BRUCE HARRElL
A Disqualifying Record of Failure
Mayor Bruce Harrell has looked the other way while women were harassed, silenced, and ignored—both inside City Hall and across Seattle. He defended predators, protected powerful men, and left victims without justice. Under his watch, the city stopped investigating sexual assault cases. His own senior deputy mayor—his niece—says he fostered a toxic boys’ club that demeaned and side-lined women.
This isn’t a string of missteps. It’s a pattern of failed leadership—and a betrayal of the people Harrell was elected to serve.
1.
Mayor Bruce Harrell Accused of Repeatedly Shielding Abusers
Harrell proposed discrediting sexual harassment accusers during a non-profit scandal in 2021.
Former Deputy Mayor Monisha Harrell described a toxic, condescending culture toward women in Bruce Harrell’s office.
In 2017, Harrell defended Mayor Ed Murray despite multiple sexual abuse allegations.
He supported the former police chief amid internal harassment lawsuits and discrimination complaints.
Harrell delayed removing his external relations director after a rape allegation surfaced—waiting months after a prosecutor referral before the resignation.
2.
Monisha Harrell, Former Senior Deputy Mayor, Details Toxic “Boys’ Club” in Bruce Harrell’s Office
Monisha Harrell, niece of the mayor and a former senior deputy mayor, alleges sexist, undermining behavior from Bruce Harrell and senior male staff.
She was ridiculed behind her back by Harrell and others and excluded from key meetings, with decisions often reversed without notice.
Six other current or former city staff corroborated her account of a hostile, dismissive workplace.
An SPD memo revealed that due to staffing shortages, the department stopped assigning new adult sexual assault cases.
45 cases and over 100 rape-kit alerts sat unaddressed, as detectives were diverted to homeless encampment work sweeps
Sexual assault referrals to prosecutors dropped dramatically.
When confronted with these facts, Mayor Bruce Harrell claimed he was unaware of the problem.
A female sergeant who wrote an internal memo raising an alarm bell was targeted by police leadership for disciplinary action before being exonerated.