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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 11, 2005)
Jim West begins vacation; critics call for resignation BY NICHOLAS K. GERANIOS THE ASSOCIATED PRESS SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane Mayor James West began a vacation Tliesday as calls continued for his res ignation over allegations of child mo lestation and claims he offered city jobs to men he met online. West, a 54-year-old former state Senate leader and opponent of gay rights, last week denied the decades old molestation allegations but acknowledged he had visited a gay online chat room and had relations with adult men. He told the City Council on Mon day that he would take a leave for several weeks to prepare to defend himself against the allegations raised by the city’s daily newspaper, The Spokesman-Review. “I don’t expect him to come into the office at all,” said Marlene Feist, spokeswoman for West, on Tliesday. “His vacation started immediately.” West did not say whether he would leave town, Feist said. The mayor’s associates are worried about his health, especially because he has been battling cancer for sever al years, she said. “Stress isn’t good for anyone at that level,” Feist said. West has faced a firestorm of atten tion since The Spokesman-Review reported Thursday about his life as a closeted gay or bisexual man. Most of the attention has been negative. “If all or any of the allegations of sexual misconduct are true, then the mayor should resign immediately,” said Patrick Guerriero, president of the Log Cabin Republicans, a group of gay members of the GOP. Gay activists have been quick to condemn West over allegations that he may have molested two Boy Scouts decades ago; West has vehe mently denied those allegations. They have also criticized West’s two decades of votes against gay rights while a member of the Washington Legislature. State Sen. Darlene Fairley, D-Lake Forest Park, who frequently clashed with West in the Legislature, has called for his resignation. So have Spokane City Council members Mary Verner and Cherie Rodgers. As part of its investigation into the mayor, The Spokesman-Review hired a computer forensics expert who posed as an 18-year-old male high school student in Internet chats with West on Gay.com. West offered the “teen” a City Hall in ternship, tickets to professional sporting events and other gifts, the newspaper reported. Additional people have subse quently come forward with stories that West propositioned them. Gay.com has been posting articles about West on its Web site and alsc reiterated to its members that it re mains committed to their privacy. “The ability of our members to connect in a safe and secure environ ment is one of the keystones to the success of our business,” the Web site said. Some users of the site were out raged by the newspaper’s actions, ac cording to postings on the site. “Perhaps the good people at Gay.com might sue the reporter and/or the newspaper who did this article,” wrote Tommy9 on Tuesday morning. “I’m sure it is a violation of the terms of use or terms of service. ” Spokane City Attorney Mike Connelly has launched an independ ent investigation as to the validity of allegations that West offered intern ships in exchange for sex and whether West’s City Hall computer was used improperly. Meanwhile, Shannon Sullivan of Spokane has filed paperwork to be gin a recall of the mayor. She said she took the action because she was tired of answering questions about the case from her young son. “It is my opinion that the allega tion (s) against Mayor West are pro hibiting him from doing the job we elected him to do,” Sullivan said in the petition. If a Superior Court judge authoriz es the recall in a hearing, she would have 180 days to gather at least 12,567 signatures to place it on the ballot. IN BRIEF Spokane mayor's fall from grace is rapid SPOKANE — A timeline of the investigation into Spokane Mayor Jim West: • November 2003 — West elected Spokane mayor after capping a 17-year career as a Republican in the state Legislature, most recently as Senate majority leader. • January 2004 — Begins four year term in what he called his “dream job.” • May 5 — The Spokesman-Re view publishes series of articles im plicating West in child molestation *1/1/edtte'idcuj, i'i ubate Ni<f lit $26 Co-ufble A Night To Remember • bruschetta • caesar salad • choice of our pasta-for two dishes • amaretto creme brulee • full bottle of Oregano's § house wine when he was a sheriff’s deputy and Scout leader in late 1970s and early 1980s. The newspaper also reports it hired a computer expert to track West’s visits to a gay chat room, where the mayor allegedly offered a fictitious 18-year-old male a City Hall internship and other gifts. West denied the molestation alle gations, but did not deny visiting a gay chat room and having relations with adult men. • May 6 — City officials announce they will investigate West’s internship program and com puter use for possible violations of city policy. • May 8 — The newspaper reports City Councilwoman Cherie Rodgers, one of the first public officials to call for West to resign, claimed the mayor called her to tell her he had masturbat ed in his City Hall office during an on line sex session. West called Spokesman-Review Editor Steven Smith that morning to deny Rodgers’ allegation but acknowledged he is a gay man. • May 9 — West tells Spokane City Council he is taking a few weeks’ leave to “gather mythoughts and prepare my defense of the false accusations leveled against me.” An hour later, The Spokesman Review posts a story on its Web site in which two 24-year-old men claim West offered them City Hall jobs after initial meets in a gay chat room. — The Associated Press TARARIN THAI CUUSINE • Vegetarian Selections • Vine Jn or Carry Out • • Lunch Specials • 100 menu Jtems • • mother 's homemade recipes • * more than 20 selections of beer and urine • • fi short uralk from campus • • Large Iree Parking firea • 1 1200 OAK ST. EUGENE, OR • (541)343-1230 MON.-FRI. 11-3PM LUNCH, 5-10PM DINNER • SAT.-SUN. 12-10PM Do the math Save money Lane offers credit courses that you can use for graduation at UO —for just $67 per credit. Figure out how much money you can save. Enrolling is easy. Summer classes begin June 20. For more information about summer classes at Lane, visit www.lanecc.edu. i^Lane Community College equal opportunity/affirmativc action institution ASUO MULTICULTURAL CENTER PRESENTS: THE EDWIN COLEMAN ARTS & SPEAKERS SERIES The MCC’s Ed Coleman Speaker Series celebrates Professor Emeritus Ed Coleman and his contributions to diversify the University and the community as the first black tenured professor at the University of Oregon. Spoken word by 2000 Grand Slam Poetry Champion *Bryonn Bain with Suckapunch & Turiya Autry Friday, May 13 Fir Room, EMU 9:00 pm—FREE Art showcase by: *Maceo toy Tuesmr ay, May 17 Ben Linder Room, EMU 4-6:00 pm Art showcase by: *Julie Thi Underhill Wednesday, May 18 Multicultural Center Suite 33, EMU 3:30-5:00 pm Also sponsored by: ASUO Senate, ASUO Executive & Multicultural Advocate, Office of Multicultural Academic Support, Office of Student Life & Diversity Programs, Ethnic Studies Program, English Department You're always close to campus. * www.dailyemerald.com
