Auburn mayor responds to allegations in failed recall petition

Published 5:30 am Friday, March 13, 2026

By trotting out recycled allegations, distortions of past events, and shopworn claims that had already been publicly addressed and reconciled, Auburn Mayor Nancy Backus said that the man who filed the recently failed recall petition against her sought to undermine the decision Auburn voters made in a fair, democratic election last November.

“This recall petition was reviewed through the legal process in King County Superior Court, as it should be. I am thankful that when the facts were evaluated, this effort was recognized for what it was: a political grievance masquerading as ethical concerns. Finding no factual or legal sufficiency, the Court dismissed the petition charges with prejudice,” Backus said.

So said Backus, one week after King County Superior Court Judge David Whedbee dismissed the case and charges that Ronnie Morgan III had leveled against her. Morgan finished third in the mayoral primary in August 2025 and did not move on to the general election.

Responding to the allegations, Backus said:

“Let me be clear. I have never used my office for personal gain, never granted unwarranted privileges, and never interfered in any criminal investigation. Allegations suggesting otherwise are false,” Backus said, noting that “the structure and oversight of the Auburn Police Department, and the city’s independent processes exist precisely to prevent the kind of interference Morgan alleged.”

“I take these rules seriously, and I follow them judiciously,” she added.

Taking on Morgan’s allegation that she had used her official position as mayor to secure special privileges for her benefit, Backus called it false. She noted that when she first took office as mayor in January 2014, there were certain benefits in place for Auburn’s mayor that included 100% payout for both accrued vacation and sick leave at the end of her time in office. At the end of their respective terms, Backus noted, former Mayor Chuck Booth received full payout of his vacation and a portion of his sick leave accruals, and former Mayor Pete Lewis received full payout of both his vacation and sick leave accruals — per the Auburn City Code then in effect. In 2023, the city council discussed changing those benefits.

“I did seek legal counsel to ensure that my rights and benefits were not being denied,” Backus said. “In the middle of my term in June of 2023, ultimately, the Council and I resolved our collective concerns, and Council updated the Code regarding what I and future mayors will be eligible to receive in compensation that is not salary,” Backus said.

Auburn’s Independent Salary Commission, Backus said, will continue to set the salaries of the mayor and council members.

The allegations in the petition tied to past criminal cases, including references to former Auburn Police Department officer Jeff Nelson “and the unfortunate and tragic death of Jesse Sarey” at Nelson’s hands, Backus continued, “mischaracterize” both her role and the legal realities of those cases.

“Court proceedings and prosecutorial decisions are handled through the judicial system and the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, not the Mayor’s Office. The City of Auburn respects and follows all decisions made by the jury in that case and has followed all state and court laws and procedures,” Backus said.

With respect to the draft of a letter, Morgan alleged, that Backus wrote to a judge asking him to afford former Auburn pastor Joshua Obadiah Headley, who had pleaded guilty to child molestation to get treatment as opposed to prison time, she noted that she had already “publicly acknowledged that — knowing what I know now — I would not draft the letter again, and I regret doing so. I am human, and I make mistakes, but when I know better, I do better. I had no contact with him during his incarceration or since his release, nor has any department at the City of Auburn. We have not employed him nor worked with him since his release.”

“The draft letter that is public record is just that – a draft,” Backus said. “I did not use my mayoral position to request the judge to consider treatment for Mr. Headley. Even though his attorney asked for my statement, it was never submitted to the court. To continue weaponizing that situation for political purposes does nothing to support victims or strengthen our community. There was never any coordinated messaging after the fact, and there still isn’t — again, this was proven by follow-up records requests which showed no conspiracy.”

Auburn, Backus said, “deserves serious leadership focused on public safety, economic stability, infrastructure, and community well-being — not ongoing campaign-season theatrics. Anyone who knows me knows how much I prefer to let the work speak for itself rather than leading by press conference — there’s just no way to square spending this much time responding to these ridiculous allegations as a good use of taxpayer money. I would prefer to focus on issues that affect all of Auburn, such as housing and food affordability, crime, education, access to enrichment, and more.”

Backus said she welcomes all criticisms, no matter how harsh or blunt, “but I will always push back when the narrative does not fit the facts. It’s OK to not like me or the decisions I’ve made — it’s not OK to distort the truth and present opinions as reality. My integrity is everything to me. The recall petition recently filed by Ronnie Morgan III was a politically-motivated effort rooted in the disappointment of a failed campaign, not in facts, ethics violations, or misconduct.”

“I remain fully committed to serving this city with integrity, transparency, and accountability, as I have throughout my time in office, and I will continue to do so over the next four years. The voters spoke clearly in November. I intend to honor that trust by continuing the work for this community.”