Category Archives: General

Valderrama Wanted $10 Million to Settle His Public Records Lawsuit 

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By Miki Mullor
Special Coverage

Jan. 29, 2024: Former Sammamish Deputy Mayor/City Council member Ramiro Valderrama wanted $10 million, plus attorneys’ fees, to settle his lawsuit filed in March last year alleging the city failed to turn over public records.

Valderram alleged violations of the Public Records Act by council members he politically opposed, specifically targeting former Mayor Christie Malchow, former council member Ken Gamblin and then-and current council member Kent Treen. 

Records from the litigation show Valderama’s attorney demanded in September $10 million to settle the case, along with a public statement by the city, to be approved by Valderrama, acknowledging city council members violated the Public Records Act.  

Last month, a judge dismissed the lawsuit, finding the city and council members followed the law. The judge issued a summary judgment (meaning, no jury or bench trial) on the city’s motion to dismiss. Valderrama this month filed a notice with the King County court that the decision will be appealed to the state appellate court. He has about three months from the January 11 notice to file his case with the higher court.

The city provided the Sammamish Comment documents through Public Records Requests (PRRs) showing the legal bill for the city’s defense is now up to $340,000, not including the city clerk’s staff time.   Earlier in the litigation, a month after filing, and before incurring its legal fees, the city offered Valderrama $75,000 to settle the case, which he refused.  

Transcripts of depositions taken in this case were made public through a PRR and reveal a political connection between Valderama’s case, the investigation of former city manager David Rudat, Stephanie Rudat’s connection to both these issues and an apparent political revenge as a motive. Stephanie is the daughter of David. Malchow was one of the council members who voted to initiate the Rudat investigation.

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Judge tosses Valderrama’s public records lawsuit vs Sammamish

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By Miki Mullor

Special Coverage

Dec. 15, 2023: A King County Superior Court judge today dismissed a lawsuit filed by former city councilman Ramiro Valderrama alleging Public Records Act violations.

The judge granted a Summary Judgment motion by the city and denied a competing motion by Valderrama. The case was slated to go to trial in March, but a Summary Judgment means there was enough evidence to conclude the case based on information already filed with the court. The ruling is a sweeping victory for the city and a crushing defeat for Valderrama.

Ramiro Valderrama

In ruling for the city and against Valderrama, Judge Paul Crisalli concluded that several pieces of Valderrama’s testimony, declarations, and depositions he obtained were based on hearsay and speculation.

A political and legal saga, the PRR case was started by Valderrama against the city and several council members almost two years ago.

Superior Court Judge Paul Crisalli’s order:

  • Exonerates former Mayor Christie Malchow, former council member Ken Gamblin and council member Kent Treen of wrongdoing.
  • Ends a host of conspiracy theories advanced by Valderrama since late 2021.
  • Found that certain depositions and testimony were based on hearsay and speculation.

Valderrama filed his lawsuit after engaging in a year-long public campaign in which he accused Malchow 26 times during city council meetings in 2022 of breaking the public records law. Valderrama, who coined his accusations “Malchowgate”, did not present evidence during these meetings to back his accusations.

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BREAKING NEWS: King County Council appoints former Council Member Pam Stuart to Sammamish City Council

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By Miki Mullor
Editor

Pam Stuart

King County Council today unanimously voted to appoint former Council Member Pam Stuart to Ken Gamblin’s vacant city council seat. Gamblin resigned in January. The City Council had 90 days to appoint a Sammamish resident to fill his vacant seat. However, because the 6 members of the city council couldn’t agree on who to appoint, by state law, the responsibility became King County council’s.

Stuart will serve on the city council until December 2023.

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Stephanie Rudat files a protective order against Comment editor Mullor; no-shows for court date

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  • Rudat complaint alleges cyberstalking, harassment; court denies request for protective order and cites lack of evidence.
  • Seeks to block Mullor from writing about her on Sammamish Comment, other forums and messages.
  • Ironically, Rudat’s petition prompts a peak into what triggered ethics complaint against her father.
  • Stephanie Rudat’s plot against council member Stuart revealed.
  • Clear evidence of Stephanie’s knowledge of city’s legal strategy against STCA-Town Center litigation.

By Scott Hamilton

March 22, 2022: In an unusual twist in the long-running battle between Stephanie Rudat, daughter of embattled Sammamish City Manager David Rudat, and Miki Mullor, editor of Sammamish Comment, Stephanie on Feb. 24 filed for a restraining and protective order against Mullor in King County District Court. The court denied the request for an emergency restraining order. The court also found that “a preponderance of evidence has not been established that there has been harassment.”

Stephanie Rudat

A virtual hearing was scheduled for March 9 at which evidence could be presented. However, Rudat was a no-show. Mullor filed his response on March 18. The next court date is April 4.

In her 10 page petition, Rudat accused Mullor of harassment and stalking. Rudat claims she is a victim of cyberstalking and “repeatedly contacting the victim (Rudat) or monitor the victim for no lawful purpose and his/her actions caused the victim to feel intimated, frightened or threatened.”

Rudat also claimed she suffered substantial emotional distress or “caused me to fear for the well-being of my child.” In the complaint, she offered no example of Mullor contacting or threatening her child, however.

Rudat asked the Court to prohibit Mullor from engaging in “social media posts, comments, messages or blog post on The Comment.”

Mullor, in his response, denied all allegations. He called Rudat’s complaint frivolous. “In connection with her support for her father, the City Manager, Petitioner has thrust herself forward into the public controversies regarding his corrupt activities and the City’s investigations into those corrupt activities, making herself a public figure,” Mullor’s response states. In an exhibit, Mullor includes a screenshot of Rudat’s own profile in which she identifies herself as a public figure.

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Moran, allies wanted to delay Rudat probe for her council reelection: text messages

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By Scott Hamilton

March 21, 2022: The reelection of then-Mayor Karen Moran took precedence for three council members over the ethics investigation of Sammamish City Manager David Rudat, data revealed in a newly released set of records.

The exchange of text messages between Moran, Ken Gamblin, and Kent Treen revealed they sought to delay a vote on whether to fire City Manager Dave Rudat until after the November 2021 city council election. Moran was seeking reelection to a second term.

Karen Moran

Moran also blamed then-fellow council member Pam Stuart for the Rudat probe, according to text messages exchanged three weeks before the election. The vote to fire Rudat came at the November 16 council meeting. It failed on a 2-5 vote, with only Stuart and then-council member Tom Odell in favor. A vote to suspend Rudat for 30 days passed. Implementation was postponed to give Rudat a chance to respond to charges he violated Executive Session confidentiality and attorney-client privilege with his daughter, Stephanie. Stephanie and her allies control several Facebook groups which evolved into support groups for the city manager and hit groups on Sammamish Comment editor Miki Mullor. Mullor filed the complaint with the city leading to the probe and disciplinary action.

The complaint, filed in May 2021, resulted in the council hiring outside attorneys to conduct the investigation, recommend disciplinary action, and represent the minority opposed to the probe, Moran, Gamblin and Treen.

It took the city about 60 days to produce the text messages after a Public Records Request.

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