Amazon pours $1 million in bid to 'flip' Seattle City Council

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos: His company has now put $1.45 million into this year's Seattle City Council races. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos: His company has now put $1.45 million into this year's Seattle City Council races. Photo: GENNA MARTIN, SEATTLEPI.COM Photo: GENNA MARTIN, SEATTLEPI.COM Image 1 of / 23 Caption Close Amazon pours $1 million in bid to 'flip' Seattle City Council 1 / 23 Back to Gallery

Amazon has donated an additional $1 million to the campaign to "flip" the Seattle City Council, the money going to the Civic Alliance for a Sound Economy (CASE), political arm of the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce.

The company has now poured $1.45 million into CASE, which is deeply involved in opposing two Council incumbents and in four races for open seats in which incumbents are not seeking reelection. Seven of the Council's nine seats are up in what is for Seattle a seminal election.

The business-backed CASE and two committees fueled by well-off Seattle area residents -- have now raised a combined $3 million, money for "independent" expenditures on behalf of chosen candidates. They have chosen the same general election candidates. People for Seattle has been the most negative in its advertising.

For instance, money is being spent against Council incumbent Lisa Herbold in District 1 (West Seattle, South Park), and in support for the comeback bid of ex-Councilmember Heidi Wills in District 6 (Northwest Seattle). Incumbent Councilmember Kshama Sawant, a militant socialist, is the groups' No. 1 target.

"We believe it is critical that our hometown has a City Council that is focused on pragmatic solutions to our shared challenges in transit, homelessness, climate change and public safety," Amazon spokesman Aaron Toso said in a statement.

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CASE has endorsed just one incumbent, District 5 (North Seattle) Councilmember Debora Juarez. Its other candidates are Phil Tavel (District 1), Mark Solomon (District 2), Egan Orion (District 3), Alex Pedersen (District 4) Heidi Wills (District 6) and Jim Puget (District 7).

CASE has hired a bevy of Democratic consultants to make its case.

Progressive Strategies NW is a firm founded by two Obama campaign veterans. Blue Wave Political Partners helps candidates in rules compliance. Newman Partners is chief money raiser for Gov. Jay Inslee, Sen. Patty Murray and U.S. Rep. Suzan DelBene. Clients of Moore Campaigns have included 2016 Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Tim Kaine.

Amazon brought its power to bear last year when the City Council passed an employee "head tax" on large corporations. The Council turned around and repealed the tax after intensive lobbying by business, and with the backstage intervention of Mayor Jenny Durkan. A business-backed "independent" committee spent more than $800,000 to boost Durkan's campaign for Mayor in 2017.

A prominent progressive advocate seized on the $1 million Amazon donation to fire up the troops, and take a shot at the business community's candidate selection.

RELATED: Connelly: Going negative, nasty in bid to 'flip' Seattle City Council

"Incompetent candidates (chamber endorsed) cost a lot of money: Hope to see everyone out of doors this weekend and every weekend that ballots are out," Derek Richards, chair of King County Democrats, wrote on Facebook. "Part of this is to make progressives feel like they can't win."

Business is not the only "independent" force at work.

The SEIU (Service Employees International Union) Political Education and Action Fund has put $855,000 into the Seattle campaigns. Unite Here, the hotel workers' union, has invested $350,000, much of it in hard-to-comprehend TV spot backing District 7 (Downtown, Queen Anne) candidate Andrew Lewis. Business is more modestly supporting his opponent, ex-acting Seattle Police Chief Jim Pugel.