheriff who refuses to comply.
“They hate me,” Swank told local outlet KOMO News in an article published Tuesday, referring to what he said was a partisan push to get him out of office. “They want to get rid of the sheriff. They want to get rid of me so they can have complete control. The sheriff is the last thing standing between anarchy and the people.”
In a story, KOMO News reported that Swank is “known for his controversial statements about immigration enforcement and transgender issues.”
On Monday, the Pierce County Charter Review Commission voted to introduce a proposal on the November ballot that, if approved, would give Pierce County power to appoint the sheriff, rather than letting the voters have the authority to elect the sheriff.
If approved, the Pierce County executive would appoint the sheriff, pending confirmation by the Pierce County Council.
“I’ll have to be removed from office at the two-year mark of my four-year term,” Swank told KOMO News. “The establishment likes the status quo. They don’t want any pushback. They want to tell you what to do, and I’m saying I’m independently elected, and future sheriffs should be independently elected.”
If the ballot proposal is approved, the change would take effect Jan. 1, 2027. Swank is not up for re-election until 2028, according to KOMO News.
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