Ed Murray, Seattle's 61-year-old openly gay mayor, has recently been accused of the repeated rape and molestation of at least three boys 30 years ago, according to an NBC News Report. While only one of the now-adult victims filed a lawsuit against the politician, the two other men, who made their accusations in 2007, agreed they'd be willing to testify against Murray in civil court.
Murray's representatives claim the allegations are aimed at discrediting the mayor
The Seattle mayor, who is running for re-election, said the allegations were both "painful" and "untrue." In a special press conference on Friday, he went on to say that he would be in no way back down and would continue as Mayor, stating that "things have never come easy" for him.
Murray's lawyers and representatives said the accusations from three decades ago have only been brought back to smear his name before his re-election campaign. In fact, a spokesman for the mayor referred to the allegations as little more than a "shakedown effort"- strategically timed, he claims, just weeks before the deadline for the mayor to file for re-election. The accusers, however, seemed rather genuine as reports say they described in detail times, places, and particular sex acts they performed on or with the politician. Sources claim at least one individual even went so far as to describe Murray's genitals to officials.
The mayor's supporters claim the timeline of the accusations doesn't add up
The mayor's supporters are questioning the validity of the claims based on the timeline of the events. They suggest that if these things had actually happened, the alleged victims would have stepped forward ages ago, instead of waiting until 30 years after the incidents.
The man who filed the lawsuit, a 46-year-old that only identified himself by the initials "D.H.," said that it was his father's recent death that prompted him to come forward, suggesting that he had been too nervous to say anything before. He also claims that the lawsuit itself was filed to "hopefully give courage for other potential victims to come forward and speak out," per the NBC News report.
Murray must clear his name before Election season
The mayor, a Washington native, has been praised for advocating for gay rights and fearlessly representing "vulnerable populations," according to reports. The plaintiff, who sources say is seeking an undisclosed amount of money, says he was under 18 at the time of the alleged attacks, which makes the case against Murray more complicated- a potential statutory rape charge could carry with it a minimum of 5 years in the State of Washington.
While it is unlikely Murray will face any prison time over the allegations, he will have to work quickly to clear his name before running for re-election.
