'This is the heart of the allegations, and they are false'

By Daniel DeMay, SeattlePI

Seattle Mayor Ed Murray's attorney said Tuesday that a recent medical exam contradicts claims made about the mayor's anatomy by a man who says Murray sexually abused him as a boy.

Responding to a detailed description offered in the sex abuse lawsuit, Murray's personal attorney Robert Sulkin said Tuesday that a doctor examined Murray and found no evidence of the mole described as being on his scrotum in the lawsuit. Sulkin said the doctor's report also found no evidence that any mole was removed from the area.

"This is game changing," Sulkin said. "This is the heart of the allegations, and they are false. ...

"If you think about it, the accuser provided false information to his own lawyers. ... The case should be dropped."

Photo: GENNA MARTIN/SEATTLEPI.COM

Seattle Mayor Ed Murray speaks at a press conference Friday, April 7, 2017, called to address new claims that he sexually abused a teen boy in the 1980s. He denied the claims and said he would continue to serve as mayor and seek another term.

Seattle Mayor Ed Murray speaks at a press conference Friday, April 7, 2017, called to address new claims that he sexually abused a teen boy in the 1980s. He denied the claims and said he would continue to serve

Attorney Bob Sulkin presents new information on sex-abuse allegations against Seattle mayor Ed Murray following a medical exam of Murray, at McNaul Ebel Nawrot & Helgren on Tuesday, April 11, 2017.

Attorney Bob Sulkin presents new information on sex-abuse allegations against Seattle mayor Ed Murray following a medical exam of Murray, at McNaul Ebel Nawrot & Helgren on Tuesday, April 11, 2017.

Attorney Bob Sulkin presents new information on sex-abuse allegations against Seattle mayor Ed Murray following a medical exam of Murray, at McNaul Ebel Nawrot & Helgren on Tuesday, April 11, 2017.

Attorney Bob Sulkin presents new information on sex-abuse allegations against Seattle mayor Ed Murray following a medical exam of Murray, at McNaul Ebel Nawrot & Helgren on Tuesday, April 11, 2017.

Attorney Bob Sulkin presents new information on sex-abuse allegations against Seattle mayor Ed Murray following a medical exam of Murray, at McNaul Ebel Nawrot & Helgren on Tuesday, April 11, 2017.

Attorney Bob Sulkin presents new information on sex-abuse allegations against Seattle mayor Ed Murray following a medical exam of Murray, at McNaul Ebel Nawrot & Helgren on Tuesday, April 11, 2017.

Seattle Mayor Ed Murray arrives at a press conference Friday, April 7, 2017, called to address new claims that he sexually abused a teen boy in the 1980s. He denied the claims and said he would continue to serve as mayor and seek another term.

Seattle Mayor Ed Murray arrives at a press conference Friday, April 7, 2017, called to address new claims that he sexually abused a teen boy in the 1980s. He denied the claims and said he would continue to

Mayor's attorney: Murray's anatomy disproves sex abuse claim

A Seattle-area man filed the lawsuit last week claiming Murray had paid him for sex at least 50 times over the course of several years in the 1980s, starting when the man was just 15 years old.

Last Thursday, Murray's personal spokesperson and then his personal attorney both claimed the suit was politically motivated as Murray, a Democrat with a long history in public office, is seeking his second mayoral term this year.

Murray made a statement in person Friday, telling reporters he has no intention of resigning or ending his bid for reelection.

Attorneys for the man bringing the suit issued a statement following Sulkin's news conference, saying Murray's attorney had not responded to offers to depose the man, who went by D.H. in the suit, within the week.

"Instead, the Mayor's team hired their own medical witness to look at the Mayor's private parts and declared that which nobody in the public can verify until long after the election filing deadline of May 19," attorneys wrote in the statement. "We look forward to fighting the merits of this lawsuit in the appropriate venue and exploring the need for an independent medical exam as ordered by the court."

Sulkin said the mayor would submit to such an exam if ordered by a judge.

In the suit, D.H. included specific details about Murray's apartment at the time, his phone number and his genitals.

Specifically, he described a "unique mole" on Murray's scrotum in the complaint.

Sulkin said Tuesday the mole was like the fingerprint of the case.

"This is why it was put in (the suit) and it's false," he said.

In the story first reported by The Seattle Times, two other men were interviewed who had previously made similar claims to those detailed by D.H. in the suit. At the time those claims were made -- 2007 and 2008 -- one man began working on a suit, but his lawyer ultimately dropped the case. The man called various media and other lawmakers (Murray was in the state Senate at the time), but the Times and other media didn't report on the story, according to the Times report.

Sulkin called out the Times for "rushing" the story before giving Murray a chance to debunk the claims.

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Senior editor Levi Pulkkinen contributed to this report

Daniel DeMay covers Seattle culture, business and transportation for seattlepi.com. He can be reached at 206-448-8362 ordanieldemay@seattlepi.com.Follow him on Twitter:@Daniel_DeMay.

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