Another Man Now Accusing Seattle Mayor Of Sexual Assault

The four men now accusing Seattle Mayor Ed Murray of paying them for sexual activity share a common thread, they've all had some troubles involving drugs and/or crime since their teens, but they also point a finger at the Mayor of Seattle.

Tuesday in King County Superior Court, Attorney Lincoln Beauregard said he obtained a signed, sworn statement from a fourth man who also claims when he was a teen in the 1990's, he was given money in exchange for sexual favors by Seattle Mayor Ed Murray. Beauregard is the lead attorney in the case against the Mayor.

44-year-old Maurice Jones, who is awaiting trial in the jail on drug charges, says at least twice he had encounters with Murray. He says he was introduced to the Mayor by Delvonn Heckard, the man who filed the original suit weeks ago. Heckard is the only plaintiff listed in the suit, but two other men, Jeff Simpson of Portland, and Lloyd Anderson, who now lives in Florida, also claim Murray abused them back in the 1980's. Those two raised these allegations years ago, but police never investigated, nor did the Seattle media.

The Seattle Times says Murray continues to deny the allegations and accusations, claiming Beauregard is making court filings designed to sway public opinion rather than advancing proper legal proceedings.

One of the attorney's on Heckard's team, Julie Kays, says Murray paid Jones for sex twice, once in his car and once in his Seattle apartment.

The attorneys refute Murray's claims that this lawsuit is politically motivated, or due to a right-wing conspiracy against the very liberal Mayor, because Jones and Murray are both gay.  Attorney Kays said there is a disturbing pattern "emerging here" of the Mayor targeting "the most vulnerable in our society," according to the Times.

Murray was expected to cruise to an easy victory in his re-election campaign this November, until the lawsuit surfaced. Now, former Mayor Mike McGinn has announced he will try to unseat Murray.