Seattle mayoral candidate stops racist TV ad

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SEATTLE (AP) – A Seattle mayoral candidate pulls out a TV commercial attacking her opponent following criticism that the spot highlighting sexual assault issues was racist.

Lorena González’s ad attempted to remind voters of Bruce Harrell’s statements during a sexual abuse scandal involving former mayor Ed Murray in 2017. At the time, Harrell had expressed doubts about the allegations and did not had not joined González in calling on Murray to consider resigning.

Murray finally stepped down that year after several men accused him of sexually assaulting them decades earlier. He denied the allegations.

But the Seattle Times reports that the ad used a white rape victim – not an accuser of Murray – who said she couldn’t trust Harrell. Harrell is black and Asian American.

In a video statement on Monday, González, the president of the city council, said she believed Harrell, a former president of the council, had a “troubling” record of responding to allegations of sexual abuse and harassment, including during of the Murray scandal.

But she admitted that the use of a white rape victim in her ad was problematic when juxtaposed with Harrell.

“I’m sorry we didn’t work harder to center the voice of a sexual assault survivor from our community of color who was also willing to share her story,” González said.

Harrell, in a statement, thanked those who spoke against the announcement.

“The intense community that sparked this false and racist advertisement is a testament to the pain it has brought not only to the black community, but to our entire city,” he said.

The González campaign initially defended the ad following an outcry from Harrell and black community leaders.

Harrell and González are in competition to succeed Mayor Jenny Durkan in the November 2 election. Durkan is not running for a second term.

González won the support of many unions in the region. His parents were migrant farm workers in central Washington.

As chairman of the board, she helped pass a payroll tax to large companies, such as Amazon, to pay for municipal services, as well as worker protections such as a safe working hours law.

Harrell called for hiring more police to stem an increase in shootings and reforming the state’s regressive tax code. He grew up in the central Seattle area, a redline neighborhood, and enjoys the support of most of the city’s business community.

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