Police recommend false reporting charge for Seattle City Council candidate

SEATTLE – A Seattle police detective has recommended a charge of false reporting against a former City Council candidate in connection to the city’s taxpayer-funded “democracy-voucher” program.

The Seattle Times reported Thursday that detective Lawrence Meyer’s investigation concluded that Sheley Secrest appeared to put her own money into her campaign and then claimed it was donated by Seattle voters to qualify for up to $150,000 in vouchers.

False reporting is a gross misdemeanor.

Meyer sent his case and recommendation, which the Seattle Times obtained through a public-records request, to City Attorney Pete Holmes on Oct. 24.

Holmes is still in the process of deciding whether to press charges against Secrest, an attorney and vice president of the local NAACP chapter.

Secrest told the newspaper she had no comment when reached by phone.

She finished sixth in the Aug. 1 primary and didn’t advance to the fall election.