Posted on 06/01/2005 3:07:34 AM PDT by anniegetyourgun
SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) - The Spokane City Council unanimously asked Mayor James E. West to resign over allegations he misused his office and molested two children - claims the mayor vowed to fight from his post. The seven-member council's vote Tuesday evening was advisory. West can only be ousted by a citywide recall vote.
"The city of Spokane is consumed by this issue, both inside and outside of City Hall," council president Dennis Hession said in explaining his vote.
Hours before the vote, West, 55, appeared on NBC's "Today" show in New York and denied any misuse of his office and the abuse allegations. He acknowledged he was a closeted homosexual, and called himself the victim of a "brutal outing."
"My mail and e-mails are running two to one in favor of me not resigning. You should not be run out for simple allegations because then you could run anybody out of office," he said.
At the City Council meeting, the panel listened to 90 minutes of sometimes emotional testimony from Spokane residents. Supporters of the mayor said he had not been charged with, let alone convicted of, any crimes.
"Please don't hang the mayor in the city square," Marshall Smith told the council.
"Jim West is not guilty until he is proven to be such," said David Elton. "Jim West loves this city."
But resignation supporters said the scandal had already destroyed West's ability to lead and was attracting negative attention worldwide.
"He exhibited abuse of power and moral depravity," said Leslie Norman, another Spokane resident. "If he was an employee of any other company, he would be fired on the spot."
The Spokesman-Review has reported allegations that West molested two boys in the late 1970s and early 1980s when he was a Boy Scout leader, and that he offered gifts, favors and jobs at City Hall to young men he met online.
The mayor, 55, has denied those allegations but acknowledged having relations with adult men.
The former GOP majority leader in the state Senate also said Tuesday he was not being hypocritical when he opposed gay-friendly bills.
"I voted to represent my legislative district in the Legislature. I was not an advocate," West said. "I was not a leader of the charge in any of those cases. Every representative and every senator from my district voted the way I voted."
West has said he intends to serve the remaining 2 1/2 years of his term in this city of 200,000 people.
He also predicted he will be exonerated by the FBI and city investigations.
"I haven't misused my office for personal gain," he said on television. "I welcome those investigations because I believe they will clear me."
ping
You folks in Spokane are sure lucky to have such a neat scandal to deal with.
I mean the rest of us just usually have theft,graft, corruption to deal with in govt.
You folks ther have a genuine perverted sex problem to deal with. Have fun while it lasts.
And this fruitcake thinks he'll survive his perversions in office?
What does he think he's in Mass?
By the way, shouldn't Bill Clinton fly out to Spokane and offer his support for the poor mayor? If raping Juanita Broaddrick was just part of Clinton's "personal life," certainly molesting young boys could've been just part of the mayor's "personal life."
Hit the road Jack.....
OK, now we'll see what the people of Spokane (and the City Council) are made of. Will they cave? or get the goods on the perv and do the right thing.
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