A former mayor in eastern Washington is suing the city she once held the highest office in. Nadine Woodward, the former mayor of Spokane, has filed a lawsuit against the city, claiming election interference and a violation of her First Amendment rights. The legal action puts a spotlight on the events that surrounded the end of her time in office.
According to the reporting, the suit stems from a religious and political rally held in Spokane, which Woodward took part in along with two other controversial guests. Her attendance at that gathering became a flashpoint in local politics and set off the chain of events that she now points to in her legal claim against the city.
In response to her appearance at the rally, the Spokane city council narrowly passed a resolution to condemn Woodward for attending. Crucially, that vote came just months before Woodward was up for re-election, a timing that sits at the center of the argument she is now making in court.
Woodward went on to lose the race to the current mayor, Lisa Brown. In her lawsuit, the former mayor blames that defeat on the public vote of condemnation taken by the city council, a vote which she believes the council had no basis to take against her while she was seeking another term.
The financial stakes of the case have grown sharply. The initial lawsuit was filed seeking 1.4 million dollars, but Woodward's new attorney has since filed an amended claim that now seeks 10 million dollars from the city, significantly raising the amount in dispute.
For now, the city is staying silent on the matter. City of Spokane officials have declined to comment on any lawsuits, leaving the former mayor's allegations of election interference and free speech violations to be tested through the legal process in the months ahead.