Spokane mayor's offer broke the law, report says

SPOKANE — A private investigator hired by the Spokane City Council says Mayor Jim West violated the city's Internet policy and state law, according to a new report.

In the 18-page report, Mark Busto, who is also a Bellevue attorney, concluded the mayor broke state law by offering a position on the city's Human Rights Commission to a young man he pursued for a sexual relationship.

West also violated the city's personnel policy on Internet access by "frequent and extensive use" of his city computer to browse pictures of men posted at Gay.com, according to the report.

An account of the report was carried in Saturday editions of The Spokesman-Review newspaper.

Busto concluded West used his city-owned computer during the workday to view profiles and pictures of gay men posted at the Gay.com site.

The mayor, who faces a Dec. 6 recall election over the scandal, has repeatedly denied using his office for personal gain and notes he has not been charged with any crime. He also has denied using his city computer to visit the Gay.com Web site during the workday.

West denounced the report and its conclusions Friday night, saying it is politically timed to influence voters. Ballots for the recall election were mailed Friday.

"He's not a judge, he's not a jury," West said of Busto. "I don't think a jury or a court of law would come to the same conclusion."

The mail-in recall ballots contain a 119-word charge alleging West used his elected office for personal benefit by offering an internship with the expectation of sexual relations to someone he thought was an 18-year-old man he met in a gay-oriented chat room.

The mayor's 237-word rebuttal is included on the ballots.

The council hired Busto in September after West refused to heed earlier council votes calling for his resignation. The City Council lacks the power to impeach or remove him.