Jonathan Choe

Jonathan Choe is a journalist and Senior Fellow with Discovery Institute's Center on Wealth and Poverty, covering homelessness issues for its Fix Homelessness initiative. Prior to joining Discovery, Choe spent several years as one of the lead reporters at KOMO-TV, consistently the top rated television station in Seattle. His in depth stories on crime and deep dive investigations into the homeless crisis led to measurable results in the community, including changes in public policy.

Choe has more than two decades of experience in television news behind the scenes and in front of the camera for ABC, NBC, FOX, CBS, and Tribune. He has also been been nominated and honored with multiple industry awards including an Emmy. Choe spent several years teaching classes on emerging media and entreprenuership to under privileged youth in inner city Chicago.

As an independent journalist, Choe also contributes regularly to the Mill Creek View and Lynnwood Times and has reported on exclusive stories in the past year for Daily Wire and The Postmillennial.

Choe is a New England native and Boston University journalism school graduate.

Archives

Downtown Seattle Black Markets and Drug Dens Thrive, Leadership MIA

_{Jonathan Choe
June 16, 2025}

New For the past few weeks, the entire news cycle has been dominated by protests and social unrest. But there are still major stories happening in Seattle that the politicians don’t want you to see. Over the weekend, I spent several hours in the usual downtown hot spots. Unfortunately for the residents of District 7, the black market of stolen goods and drugs dens are raging out of control on 3rd Ave & Pike St, especially in the late evening hours. McStabby’s on Pine St. remains a mess and dealers are selling drugs all over Belltown. Meanwhile, no sign of Mayor Bruce Harrell or Councilmember Bob Kettle. They should be out here in person, walking the streets to find better solutions. The current plan is not working. Complaints from Constituent One …

Drug Dens Continue to Plague Seattle’s Chinatown

_{Jonathan Choe
June 16, 2025}

Happening Now Just a quick bus ride away from the drug dens of 3rd Ave & Pike St, you have Little Saigon in Seattle’s Chinatown-ID. This Asian American community gets zero relief from the criminals and addicts destroying their neighborhood. Mayor Bruce Harrell had nearly four years to handle a few city blocks in the CID. So far, it’s an epic failure in leadership. The current plan is not working. NEW: For the past few weeks, the entire news cycle has been dominated by protests and social unrest. But there are still major stories happening in Seattle that the politicians don't want you to see. Over the weekend, I spent several hours in the usual downtown hot spots.… pic.twitter.com/o5LRlZ4mnV— Jonathan Choe (@choeshow) June 16, 2025 …

Notorious Homeless Vandal Accused of Recent Window Smashing Spree Arrested

_{Jonathan Choe
June 13, 2025}

Breaking Seattle Police just busted one of the most notorious homeless vandals in the Belltown neighborhood. He’s accused of going on a window smashing spree this week on Cedar Ave. He’s also believed to be a suspect in other vandalism incidents in the area. Neighbors say he’s clearly dealing with drug addiction and mental illness. We Heart Seattle’s Andrea Suarez says she’s seen this guy before and has tried to help. The same group of repeat offenders keep running around the city causing problems. We have been working with small businesses in Belltown for weeks now reporting this loose cannon to literally every official and agency in Seattle for his machete wielding, screaming, public indecency, irrational and psychotic behavior clearly …

The Toxic Patterns that Keep People on the Streets

_{Jonathan Choe
June 11, 2025}

We Heart Seattle’s “Recovery First” Model is Working Seattle voters say the homeless drug crisis remains a top three issue. But the Harrell administration is still engaged in a game of Whack-a-Mole and has failed to find long-term solutions. That’s because they’re not addressing the drivers of this humanitarian disaster which include drug addiction, mental illness, and broken relationships. Instead, city officials are touting the wrong metrics for success such as the number of tents removed from the streets. Meanwhile, We Heart Seattle’s “recovery first” intervention model is working. And they’re outreach workers have identified some new patterns that are keeping so many people in this vicious cycle. I followed them in this …

This Man Is Only One Reason Microsoft Pulled Its Tech Conference from Seattle

_{Jonathan Choe
June 10, 2025}

The Tent That Broke the Camel’s Back This dude living in a tent is one of the reasons why Microsoft pulled its prestigious developer’s conference from downtown Seattle. Meanwhile, Mayor Bruce Harrell remains clueless on how to address the mental health crisis on the streets. It’s costing the city millions in tourism dollars. Microsoft pulls tech conference from Seattle over crime, drug use, homelessness“The customers cited the general uncleanliness of the street scene, visibility of individuals engaging in drug use & unhoused individuals.”My latest collab with @choeshow https://t.co/sCmZU8dmNj— Ari Hoffman 🎗 (@thehoffather) June 10, 2025 …

