Seattle LGBTQ activist who celebrated Charlie Kirk killing drops harassment case against journalist

The Seattle LGBTQ commissioner who publicly cheered the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk has now dropped his own harassment case against journalist Jonathan Choe, just before it could be argued in court. Choe called the dismissal “total vindication.”

Andrew Ashiofu, a prominent figure in Seattle’s progressive circles and an outspoken endorser of socialist mayoral candidate Katie Wilson, asked a King County judge to dismiss his own petition on October 30, 2025, moments before a scheduled hearing. The court’s records confirm that the case was formally “dismissed at petitioner’s request.”

“Ashioufu raised the white flag before we could legally take him apart,” Choe said. “He realized my lawyer was ready to expose his lies under oath. His entire harassment claim was built on fiction.”

Ashiofu, who sits on the City of Seattle’s LGBTQ Commission, has positioned himself as a community advocate and progressive organizer. He also serves as a fashion consultant and campaign surrogate for mayoral hopeful Katie Wilson, a self-described socialist whose platform has been endorsed by several left-wing political groups.

In early September, Wilson’s campaign proudly shared Ashiofu’s endorsement, but soon after, screenshots surfaced showing his inflammatory remarks about Charlie Kirk’s assassination.

In one now-deleted post, Ashiofu wrote: “Ding ding the witch is gone,” alongside a photo of the slain Turning Point USA founder.

He followed up with, “He was a scumbag and karma played out.”

Choe’s reporting highlighted the comments, questioning why Wilson would continue to feature Ashiofu’s endorsement. “Katie Wilson has a massive extremism problem in her ranks,” Choe wrote at the time. “Ashiofu is part of her inner circle, and these are his words.”

Despite public outrage, Wilson never condemned the remarks nor removed Ashiofu from her campaign’s list of endorsers. He remains listed among her visible supporters in Seattle’s activist community.

In retaliation, Ashiofu filed a petition in King County Superior Court, accusing Choe of “stalking,” “doxxing,” and “cyber harassment.” He also claimed he feared “retaliation” and requested a restraining order that would have barred Choe from coming within 1,000 feet of him.

But court records obtained by The Ari Hoffman Show on Talk Radio 570 KVI, show the case collapsed almost immediately. A motion to modify the original petition was filed on September 25, but the court denied the motion the next day.

A hearing was set for October 30, but Ashioufu withdrew the case before testimony began, and the judge dismissed it with prejudice.

“I never met the guy,” Choe said. “Couldn’t pick him out in a lineup. This wasn’t personal, it was journalism.”

The failed legal gambit has drawn new attention to Ashiofu’s personal record. Public court filings show a pattern of unpaid rent, evictions, and collection actions spanning several years, including two evictions within 18 months, nearly $18,000 in unpaid rent and damages, and unpaid debt still accruing interest, as well as nine traffic and parking violations that could be sent to collections.

Despite these issues, Ashiofu continues to position himself as a “public servant” while serving on a taxpayer-funded city commission.

Choe called the case a clear example of political weaponization. “This wasn’t about harassment, it was about silencing a journalist who exposed a political ally’s own words,” he said. “If you’re part of a public campaign, you’re fair game for scrutiny.”

With the case dismissed and Ashiofu’s credibility crumbling, questions now loom over Katie Wilson’s campaign, particularly why she continues to embrace a supporter with such a volatile record and could Ashiofu be on the short list for Wilson’s staff should she win the election.