Mayor Murray accuser: ‘Ed is not evil … Ed is sick’
Apr 14, 2017, 5:36 AM | Updated: 9:38 am
Jeff Simpson alleges that Ed Murray molested and raped him as a teen in the Portland, many years ago. (KIRO 7)
(KIRO 7)
Two days after Ed Murray’s lawyer argued the “heart of allegations” against the Seattle mayor had been debunked, another man accusing Murray of sexual abuse is speaking out.
“Ed, please stop victimizing us,” Jeff Simpson told KIRO 7. “Please. You know what you have done. You know what you did to me. I’m asking you, please be honest.”
RELATED: Murray’s lawyer says ‘heart of allegations’ have been proven false
When The Seattle Times initially reported about a Kent man, referred to as D.H., suing Mayor Murray for rape, which occurred in the ’80s, it also reported that there were two other Portland men who previously made similar allegations. Simpson is one of those two men. He spoke on camera with KIRO 7, relating his story, which is similar to that of the recent allegations waged by D.H.
“It wasn’t just molesting, he raped me,” Simpson said. “It’s something that, for a while, was happening daily. And he knew what he was doing … and it’s something that I am totally ashamed of.”
More allegations against Ed Murray
Simpson lived in an orphanage from age 6 to 13. It’s where he allegedly met Murray, who was a volunteer. At age 13, he moved into a group home but allegedly had regular contact with the grown man. One night, he says he went to Murray’s place for dinner and movies. It was here where Simpson alleges Murray first acted inappropriately, rubbing his legs and back. Simpson said that Murray asked him if he could keep a secret — that he wanted to perform a sexual act with him. Murray allegedly tried to take things further, but Simpson said he cried, which stopped the incident — that time.
“I remember him, to get me to stop crying, taking me to the store and buying me a box of doughnuts, a bag of Doritos, and some soda to give to me and help me to stop crying,” Simpson said.
Over time, Simpson began to consider Murray as a father figure. And despite the years of alleged abuse, he still considers him that way.
“He is the only person that I knew that even cared enough about me to come get me, regardless of what he did with me,” Simpson said. “…when I think of a father, it’s him that I think of. There’s nobody else … Ed Murray.”
Simpson estimated that Murray molested him more than 100 times as he began to act out and get into trouble as a teen, often living homeless on the street. At one point, Murray tried to adopt him, Simpson said. He said that Murray argued that because Simpson kept running away to his Portland apartment, he might as well just live there.
Simpson said that when Murray moved to Seattle from Portland, he followed, though he was still homeless. He would go to Murray’s Capitol Hill apartment where he would be offered money for sex. This allegation echoes aspects of D.H.’s story.
“When he molested me, he would always tell me, ‘Look, Jeff, if you bring one of your high school friends over, I will give you more money,'” Simpson said.
Simpson has a history of drugs and crime. But in recent years he began seeing an addiction counselor, who encouraged him to do something about his allegations. He also tried to file a lawsuit, but he said that his criminal and drug history discouraged lawyers from pursuing the case. He also tried calling up legislators, even the governor when Murray was a lawmaker in Olympia. That didn’t lead anywhere either.
Simpson’s allegations were recently summed up as being aligned with anti-gay organizations by Murray’s lawyer. Simpson said that is far from the truth.
“Whatever … absolutely not,” he said.
Simpson insists that he is not seeking money nor does he care about the politics of the situation. He doesn’t even think that Murray is ultimately a bad person.
“I don’t think Ed is evil,” he said. “I think Ed is sick.”