Microsoft Pulls Major Tech Conference from Seattle Over Crime, Drug Use, Homelessness

_{Ari Hoffman and Jonathan Choe
June 10, 2025}

Seattle has lost one of its most high-profile tech events due to mounting concerns over public safety and deteriorating conditions in the city’s downtown core. Microsoft has confirmed that it will no longer host its annual Build conference in Seattle starting in 2026, citing issues related to rampant homelessness, visible drug use, and urban decay. According to an internal email obtained by journalist Jonathan Choe of the Discovery Institute, Visit Seattle—the city’s official tourism and marketing organization—was informed that Microsoft will cancel its 2026 event and release all future holds for the conference in Seattle. The email, titled “DEFINITE BOOKING CANCELLATION NOTICE,” said the decision was heavily influenced by the experience of company …

The Toxic Patterns that Keep People on the Streets

_{Jonathan Choe
June 10, 2025}

Microsoft Conference Leaving Seattle Due to Urban Decay

_{Jonathan Choe
June 6, 2025}

Breaking Seattle restauranteur David Meinert says the massive Microsoft Build developer conference won’t be returning to Seattle next year after attendees complained about urban decay, open-air drug use, and numerous tents lining the streets. Mayor Bruce Harrell Meinert is also torching Mayor Bruce Harrell for allowing these conditions to prosper in the downtown core and claims the Downtown Activation plan is bloated with bureaucracy and is lacking leadership. Disruptions Pro-Hamas protesters also disrupted Microsoft Build 2025 in Seattle, harassing attendees with insane glitter bombs. Lone Tent Downtown residents say this is the lone tent the city has failed to remove near the Seattle Convention Center. It has been reported to the Find It …

Internal Memo: Urban Decay “Contributing Factor” to Microsoft Conference Leaving Seattle

_{Jonathan Choe
June 6, 2025}

Breaking I have obtained the internal memo outlining reasons behind Microsoft Build’s exit from Seattle. This is an absolute indictment on Mayor Bruce Harrell’s administration and shows his failure to get the homeless drug crisis under control. #BREAKING: Seattle restauranteur David Meinert says the massive Microsoft Build (@Microsoft) developer conference won't be returning to Seattle next year after attendees complained about urban decay, open-air drug use, and numerous tents lining the streets. 🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/PJs9VYT1TK— Jonathan Choe (@choeshow) June 6, 2025 Seeking Next Location Microsoft Build says it has “struggled to find its footing and identity post-Covid.” It appears Las Vegas and San Francisco are two locations …

Car Prowler Breaks into Car in Broad Daylight, Claims It’s His Car

_{Jonathan Choe
June 6, 2025}

Confronting the Prowler Seattle residents confront a suspected car prowler in broad daylight. This fella is so brazen, he continues to riffle through the vehicle with cameras rolling. 911 is called but cops don’t show up in time. This is Mayor Bruce Harrell’s lawless city. Watch Out Keep an eye out for this fella. …

Drug Addicts Continue to Overrun Chinatown Park

_{Jonathan Choe
June 3, 2025}

Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell announced a $1 million public-private partnership to revitalize Chinatown-ID. Big money coming in from The Asian American Foundation Program started this month. Look how it’s going so far. …

East Oakland Filled with Trash and Barred-Up Fast Food

_{Jonathan Choe
May 20, 2025}

“Be Careful Out Here” East Oakland, CA remains a disaster. Due to high crime in the neighborhood, the Wendy’s has to operate with bars on the windows. A few blocks away, homeless encampments and shanty towns continue to thrive. This is now Mayor-elect Barbara Lee’s city. NEW: We are on the ground in Oakland, CA and some neighborhoods are an absolute disaster. A sense of lawlessness overwhelms the streets. But @SenecaSpeaks21 is leading a movement that could help bring in a new mayor and turnaround this failing city.pic.twitter.com/engKUtwaYm— Jonathan Choe (@choeshow) March 27, 2025 …

Oakland’s Army of Tagged Mail Trucks

_{Jonathan Choe
May 20, 2025}

Oodles of Graffiti Doodles Oakland’s new Mayor Barbara Lee is being sworn in today. She’s inheriting a $270 million budget deficit and a public safety crisis. Look what’s happening to the U.S. Postal Service in downtown. Car prowlers and graffiti vandals own the streets. NEW: We are on the ground in Oakland, CA and some neighborhoods are an absolute disaster. A sense of lawlessness overwhelms the streets. But @SenecaSpeaks21 is leading a movement that could help bring in a new mayor and turnaround this failing city.pic.twitter.com/engKUtwaYm— Jonathan Choe (@choeshow) March 27, 2025 …

