BELLEVUE -- Right around the time Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn was conceding his loss for re-election, his wife, Margaret Lynch, was getting arrested. And McGinn was proud of her.
He told reporters leaving his concession speech to watch for news of his wife being arrested in Bellevue.
Lynch and the 32 other women arrested were part of nationwide demonstration targeting Republican Congressional offices. They said they would enter the building to demand GOP members of the congressional delegation support an immigration reform bill in the House of Representatives.
The woman were arrested when they refused to leave.
Organizers notified Bellevue Police, who showed up in crowd control gear, that they would be protesting at the offices.
All 33 were booked at the Bellevue Police Department and released.
Lynch said it was the first time she has been arrested but it may not be the last.
She said it was just a coincidence that the event was held on the same day her husband was giving his concession speech.
Washington State Republican Party Chairman Susan Hutchison released the following statement in response to the even:
It's unfortunate that I was in D.C. and was unable to hear the concerns of these women. Like them, we agree that our immigration system is broken and we must find a solution. The House is currently in the process of taking a step-by-step approach to immigration reform, thoroughly examining each issue in detail. We are happy to have dialogue with anyone on the important issue of immigration reform. You cannot fix a broken law by breaking the law. Our landlord asked these activists to leave because they were disturbing the other tenants in the building. We look forward to continuing a dialogue on this important issue and anyone who wants to talk with me can call to schedule an appointment.
