Ousted Chelan County Sheriff Brian Burnett Announces Bid for 12th District Representative

In a press release out late Friday night the candidate wrote he "retired" in 2022 and seeks state rep seat vacated by Keith Goehner

Brian Burnett in a campaign video for his failed re-election bid for Chelan County Sheriff in 2022.

Former Chelan County Sheriff Brian Burnett announced in a press release late Friday night that he’s running for 12th District Representative this fall, hoping to replace Republican Keith Goehner. Goehner is giving up his current position to run for state senate to replace Senator Brad Hawkins, who has filed to run for Chelan County Commissioner. Hawkins hopes to replace incumbent Tiffany Gering, who is not seeking reelection.

In his announcement, Burnett describes his 2023 departure from the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office as a “retirement” and does not acknowledge his nearly 10-point loss to current sheriff Mike Morrison in the November 2022 election.

“With a deep-rooted commitment to the community and a proven track record of effective leadership, Brian is poised to bring a fresh perspective to the legislative arena,” the release reads.

Burnett’s tenure as Chelan County Sheriff was marred by claims of discrimination based on sex and religious affiliation (or lack thereof). According to CCSO employees who worked under Burnett, if an officer wasn’t a member of “The God Squad,” his career “would not go far” at the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office.

He’s also a high-profile member of Grace City Church and during his time in office, the church used taxpayer-funded CCSO equipment for its inaugural “Project Mancard: Rite of Passage” young militia training up the Entiat Valley.

According to former Chelan-Douglas County Health District Director Barry Kling Burnett also “pressured” him into signing onto a COVID-era lawsuit headed up by GCC pastor Josh McPherson.

Burnett’s truthfulness was called into question during his reelection campaign after his Facebook page made a post making it seem like he was at an event called “Fiestas Mexicanas” in Wenatchee when, in reality, he was at a Christian Nationalist event in North Idaho. He admitted the deception to reporter Jefferson Robbins in a television interview and said he went because he and his wife April wanted to meet retired US General Mike Flynn. Flynn is a high-profile conspiracy theorist and Christian Supremacist.

As far as Burnett’s “retirement” goes, his exit from CCSO was completely voluntary, according to current Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison. In an interview after his electoral victory Morrison said he offered Burnett his old job, a car and even his old call sign back if he wanted to return to work as a CCSO deputy.

That offer was declined.

He enters the primary facing off against another Republican, Dan Scott. A Democrat from North Bend named Heather Koellen has also filed to run for the seat.

Burnett’s campaign website is “currently under construction” according to his press release, which you can read here.

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