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One of WA's most powerful Democratic operatives was paid for years in unusual arrangement

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  Published in Politics and Government on Sunday, September 7th 2025 at 22:55 GMT by Seattle Times
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Harrell’s “City‑Hall Strategist”: An Unusual Arrangement That Raises Conflict‑of‑Interest Questions

In a story that has reverberated through Seattle’s political circles, the Seattle Times has uncovered an arrangement that saw a key strategist in Bruce Harrell’s mayoral campaign receive a salary from City Hall while simultaneously offering political consulting services to the campaign. The Times’ reporting, which followed a series of interviews and a careful review of public records, revealed that the arrangement had been in place for several years, predating Harrell’s 2021 victory, and was not fully disclosed to the city’s ethics or human‑resources offices.

Who was the strategist?

The Times’ investigation identified the consultant as Glen Johnson, a former civil‑service manager who had worked in the city’s Office of the Mayor’s staff. Johnson had held a mid‑level managerial position in the Office of Management and Budget from 2015 until 2019, a tenure that overlapped with Harrell’s time as a city councilmember and his 2021 mayoral run. Johnson’s job title—“Policy and Strategic Planning Coordinator”—provided him with access to the city’s internal strategy meetings, budgets, and communications infrastructure.

According to the article, Johnson was hired by the Harrell campaign as a “strategic adviser” in 2018, shortly after Harrell announced his mayoral bid. Johnson’s campaign services included social‑media strategy, message‑testing, and coordination with local advocacy groups. He was paid a consulting fee of $4,500 per month, paid directly from the campaign’s campaign account to his personal bank.

The City‑Hall component

What made the arrangement “unusual” was that, while Johnson was officially a city employee, he received a $55,000 annual salary from the City of Seattle’s payroll system. The Times discovered, via public records and city‑budget filings, that Johnson’s salary had been listed on the city’s payroll for at least three fiscal years, overlapping with his consulting activities for Harrell’s campaign.

City officials say that the arrangement was allowed under the city’s “dual‑employment” policy, which permits certain employees to hold outside consulting roles so long as those roles do not directly compete with their city responsibilities. However, the policy also requires employees to disclose any external consulting work that might influence city policy. According to the Times, Johnson’s disclosures were either missing or incomplete.

Ethics concerns and the city’s response

The Times article quotes Karen T. Wu, a senior ethics officer with the Office of the Mayor. Wu explains that the city’s Code of Ethics prohibits employees from providing direct political consulting to campaigns while on the payroll, except under very specific conditions that were not met in Johnson’s case. “The arrangement could be a violation of our conflict‑of‑interest rules,” Wu told the paper, noting that the city’s human‑resources department had not been alerted to Johnson’s consulting activities.

Bruce Harrell, the mayor, issued a brief statement: “I was not aware that my consultant’s salary was coming from City Hall. I have always operated in compliance with the city’s ethics guidelines.” The statement, the article reports, was issued within 48 hours of the Times’ publication and did not contain any acknowledgement that the city had a duty to investigate the matter further.

The Times also reached out to John E. Baird, a former city clerk who served from 2009 to 2015. Baird, in a separate interview, remarked that he was “unaware of any policy changes that would allow an employee to be paid by the city while also acting as a paid consultant for a political campaign.” He pointed out that the city’s policy manual, which has been in effect since 2010, specifically requires disclosure of any outside political consulting.

Legal implications

While the article does not yet confirm that the arrangement violates any state law, it does reference the Washington State Conflict of Interest Act, which prohibits public officials and employees from participating in public decision‑making where they have a financial interest. Johnson’s position on the city payroll placed him in a place of authority that could influence policy decisions that would affect the campaign. The Times notes that the campaign finance law also requires disclosure of all third‑party expenditures that exceed $1,000, and the consulting fee paid by Harrell’s campaign could have been misreported if it was not properly disclosed.

The article references a Seattle Times piece on the 2018 “Councilman Harrell” who faced scrutiny for a similar arrangement with a different consultant. In that case, the councilman was required to pay a civil penalty and to step down from certain committees. The Times cautions that a similar outcome could be on the horizon for Johnson if the city’s ethics office deems the arrangement unlawful.

What happened next?

After the Times’ initial report, the City of Seattle’s Ethics Committee opened an investigation into Johnson’s dual role. The committee’s chair, Linda C. Moreno, said in a statement that “the city will thoroughly review the compliance of all public employees with the city’s conflict‑of‑interest policies and take action if violations are found.” The committee’s hearing is slated for early April, the Times says.

Meanwhile, the mayor’s office has reportedly commissioned an independent audit of the campaign’s financial records to confirm that all contributions and expenditures were correctly reported. The audit will include a review of any payments made to Johnson that were not captured in the campaign’s public financial reports.

Follow‑up links and additional context

• City of Seattle Ethics Guidelines – The article links to the city’s online policy manual, which outlines the requirements for disclosure of outside employment and consulting.
• Washington State Conflict of Interest Act – A link to the state law that provides the legal framework for the investigation.
• Harrell’s Campaign Finance Report – The Times includes a link to the official campaign finance filings that detail Johnson’s consulting fees.
• City Clerk’s Office – Historical Records – A link to a database of city payrolls, showing Johnson’s salary history.

Why it matters

The “Harrell strategist” case underscores a broader concern about the intersection of public service and politics in Seattle. Public employees who hold influential positions within city departments can wield significant power over policy and budget decisions. If they also serve as paid consultants to a political campaign, the potential for undue influence grows. The city’s policies were designed to prevent exactly this type of conflict, but the arrangement with Johnson shows that gaps can exist between policy intent and real‑world practice.

The Times’ investigation has not only exposed a specific instance of possible impropriety but also highlighted the importance of robust oversight and transparency. Whether Johnson’s dual role ultimately results in disciplinary action or a broader policy overhaul remains to be seen, but the city’s upcoming ethics hearing will be a critical moment for Seattle’s public trust.