Seattle Mayor Ed Murray to resign after fifth allegation of sex abuse surfaces

Seattle Mayor Ed Murray addresses a crowd protesting the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline near the Standing Rock Sioux reservation in North Dakota in 2016. (File photo by Chloe Collyer.)

Seattle Mayor Ed Murray announced Tuesday that he would resign effective Wednesday, after the Seattle Times reported that one of his relatives came forward to accuse him of sex abuse in the 1970s.

The cousin, identified by the Seattle Times as Joseph Dyer, is the fifth man who has accused Murray sex abuse in the 1970s and 1980s. Dyer, 54, is the son of Murray’s first cousin.

All five accusers say that they were teenagers when the alleged abuse occurred. Murray denied the allegations in a prepared statement released Tuesday.

“While the allegations against me are not true, it is important that my personal issues do not affect the ability of our City government to conduct the public’s business,” Murray said in his statement.

Council President Bruce Harrell will serve as mayor and Murray’s office announced that Harrell will have five days to decide whether to serve the rest of Murray’s term.

Murray, who was elected in 2013, withdrew his bid for re-election earlier this year after The Seattle Times reported on accusations of sex abuse, throwing the mayoral race open. Murray endorsed former U.S. Attorney Jenny Durkan, who made it through the primary with Cary Moon.

Further reading

Seattle Times: Mayor Ed Murray’s cousin: He sexually abused me, too

Seattle Globalist: Lawsuit accuses Seattle Mayor Ed Murray of sexually abusing teen in 1980s

Seattle Globalist: Seattle Mayor Ed Murray drops bid for second term

 

2 Comments

  1. What the mayor is doing is stealing from the playbook of former House Speaker Dennis Hastert: he is bringing conjugal freedom to the national discussion. I think anyone who has experienced intamacy, or had an orgasm should be sympathetic for the mayor. This is a man who is being maligned in the press for having appetites more befitting the golden age of Greco Roman pederesty. Instead of condemning we should have open arms and celebrate the mayor as an eccentric civil servant who harkens back to great Roman senators of lore who formed loving and mentoring relationships with young men many times their junior.

  2. It’s about time. From NY to Portland to Seattle, molested boys left in his wake.

Comments are closed.

2 Comments

  1. What the mayor is doing is stealing from the playbook of former House Speaker Dennis Hastert: he is bringing conjugal freedom to the national discussion. I think anyone who has experienced intamacy, or had an orgasm should be sympathetic for the mayor. This is a man who is being maligned in the press for having appetites more befitting the golden age of Greco Roman pederesty. Instead of condemning we should have open arms and celebrate the mayor as an eccentric civil servant who harkens back to great Roman senators of lore who formed loving and mentoring relationships with young men many times their junior.

  2. It’s about time. From NY to Portland to Seattle, molested boys left in his wake.

Comments are closed.