As long as Seattle doesn't have to pay the legal fees to defend it, mayoral candidate Joe Mallahan is willing to support Mayor Greg Nickels' so called "gun ban," which places signs prohibiting guns in city-owned playgrounds, community centers, sports fields, swimming pools and water-play areas.

The National Rifle Association and other gun-rights groups sued the city this week over the ban.

Law firm Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe has offered to represent the city for free.

Mallahan opposed the ban initially. He said he supports its intentions, but it wasn't worth a long and expensive legal battle. McGinn supports the ban, and attacked Mallahan in robo-calls, saying Mallahan was siding with the NRA.

But Mallahan's spokeswoman, Charla Neuman, said Mallahan doesn't have a problem with the ban, as long as it doesn't cost the city anything in legal fees.

"There isn't much to object to except whether it costs the city a lot of money right now. We would fail to see the harm in it." Neuman said. "You never know if there's something you don't foresee that comes up tomorrow. But right now, the big concern is costs, and if the cost concern goes away, then by all means, if it makes people feel safer..."