By Miki Mullor
Editor
After counting 95% of the ballots, Mayor Karen Moran won her re-election in a landslide, winning over 75% of the votes. Moran is also the only candidate in this election crossing the 10,000 vote count.
Also winning, in tight races, were Karen Howe, Kali Clark and Amy Lam.
Continue readingBy Miki Mullor
Editor
Sammamish City Council Candidate Josh Amato did not respond to tough questions raised regarding the veracity of his candidacy announcement concerning an arrest and a recent attempt to scrub his 2010 ties to a white supremacy hate group.
Instead, Amato’s sister posted a comment on our story, largely backing Amato’s version of the events. The sister’s comment, however, leaves many questions open.
The Sammamish Comment asked Amato for further clarifications – three days ago – with no response from the candidate. Amato also ignored requests to comment on the original story.
In a blog post responding to questions about his history as a Republican, Amato said “as uncomfortable as confrontation may be, I believe it is absolutely your right to ask tough questions of those asking for your vote.”
Instead, his supporters are now attacking The Comment for highlighting the issues with his campaign’s obfuscations.
UPDATE [Oct 25]: after ignoring our interview questions, Amato told Lin Yang’s blog the Comment “did not talk to him ti understand the full story.” – another falsehood from Amato, refuted by copies of the emails we sent him prior to publishing our stories. See more at the bottom of this story.
Continue readingBy Miki Mullor
Editor
When Josh Amato announced his candidacy for Sammamish City Council last spring, he posted a video on his campaign website disclosing an arrest at age 21 for a misdemeanor.
However, the police report from the Tacoma Police Department discloses that the circumstances surrounding his arrest were far more serious than Amato revealed – it was for intimidation, stalking and threats with a weapon – a felony.
In addition, Sammamish Comment uncovered political documents on the Internet that connect Amato, then campaign manager for Dick Muri, a Republican candidate for Congress, to groups with racist and white supremacist leanings.
Shortly after The Comment discovered the key document, Amato’s name was removed from the posting on the Internet.
Amato is currently a Sammamish planning commissioner.
Continue readingBy Miki Mullor
Editor
Sammamish planning commissioner Josh Amato yesterday announced his candidacy for City Council for the November election. Amato is also seeking the city council’s appointment for Jason Ritchie’s vacant seat, to be decided by mid-March. Ritchie resigned Jan. 20.
Amato, a newcomer to Sammamish, moved here in 2018, according to his website joshforsammamish.com. Under his priorities, he lists transportation, development code, youth mental health, police and senior services.
Amato is a political consultant with affiliation to the Republican Party and a former spokesman for the Washington Republican Party. In a blog post, he says his affinity with the Republican party is now close to zero.
The candidate also shares his personal journey of family hardship and his own past issue with the law as a window to who he is today.
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Sammamish Comment 