Matthew Randazzo V

All four votes to eliminate the well-liked city manager, Charlie Bush, came from unelected, appointed extremist conservative councilmembers. Armacost himself has never been elected. All four serve as part of what appears to be a coordinated far-right recruitment effort (2/)

It is heavily rumored that Bush was terminated because he *allegedly* refused to illegally reject permits and authorizations for a drug treatment clinic being opened by a local Tribal Nation over extreme conservative pushback. Bush also openly criticized Mayor... (4/)

For promoting QAnon on a public broadcast on behalf of the official City of Sequim government. Likewise, Bush contradicted Armacost by acknowledging systemic racism was a problem at the height of #blm summer. There's a lot more coming. Stay tuned. (5/)

In the interim, the City Government of Sequim is in control of a QAnon cult believer who actively made excuses for extremist mobs in his town who displayed intimidating and racist behavior over the summer. There's no telling what is next. (6/)

To correct an earlier mistake, Armacost is not "unelected" -- he was just elected in 2019 in an uncontested low-profile election to the Council. The biker and salon owner was made Mayor by a council vote. The other three votes were all appointed. (7/)

Unclear if Bush has even informally agreed to negotiate to resign. It'll be interesting to see if the secretive vote to force resignation was procedurally correct and inappropriate... and what happens if Bush refuses to resign. (8/)

Sequim has "weak mayor" city gov that vests most responsibility in its professional hired administrator. The Mayor just chairs meetings, does ceremonial duties, gets minimal nominal pay. Armacost and his crew abruptly taking over breaks local norms and empowers him. (9/)

America gone crazy: Enjoy this public comment politely requesting that Mayor William Armacost of Sequim, WA -- a QAanon devotee -- refrain from acts of insurrection, terrorism, or murder, all delivered in a deadpan worthy of the Office Space boss.https://twitter.com/SaveSequim/status/1349211376699330561?s=19 …

A town that has explicitly chosen a local gov model with weak mayor/council are being ruled by 3 unelected extremists and a Q-pilled Mayor who got on council because he was only candidate to register for an obscure local election. Literally no one voted for this.

QAnon Mayor William Armacost, the would-be Q-pilled Robespierre taking over Sequim, WA City Government, fired the city manager only months after the city manager publicly walked back the Mayor RECRUITING FOR QANON ON OFFICIAL CITY GOV RADIO BROADCAST.https://twitter.com/SaveSequim/status/1302040819910631424?s=20 …

Every source connects QAnon Mayor William Armacost firing Sequim, WA City Manager Charlie Bush to anger over a Tribal addiction treatment facility that conservatives wanted Bush to illegally stop despite Bush lacking authority to go beyond established process. Sound familiar?

Extremism doesn't just exist in poor rural communities. To address misconceptions I keep seeing in thread: Sequim is an affluent, well-educated, beautiful seaside town. I once lived there. I have many friends there. It's not some backwater redneck town in the middle of nowhere.

It illustrates the fact that Trump/Qanon/FB has radicalized suburban upper middle class types (like salon owners and small town city councils) to the point that they are open to overthrowing the government that's so scary. This is a broad issue that cuts through class/geography.

Major updates coming. Two things I can confirm currently: --Sequim City Manager Charlie Bush has not formally resigned, is still at job. --However, if his resignation becomes effective, the majority led by QAnon Mayor Armacost can directly appoint an interim of their choosing

Third major update: thanks to uproar, Sequim, WA citizens organized a grassroots effort to thwart firing of Bush & to retake community control of the Council currently led by Qanon Mayor. They are correctly identifying keeping Bush from resigning as most urgent current focus.

Since early posts had misinfo due to council's lack of transparency, 2 clarify: --council emerges from exec session, votes to direct atty to negotiate city manager resignation. --city manager has not agreed to resign --city refuses to clarify why vote occurred, what's happening

until city manager resigns, or is formally terminated for cause, he is still in control of city government. If resignation becomes official, Q-Anon majority can appoint like-minded city administrator to exercise manager's enormous executive authority.

One more key point: --The vote is legally dubious. --Attorneys I have spoken to (I'm a former WA gov exec) say city manager likely has huge lawsuit if he wants --Totally unclear what future holds.