Out-of-her-depth woke Seattle mayor faces fresh hammer blow as Washington's Democrat governor blasts her, days after calls to recall her

By WILL POTTER, US SENIOR NEWS REPORTER Published: 13:28, 18 August 2026 | Updated: 13:37, 18 August 2026 Seattle's embattled socialist mayor Katie Wilson was condemned by her own state's Democrat governor as he re-shared a scathing social media post about her handling of a mass shooting.  Washington Governor Bob Ferguson shared a post from journalist Ari Hoffman this week which criticized Wilson's response to a shooting at a food festival on July 27 that left three people dead.  Hoffman reported that when a Zoom call was hastily convened for Washington leaders in the aftermath of the tragedy, Wilson refused to turn on her camera or speak.  He said when he made a Freedom of Information Act request for records of the call, Ferguson's office claimed that it does not have a recording. Ferguson's own account then re-shared the post that criticized Wilson's antics.  Hoffman responded on X that the Democrat governor's move 'wasn't on my bingo card for today.' 'He seems to really be trying to throw Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson under the bus,' wrote Hoffman, an editor at conservative news outlet Post Millennial, adding: 'Interesting that the governor follows me on social media.' Ferguson's account appeared to go on to delete the post re-sharing Hoffman's report. The Daily Mail has contacted Ferguson and Wilson for comment.  The rebuke from Wilson's own side comes as the socialist mayor is facing a potential recall over her seven month stint in office, as she has been criticized for her inexperience, anti-business stances, and botched handling of the mass shooting response.  Seattle's embattled socialist mayor Katie Wilson appeared to be condemned by her own state's Democrat governor amid criticisms of her handling of the city  Washington Governor Bob Ferguson shared a post from journalist Ari Hoffman this week which criticized Wilson's response to a shooting at a food festival on July 27 that left three people dead Ferguson reportedly shared - then deleted - a scathing social media post about Wilson's handling of the tragedy, which the journalist who wrote it said looked like was 'really be trying to throw Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson under the bus' Paperwork to recall Wilson from office was filed by outraged locals in Seattle, as couple Melinda Jacobson and Dale Osterud said they joined the effort because Wilson has been 'derelict in her duties for public safety of the city of Seattle,' according to the Seattle Times. Jacobson accused Wilson of having 'sort of ignored the public safety part of her job, which is a huge part, and that is not right.' 'This is a big city,' she told the outlet on Friday. 'We need a big-city-type mayor who knows how to deal with everything.' Specifically, the couple's letter noted that Wilson 'made a hasty, rash decision to force a resignation' from Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes, 55, over his handling of the shooting at the Bite of Seattle food festival on July 27. Barnes' ouster showed a 'lack of fiscal responsibility' and sowed 'distrust among the citizens of Seattle' in Wilson, according to the recall, which was published by KUOW. Black community leaders, including the NAACP, Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle, Byrd Barr Place and Community Passageways, also criticized Wilson after Barnes' resignation. Wilson has come under mounting scrutiny for her mayorship this year. Pictured: Seattle's iconic Space Needle and Museum of Pop Culture were blighted by tent encampments when the Daily Mail visited earlier this year Alongside concerns over public safety in Seattle, Wilson has also faced criticisms from business leaders over her calls to introduce a wealth tax and introduce new business taxes on her city.  Early in her tenure, Wilson came under fire for her flippant response when asked at a town hall if she feared these stances could drive wealth and entrepreneurship away from Seattle. Wilson said such concerns would be 'overblown', and added, 'And to the ones that leave, 'bye!'' as she waved her right hand.  Her approach has led to fears that Seattle's long history as a business hub, including being the birthplace of Microsoft, Starbucks and Amazon, may come to an end.  Starbucks tycoon Howard Schultz penned a scathing op-ed in the Wall Street Journal in response, slamming Wilson for  driving businesses out of the city and destroying its history of entrepreneurship. Schultz said he was moving much of Starbucks' corporate base to Tennessee because Wilson had 'fractured' the business culture in Seattle. He condemned the socialist mayor's open hostility to businesses and argued she will drive out jobs created by innovation, writing: 'Wilson has chosen to cast business as a foil rather than a partner.' 'Her socialist rhetoric vilifies employers, even while she continues to rely on them for revenue. She has encouraged residents who disagree with her policies to leave.'  The coffee giant insists it will remain Seattle-based, but many pundits think it will gradually transfer its entire operation to the much more business-friendly state of Tennessee.