King County has declined to renew the contract of controversial Office of Law Enforcement Oversight (OLEO) Director Tamer Abouzeid, effectively ending his tenure after years of escalating criticism over inflammatory public statements, ethical concerns, and allegations of bias.
After repeated delays, the King County Council was scheduled to vote Tuesday on whether to renew Abouzeid’s appointment as OLEO director. Councilmember Jorge L. Barón formally introduced a motion to renew Abouzeid. However, the meeting was abruptly moved into executive session. When councilmembers returned to public session, Barón withdrew his motion without explanation, ending the matter without a vote.
BREAKING: Tamer Abouzeid, the anti-cop, antisemitic, anti-Christian & anti-white director of King County's Office of Law Enforcement Oversight, is out of a job
A recently filed eight-page complaint accused Abouzeid of violating workplace discrimination rules, breaching ethical… pic.twitter.com/PajY7UB6Cl
— Ari Hoffman 🎗 (@thehoffather) January 15, 2026
A source within King County government told The Ari Hoffman Show on Talk Radio 570 KVI that the reversal reflected a lack of support among councilmembers. “Clearly, the votes were not there to reappoint,” the source said. “Much of it was due to his insane statements. He could not be impartial and was unable to adhere to ethics codes.”
Abouzeid’s departure follows months of controversy surrounding his public social-media activity, which critics described as anti-police, antisemitic, anti-Christian, and ideologically extreme. As director of OLEO, Abouzeid was responsible for providing civilian oversight of the King County Sheriff’s Office, a role that requires neutrality, credibility, and adherence to strict ethical standards.
🧵OBSTRUCTING JUSTICE
Meet Tamer Abouzeid @TamerLikeHammer the director of King County, Washington's Office of Law Enforcement Oversight @KingCountyOLEO. He is a radical Jew-hater and Hamas supporter
His job consists of demonizing police and tweeting antisemitism pic.twitter.com/IdeXCpyZBG
— Ari Hoffman 🎗 (@thehoffather) March 14, 2024
The decision comes on the heels of a recently filed eight-page complaint accusing Abouzeid of violating workplace discrimination rules, breaching ethical obligations, and publicly attacking groups central to OLEO’s mission. The complaint alleged that Abouzeid repeatedly targeted law-enforcement personnel, Christians, Republicans, and Jewish communities in public commentary, undermining confidence in his ability to serve as a fair and impartial oversight official.
Abouzeid's social media is filled with rhetoric demonizing Jews and the Jewish state. He has even shared the work and posts of multiple well-known antisemites pic.twitter.com/f0BKM7CijS
— Ari Hoffman 🎗 (@thehoffather) March 14, 2024
That complaint built on a broader record of concern documented over the past two years. Abouzeid had previously drawn condemnation for social-media posts attacking Israel and Zionism, characterizing Zionism as “white supremacy” and “settler colonialism,” and describing Hamas’ October 7, 2023, massacre as legitimate “resistance.” Jewish deputies and community members said those statements minimized terrorism and raised serious doubts about his ability to fairly oversee investigations involving Jewish officers.
The antisemitic head of @KingCountyOLEO Tamer Abouzeid @TamerLikeHammer appears to be upset people are calling him out for being a Hamas supporter and his hatred of police
He seems to think it is "unhinged" to point out that he celebrates terrorists and demonizes Jews https://t.co/2oArSP3xJY
— Ari Hoffman 🎗 (@thehoffather) March 14, 2024
Abouzeid also posted commentary attacking Republicans and Christians, including claims that joining the Republican Party or converting to Christianity amounted to embracing white supremacy. From accounts associated with OLEO, he shared posts describing the entire criminal legal system as “rotten,” “irreformable,” and in need of dismantling—remarks that deeply alarmed sheriff’s deputies subject to OLEO oversight.
County leadership had previously warned Abouzeid about his conduct. In 2023, then–Council Chair Dave Upthegrove cautioned him in writing that his public statements risked damaging OLEO’s credibility and public trust. External legal counsel later concluded that while some of Abouzeid’s speech may have been protected under the First Amendment, it posed serious problems for someone in a quasi-judicial oversight role and risked violating workplace discrimination standards.
The King County Police Officers Guild unanimously demanded Abouzeid’s removal earlier this year, accusing him of “support of terrorists” and arguing that Jewish deputies could not expect fair treatment under his leadership.
Although no formal vote was taken Tuesday, the withdrawal of the renewal motion effectively ended Abouzeid’s tenure.
