Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson ignored questions from a journalist about a recall campaign against her after the effort's organisers withdrew their petition this week. The confrontation, which occurred as Wilson walked away in silence, followed a legal battle in which the couple behind the recall missed a filing deadline and later attempted to revive their case in court, only to have it dismissed without prejudice.

The recall petition, filed by Melinda Jacobson and her husband Dale Osterud, accused Wilson of malfeasance and violating her oath of office, citing her handling of a shooting at the Bite of Seattle festival that killed three people, persistent crime in downtown areas, and her decision to switch off CCTV cameras after the World Cup. Judge Patrick Oishi criticised the couple's conduct as "absolutely inappropriate" after they missed a deadline then unexpectedly appeared in court; Wilson's lawyers dismissed the charges as "frivolous" and warned they may seek sanctions if the recall is restarted, which would require nearly 70,000 verified signatures. Wilson has faced growing unpopularity in Seattle after mocking wealthy residents threatening to leave over a wealth tax and calling for a boycott of Starbucks, prompting the coffee chain to begin shifting staff away from the city.