(File, Associated Press)
Edmonds City Councilmember Mike Nelson secretly – and at times, desperately – tried to coordinate with an anti-gun Seattle leader to craft gun storage legislation. He left at least some colleagues in the dark about his legislation and hasn’t responded to multiple requests for interview.
Now, the City of Edmonds is being sued over Nelson’s legislation.
Nelson, despite being a gun owner, has long been interested in legislation to further regulate guns in the City of Edmonds. Back in March of 2018, Nelson sought guidance from the anti-gun group Alliance for Gun Responsibility, according to documents obtained via public disclosure request.
Nelson was impatient, felt left out
Geoff Potter, Program and Policy Director for the Alliance, introduced Nelson to a staffer for Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan. The email reads:
Councilmember Mike Nelson, please meet Robert Feldstein, policy lead for Mayor Jenny Durkan. Robert, please meet Councilmember Nelson of Edmonds, a fantastic champion of gun responsibility. Mike led the passage of Edmonds’ own lost and stolen firearms ordinance as well a resolution supporting safe storage legislation at the state level.
Nelson asked to talk with Feldstein because he thought about “possibly modeling similar legislation in our city.” Over the course of the next couple weeks, Nelson eagerly tried to get an update on the City’s gun ordinance, but was getting “radio silence.”
“I am not holding out,” Feldstein promised Nelson via email. “Our lawyers are in conversation with outside counsel trying to get the bill correct before we’re sharing. So, except for some fancy whereas clauses (and those probably need lawyer vetting too!), I don’t have a version to share yet. But please keep pinging.”
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