Seattle Government Ignores Suffering of Chinatown

_{Jonathan Choe
May 15, 2025}

Each day, Asian American grandmas have to walk through this gauntlet of drug addicts and maneuver around the black market of stolen goods on King Street. “The police here just kind of chase them away, and like, two hours later, they come back,” says one resident. Right across the street is Ho Mai Park. Instead of laughter coming from children, it’s overrun by men and women smoking fentanyl. “And who’s gonna bring their families out on the weekends to hang out and make good memories?” asks another resident of the overrun park. “You look around, we are surrounded by fencing and barbed wire,” says Tanya Woo. Community activist Tanya Woo says Seattle leaders are intentionally pushing the crime and addiction crisis into the …

Have You Seen Me? Family and Friends Search for Missing 30-Year-Old

_{Jonathan Choe
May 13, 2025}

Missing Person This is 30-year-old Samuel Michael Evans. He grew up in Kenmore, WA and was a star athlete. But then injuries and other health issues started piling up, which opened the door to oxycontin and other illicit drugs. Look at these before and after photos. Evans’ drug addiction and fallout with family led him to homelessness on the streets of Everett. But he always stayed in touch with his dad. Until he went radio silent this past year. Friends and family now believe he might be roaming the streets of Seattle, possibly in the Belltown neighborhood. If you see Evans, his parents are offering a cash reward. DM me if you have any information and I will pass it on. …

Seattle Government Ignores Suffering of Chinatown

_{Jonathan Choe
May 13, 2025}

Chinatown-ID Residents Skeptical Wednesday morning, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell will announce new investments and partnerships with The Asian American Foundation and Amazon to help improve public safety and help revitalize business in Chinatown-ID. But a community coalition led by Tanya Woo is only cautiously optimistic since this community has become the city’s human dumping ground and remains ravaged by crime, chaos, and death. Each day, Asian American grandmas have to walk through this gauntlet of drug addicts and maneuver around the black market of stolen goods on King Street. “The police here just kind of chase them away, and like, two hours later, they come back,” says one resident. Right across the street is Ho Mai Park. Instead of laughter …

Battlefield Addiction’s Walk/Run 5K for Recovery Makes Huge Splash

_{Jonathan Choe
May 11, 2025}

Taking on the Homeless Industrial Complex Battlefield Addiction and We Heart Seattle made a huge splash this weekend, raising thousands of dollars for sober living beds in the Seattle area. For drug addicts, that means a place to go for treatment and recovery instead of being given more taxpayer-funded meth pipes and fentanyl foil. This is the start of a powerful partnership to take on the homeless industrial complex and confront lies being peddled by the “harm reduction” lobby in America. Discovery Institute was a proud sponsor of this event. https://t.co/9MjlcqnzT2Join over 500 impassioned Recovery First advocates this Saturday Morning for an uprising calling for a culture change that our loved ones deserve a chance to thrive and reach sustainable …

Homeless Relocation Program Exposed

_{Jonathan Choe
May 1, 2025}

When San Francisco’s homeless are ready to reunite with friends and family, they can simply pick up the phone and call a hotline connecting them to journey home, a city program providing free one-way tickets out of temptation and human suffering. Rules say the transportation is exclusively for the homeless. But a joint investigation by Frontlines Turning Point USA and Discovery Institute shows that’s not always the case. Numerous tipsters told us they were getting free bus, train, and plane tickets out of this small office in the Mission District, and claimed these taxpayer-funded rides were being obtained by people who were not even living on the streets. So we went in to see for ourselves. After asking us a few basic questions, workers checked off some …

Homeless Relocation Program Exposed

_{Jonathan Choe
May 1, 2025}

Homeless Man Jumps from Seattle Bridge, Survives

_{Jonathan Choe
April 28, 2025}

“He Said, ‘They’re Coming,’ and He Ran…and Jumped.” Witnesses say a homeless man staying at the Salvation Army shelter in Seattle jumped off a nearby bridge. Unclear what triggered him. This all happened at the corner of 5th Ave & Dearborn St near the border of SODO and Chinatown-ID. He survived. .@SeattlePD activity on S Dearborn St at 5th Ave S blocking all EB lanes. Use alternative routes. pic.twitter.com/Ni9lUlY8Is— SDOT Traffic (@SDOTtraffic) April 28, 2025 …