Local community leader Chris Stearns launched his campaign to serve on the Auburn City Council today. Stearns
has an extensive history as an attorney, government leader and public policy advocate fighting for justice and human
rights. Currently, he is of Counsel to Hobbs, Straus, Dean and Walker, a national firm specializing in representing Native American tribes across the United States. Stearns is also a Commissioner and past Chairman of the Washington State Gambling Commission, a law enforcement agency responsible for keeping gambling safe and honest in what is one of the largest markets in the nation.

Members of the Seattle Indian Health Board meet with US Senator Patty Murray to discuss federal appropriations, as well as the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Crisis | Photo by Chris Stearns

Additionally, Stearns is the Board President of the Seattle Indian Health Board, a community health clinic that provides health and human services for 6,000 patients and also operates the Thunderbird Treatment Center. Previously Stearns also Chaired the Seattle Human Rights Commission, which protects and promotes human & civil rights and social justice.

Stearns enters his race for position no. 1, with the early endorsement of the Martin Luther King County Labor Council.

“My family and I picked Auburn as our home because of the sense of community. We love the vibrant parks, the unique small businesses and that Auburn has community members who truly care. But as Auburn grows and becomes a big city we have big city problems we need to face head on. Our homelessness crisis continues to grow, traffic is getting worse and we have a mental health and drug epidemic that has taken hold of many in our community. I believe we need to
aggressively tackle these problems so we can continue to recruit world-class businesses and residents,” said Stearns.

Previously, Stearns served as Democratic Counsel for the Committee on Natural Resources in the U.S. House of
Representatives where he oversaw national legislation on gambling, tribal self-governance, healthcare, and federal
recognition. He was appointed by President Bill Clinton as the first-ever Director of Indian Affairs for the U.S. Department of Energy. Stearns later spent four years as the political advisor to the President of the National Congress of American Indians.

“The politics of Washington DC and Olympia have shown us that we don’t need sound bites and rhetoric, instead we need to work together toward common goals to improve our communities. I believe we can make Auburn a regional destination for good paying jobs, visitors and new residents who will contribute to the fabric that makes Auburn great.

“As a local community, we are innovative and resourceful and I am ready to work with elected officials, residents and
businesses to make Auburn a place we are all proud to call home,” concluded Stearns.

Stearns graduated with Honors in History from Williams College and received his law degree from Cornell Law School.

For more information on Chris and the campaign please visit www.ChrisforAuburn.com

The above is a press release from the campaign of Chris Stearns. The Auburn Examiner has not independently verified its contents. For more information on the 2019 elections, check out of Vote 2019 section.