Spokane Mayor’s Questionable Computer Contents Released to Press
(Spokane, WA) – A Washington judge granted a newspaper's request to make public the gay-themed contents of Spokane Mayor James West's city-owned laptop computer, but stopped at releasing some 3,300 pictures from Gay.com.
Adams County Superior Court Judge Richard Miller ordered the release of an index of the dates and times West used the computer to access Gay.com and other similar Web sites, but corrupted individual Web addresses to protect the privacy of third parties.
West is the subject of a Dec. 6 recall election as the result of a sex scandal that has been going on for nearly eight months. Several news organizations have demanded the release of the contents of West's computer under the state's Open Public Records Act.
“Clearly the public has the right to evaluate the mayor's performance,” Miller said. “The dilemma this court finds itself in is: to release the pictures essentially releases the identity of the people in them. I don't think that's appropriate.”
According to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, the judge reviewed the contents of the mayor's hard drive. He said he found 3,300 photographs. About 100 of those were pictures featured male nudity and 11 were of simulated sex acts, the judge said.
Many showed upper-torso pictures of shirtless men, the judge said.
The recall election charge alleges West abused his office by offering a City Hall internship, in expectation of sexual favors, to a person he met in a Gay.com chat room and believed to be an 18-year-old man. The chat partner was actually a computer expert hired by The Spokesman-Review to track West's online activities.
West has denied any wrongdoing.
The judge's decision came a day before the special election ballots were to be mailed.
West fought release of the computer contents in question, contending they were private and that the Internet sites were accessed during off-work hours.
West has long been an opponent of gay rights, backing numerous anti-gay bills and referendums in his career. He has recently admitted that he was living his life in the closet.
Article provided by www.GayLinkContent.com. For more information,contact us at info@gaylinkcontent.com . Reprinted with permission by 4 Gays Web Hosting and 1 Body GLBT Christian Resources
Adams County Superior Court Judge Richard Miller ordered the release of an index of the dates and times West used the computer to access Gay.com and other similar Web sites, but corrupted individual Web addresses to protect the privacy of third parties.
West is the subject of a Dec. 6 recall election as the result of a sex scandal that has been going on for nearly eight months. Several news organizations have demanded the release of the contents of West's computer under the state's Open Public Records Act.
“Clearly the public has the right to evaluate the mayor's performance,” Miller said. “The dilemma this court finds itself in is: to release the pictures essentially releases the identity of the people in them. I don't think that's appropriate.”
According to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, the judge reviewed the contents of the mayor's hard drive. He said he found 3,300 photographs. About 100 of those were pictures featured male nudity and 11 were of simulated sex acts, the judge said.
Many showed upper-torso pictures of shirtless men, the judge said.
The recall election charge alleges West abused his office by offering a City Hall internship, in expectation of sexual favors, to a person he met in a Gay.com chat room and believed to be an 18-year-old man. The chat partner was actually a computer expert hired by The Spokesman-Review to track West's online activities.
West has denied any wrongdoing.
The judge's decision came a day before the special election ballots were to be mailed.
West fought release of the computer contents in question, contending they were private and that the Internet sites were accessed during off-work hours.
West has long been an opponent of gay rights, backing numerous anti-gay bills and referendums in his career. He has recently admitted that he was living his life in the closet.
Article provided by www.GayLinkContent.com. For more information,contact us at info@gaylinkcontent.com . Reprinted with permission by 4 Gays Web Hosting and 1 Body GLBT Christian Resources
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