Jim West Revisited - Wayne Besen

[BR_Parkway]

http://pageoneq.com/news/2006/west_022306.html

Last May, The Spokesman-Review outed Jim West, Spokane's Republican mayor, and it seemed like an open and shut case. In a series of breathless articles, the newspaper accused him of luring young gay men online with promises of jobs and gifts and also insinuated that West was a pedophile.

Last week, however, the U.S. Department of Justice ended its nine-month investigation of West without bringing criminal charges. It found that the powerful politician had not traded jobs for sex and there was no link to pedophilia, even after they confiscated three personal computers and 60 computer disks. Upon further examination, it appears that Jim West may have gotten a raw deal fueled by soft homophobia, prurient reporting and maybe political revenge. The newspaper did more than simply "out" West - it obliterated him and then stomped on his remains.

I still have nothing but contempt for West and view him as a vile and repugnant human being. While in Olympia, as Senate majority leader, he was infamous for his foul temper and his virulent hatred of anything remotely gay. West is a portrait of a self-loathing closet case that protected his career by gay bashing.

<snip>

The former mayor's behavior was dishonest and unseemly, but not illegal. It pains me to defend Jim West, but The Spokesman-Review unfairly dragged this man's reputation through the dirt, which is unfair, even for a pig like Jim West who has spent his entire career wallowing in the mud.

[mitchtv]

1. what he did was certainly unethical

using city property and time for pick ups and promising jobs(even if none were delivered) That they chose not to prosecute is fair enough, but not an aquittal. That ilk is certainly ethical to out, hardly unfair.

[davidinalameda]

2. I don't buy the soft homophobia

he should have been outed due to his public stances on gay related issues

I have no sympathy for any public figure who publically spouts one thing and then says the opposite in private

[f-bush]

3. Excuse me...when you are servant of the people...

it's open season if you turn your back on gay rights. Tough shit, West had it coming. He is such an arrogant nasty asshole!