July 16 (Reuters) – Seattle Mayor Ed Murray sexually abused his teenage foster son in the 1980s, according to a child welfare report filed with the state of Oregon at the time and reported by the Seattle Times on Sunday.
The document supports the accusation made by one of four men who have accused Murray, 62, of abusing them as teenagers.
Although Murray has consistently denied the accusations, calling them politically motivated, he dropped his re-election bid and will serve out his term, which concludes at the end of the year.
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No criminal charges were ever filed in connection with the Oregon Child Protective Services report, dated May 20, 1984, which found that “under no circumstances should Mr. Murray be certified” as a foster parent in the future, the Seattle Times reported.
At the time of the abuse, the boy ranged from 13 to about 15 years old, the report said.
“In the professional judgment of this caseworker who has interviewed numerous children of all ages and of all levels of emotional disturbance regarding sexual abuse, Jeff Simpson has been sexually abused by … Edward Murray,” caseworker Judy Butler wrote in the 1984 report, according to the newspaper.
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Murray’s spokesman did not respond to a Reuters request for comment, but the mayor previously told the Seattle Times he was vindicated when authorities declined to press charges in connection with the case.
“Other than the salacious nature of it, I don’t see what the story is. The system vindicated me. They withdrew the case,” Murray said.
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