Spokane Mayor James West is making it back into the news. If you’ll remember, as Mayor West opposed domestic partner benefits for City Hall workers, and as Senate majority leader, he held up an important gay rights bill in committee, where it died. He also voted for the Defense of Marriage Act and opposed gay rights bills in ’85 and ’87.
Then, earlier this year, he was accused of molesting underage boys and of giving city jobs to young gay men he met in Gay.com chatrooms. Editor Steven A. Smith of the Spokesman-Review notes that West has still “failed to refute” the allegations. Unfortunately, the additional battle West must face under this scrutiny is one with colon cancer.
Why is he back in the news? He’s facing a recall and now he says he regrets going into those chat rooms. “I wish I had never gone online at all. I just wish I hadn’t. I scratch my head today. I can’t tell you why.”
Well boo hoo. It’s a shame he doesn’t regret helping to kill gay rights legislation rather than his trips to the chat rooms. West still doesn’t get it. It’s the hypocrisy, stupid.
AP Interview with James West [seattle post intelligencer]
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