Mayor Ed Murray issued a resignation letter yesterday after a fifth man came forward–this time his cousin–alleging Murray had molested and raped him as a child in the 1970s. Joseph Dyer spoke to The Seattle Times and issued a signed declaration to the lawyer representing Delvonn Hackard, his first man to publicly accuse Murray of sexual abuse this year.
“I am offering this declaration to rebut Murray’s claims that he never molested a child and/or the allegations against him were concocted as some sort of right-wing conspiracy. I do not know any of the other victims mentioned in this statement, and I am not part of any conspiracy. In fact, I am related to Murray. I am Murray’s cousin,” Dyer said.
Mayor Murray had sought to grimly weather the storm with four men accusing him of rape or sexual abuse. Some political allies stuck by Murray even as more men came forward. For example, former US attorney Jenny Durkan stood by Murray as he endorsed her for mayor on June 29. The fifth allegation seems to be the straw that broke the camel’s back. Yesterday, Durkan’s campaign scrubbed Murray’s endorsement from her website. Durkan’s opponent, urban planner Cary Moon, first called on Mayor Murray to resign in May. The Urbanist has endorsed Moon.
“Mayor Murray’s response to the many allegations of sexual abuse have been deeply inappropriate and harmful, especially to survivors, LGBTQ people and young people everywhere. Survivors of sexual assault must be believed and treated with respect,” Moon said in a statement. “His efforts, as a public official, to demean and belittle his victims is an abuse of the public trust. By not stepping down, by continuing to support my opponent’s campaign, he is sending the message that the powerful in this city circle the wagon’s around their own.”
Bad Blood
As he resigned, Murray maintained his innocence and boasted of his accomplishments. He managed to avoid any references to whether his cousin and accuser has a criminal history–a courtesy not extended to past victims–perhaps because Dyer doesn’t have one, according to The Seattle Times. Murray’s story this time is bad blood.
“There’s been numerous fights between our two families for many years, and much ugliness,” Murray told The Seattle Times. “I guess they see me down and out, and they want to finish me off.”
Moon bristled at Murray’s salvo.
“Claiming the victims are motivated by politics, homophobia, due to a family feud–or suggesting that children shouldn’t be believed–is manipulative and immoral,” Moon said.
Accomplishments
Murray cited his achievements both in Olympia and at City Hall.
I’m proud of all that I have accomplished over my 19 years in the Legislature, where I was able to pass what were at the time the largest transportation packages in state history, a landmark gay civil rights bill and a historic marriage equality bill.
And I am proud of what we have accomplished together at the City during my time as mayor, passing a nation-leading $15 minimum wage, and major progressive housing affordability and police accountability legislation, as well as negotiating an agreement to build a world-class arena that I believe in time will bring the NHL and NBA to Seattle.
Ironically, the first accomplishment Murray listed likely wouldn’t have happened without Councilmember Kshama Sawant–a frequent target of Murray’s criticisms but ardent advocate for a higher minimum wage. Time will tell how many Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda recommendations are passed–and the effectiveness of the patchwork of those that are in producing affordable housing. Meanwhile, the police accountability accountability legislation he referenced wasn’t enough to save Charleena Lyles. In June, Lyles called police fearing an intruder; two responding police officers proceeded to shoot her seven times, killing her and her unborn child.
Admittedly, it’s hard not to view Murray’s urgency in securing a new arena and NHL and NBA franchises as a last ditch effort at legacy building. Murray’s maneuvering aside, it’s worth investigating the details that were revealed yesterday.
What’s in the Arena MOU
Murray and Oak View Group (OVG) had called a press conference to unveil the draft Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) regarding KeyArena renovation (henceforth called Seattle Center Coliseum). They hastily canceled given the news, but Oak View quietly revealed the MOU online and later took some questions from the Uptown Alliance at a meeting.
Here's the MOU summary. You saw it here first. pic.twitter.com/jWXrWyITkf
— Qagggy! (@Qagggy) September 13, 2017
