King County Assessor John Wilson violated the county ethics code four times, a formal investigation concluded.
The King County Office of the Ombuds released its findings this week, determining Wilson used his government email to contact an ex-partner in violation of court orders, negotiate a personal home lease and send sexually explicit messages on county devices. The Seattle Times first reported the findings on Wednesday, Sept. 2.
The violations carry direct relevance for King County property owners, including Seattle residents.
The assessor's office determines property values for tax purposes countywide. Wilson has held the elected post since 2016 and is serving his third term.
What the investigation found
The ombuds report identified these violations of the King County Code:
- Wilson used his county email to contact his ex-fiancée, conduct that court orders expressly prohibited.
- He used his county email and an official King County website displaying his photo and title to initiate and negotiate a personal residential lease at a Lake Sammamish home. Investigators found he leveraged his position as assessor to induce a property manager into the agreement.
- He used his county email to contact the King County Sheriff's Office, including the sheriff personally, to request a wellness check on his domestic partner.
- He used county email, county software and county facilities to support his 2025 campaign for King County executive.
Investigators also found Wilson violated King County Information Technology's acceptable use policy after identifying sexually explicit language on county-owned technology, KOMO News reported.
The ombuds office is an independent body within the legislative branch of King County government. It investigates employee ethics complaints using a preponderance-of-the-evidence standard.
How the investigation started
The ombuds office received the ethics complaint in June 2025, amid allegations Wilson was stalking and harassing his ex-fiancée, Lee Keller, a prominent Seattle public affairs consultant.
On July 2, 2025, Wilson was arrested outside Keller's Seattle home after she called police to report he was sitting in his car nearby, violating a no-contact order. He was charged with two gross misdemeanors for violating the order. Each count carried up to one year in jail and a $5,000 fine.
Wilson pleaded not guilty in Seattle Municipal Court. The criminal charges were dismissed in June 2026 after prosecutors said Keller no longer wished to cooperate with the case.
Keller told KUOW in 2026, after a court appearance in the criminal case, that the experience left her shaken. "I have never felt like this in my life," she said. "I've never been scared to leave my home."
Calls to resign, refusal to leave
The Metropolitan King County Council voted unanimously on two separate occasions to demand Wilson's immediate resignation, The Seattle Times reported. The council lacks the power to force him out. Only a recall petition or a felony conviction related to his office could remove him.
Councilmember Claudia Balducci told The Seattle Times in 2025, after the council's second resignation vote, that Wilson was mocking the public and the court process over "a very serious issue which is domestic abuse and stalking."
Wilson suspended his county executive campaign after his arrest. He said he would not seek reelection as assessor but has refused to step down.
Even his own chief deputy, Al Dams, called for his departure, KUOW reported.
What happens next
No response from Wilson or his attorney to the ombuds findings has appeared in public records as of Wednesday, Sept. 2. The Seattle Times noted the story is developing.
The ombuds office issues formal findings, but its enforcement authority is not detailed in available reports. The assessor's seat is on the November 2026 ballot, and Wilson is not a candidate.
