Seattle City Council to remain quiet on sex-abuse allegations against Mayor Murray

The Seattle City Council — through Councilmember Bruce Harrell — announced it will not comment on sex-abuse allegations against Seattle Mayor Ed Murray.

RELATED: Seattle Mayor Ed Murray will not step down amid accusations

It’s somewhat surprising that the council decides to stay quiet on any issue it’s not involved in. See Israel, and DNC walkout, North Carolina, and Indiana.

In any case, here’s Bruce Harrell’s statement he read during Monday’s city council meeting:

“My Council colleagues and I have no intention of commenting on matters of pending or potential litigation. We believe that it is critically important that, together, we remain committed to the business of governing.

“All City employees and City departments are focused on our core responsibilities of customer service, affordable housing, homelessness, public safety, transportation, education, and ensuring equality for all in a great, but rapidly growing city. The work before us is too critical for the future of Seattle and its residents. We intend to continue working with unwavering dedication to serving the people who put their faith in us.

“Our city cannot afford to be distracted. There is a judicial process that will address the serious allegations that this situation has presented, and we will respect that process and the rights of all parties involved. All accusations of abuse require a thorough investigation. It is in our human nature to immediately want answers, but I ask we not cast aspersions to the parties involved before we have all the facts through the legal process. I am confident that through this process, truth and justice will prevail.

“It is worth repeating we are steadfast and focused on serving the people of Seattle. Council has a strong committee structure that works with the city’s 40 departments in upholding our City Charter ‘of protecting and enhancing the health, safety, environment, and general welfare of the people; to enable municipal government to provide services and meet the needs of the people efficiently; to allow fair and equitable participation of all persons in the affairs of the City; to provide for transparency, accountability, and ethics in governance and civil service; to foster fiscal responsibility; to promote prosperity and to meet the broad needs for a healthy, growing City.’”

Mayor Ed Murray says he will not step down and will continue his mayoral campaign. The accuser’s attorney, Lincoln Beauregard, sent a letter to Robert Sulkin, the mayor’s attorney, to request a deposition in May. Beauregard is offering his client — referred to as D.H. in court documents — for deposition as soon as next week.

D.H., of Kent, alleges that the interactions with Murray began when he was 15 years old in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood where Murray lived. D.H. describes the inside of Murray’s apartment, gives his old phone number, and describes the mayor’s genitalia in the lawsuit.  The Seattle Times reports two other men have accused Murray of sexual abuse in the past decade.

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