King County Assessor John Wilson again hit with restraining order, accused of stalking

A temporary restraining order was issued against King County Assessor John Wilson this month, the second time in a year that his former domestic partner has gone to court to stop what she says is a pattern of stalking and harassment.

The protection order, issued May 13 in King County Superior Court, requires Wilson, who is currently a candidate for King County executive, to stay 1,000 feet away from Lee Keller, his former partner. It will remain in effect until a court hearing June 30.

The revelation has also spurred a flurry of calls for Wilson resignation, after more than a decade in office.

Keller, a prominent local public affairs consultant, wrote in a court filing that Wilson’s stalking and harassment “has been escalating” and that she fears he will become more aggressive in his efforts to reach her.

Wilson initially agreed to an interview Thursday but then said his attorney advised him not to talk to the media.

Keller previously filed for a restraining order against Wilson last year, accusing him of making a false report to the police and of falsely accusing her former boyfriend of sexual assault.

The two later reconciled. In January, Keller said they were engaged to be married and she was supportive of his run for county executive.

On Thursday, in a message sent through her attorney, Keller it was “a personal matter that is being resolved.

“I am not in a relationship with John Wilson,” she wrote. “I’m moving forward and will not be discussing details of the dissolution or restraining order at this time other than to say the restraining order is active and remains in place.”

They have been registered domestic partners since 2023, but have filed to dissolve the partnership five times. The first four times they changed course and dismissed the dissolution attempts. Keller filed for a dissolution a fifth time about two weeks ago and, at the same time, filed for the restraining order, writing that she feared Wilson would lash out.

She wrote that Wilson blamed her for his “political troubles” and for a Seattle Times story this year about the first restraining order.

Keller wrote that in March, Wilson slammed his fist down on a restaurant table and cursed loudly, complaining that women in his political circle were snubbing him because she had filed for the restraining order last year.

Wilson has served as the elected county assessor since 2015. Last fall he announced his campaign for King County executive and he officially filed to run earlier this month, just days before Keller filed for the newest restraining order. He is one of three prominent candidates in the county executive race, facing County Council members Claudia Balducci and Girmay Zahilay. Wilson’s fundraising has lagged significantly behind his opponents. Both Balducci and Zahilay, on Thursday, called for Wilson to drop out of the race and resign as assessor following the revelation of the second restraining order.

King County executive is a nonpartisan position, but Balducci, Zahilay and Wilson are all Democrats.

Mary Ellen Stone, the former longtime director of the King County Sexual Assault Resource Center, said she looks at allegations “from a survivor’s perspective” and it’s always significant when someone takes steps to seek protection from the legal system.

In a video press conference organized by Balducci’s campaign, Stone said the allegations against Wilson “are unacceptable for anyone, and particularly unacceptable in an elected official.”

King County Executive Shannon Braddock, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell and the chair of the King County Democratic Party also called on Wilson to resign.

Braddock called the allegations “disturbing” and, in a prepared statement, said “King County residents deserve public officials who treat everyone with respect and conduct themselves with integrity.”

“While he has a right to due legal process, the published allegations are disqualifying for public office,” Harrell said in a prepared statement. “We need to send a clear message to survivors of intimate partner abuse that this type of behavior by people in positions of trust is not tolerated.”

The local news site PubliCola first reported the newest restraining order.

“John is now continuing a pattern of harassment, stalking and coercive control,” Keller wrote in requesting the restraining order. In April, she attempted to end the relationship and texted him “Do not contact me again.” In response, she said, he sent more than 35 text messages and called 18 times.

She included in her court filing screenshots of text messages with Wilson, in which she says their relationship is done and he persists.

“WE ARE OVER,” she writes.

“Hahaha,” he responds, “You know we aren’t.”

“The scariest message was one where I said, ‘LEAVE ME ALONE!!!!!!!’ and he responded, ‘NEVER,’ ” she wrote.