Five years ago during the so-called Strippergate affair I commented that the scheme to corruptly influence our City Council was merely the tip of the iceberg. Well, we began to get a glimpse below the water line earlier today when federal and local officers executed search warrants at the Colacurcio-owned strip clubs and residences. (Read newspaper accounts of the raids here and here.)
I wrote extensively about the Colacurcio family and their associates beginning early in the 2003 Strippergate case, and later when I urged federal and state officials to look deeper. The Seattle Times editorial page graciously gave me space to make the case that Strippergate deserved our keen attention. Here, in chronological order are those essays—
Council Members Should Return Tainted Money—August 5, 2003
My first piece based on campaign disclosure reports, interviews with investigators, and personal memories and records from the 1960’s scandals that permeated city government and the police department.
Until Strippergate’s Resolved, Rezone Must Be Put On Hold—November 10, 2003
My plea for the City Council to stop consideration of the property rezone until all the facts are known; unfortunately, the Council at the time plunged ahead and granted the rezone despite strong evidence of attempted corrupt influence.
In-Depth "Strippergate" Investigation Crucial to Restoring City’s Integrity—September 10, 2004
I was joined in this essay by two previous chairs of the city’s Ethics and Elections Commission in calling for a state and federal investigation of Strippergate. This essay chronicles the flow of illegal campaign contributions against the official time line of Council actions.
Public Deserves to Know Dirty Details of "Strippergate"—July 13, 2005
Former King County Prosecutor Norm Maleng courageously and creatively brought criminal charges against the Colacurcios and their associates following his Strippergate investigation. The Colacurcious and one of their associates plead guilty to felony and misdemeanor charges this past January bringing the Strippergate portion of what had become a far-reaching and deep city-federal investigation of the Colacurcious to a successful end.
Understanding the Art and Science of Corruption—October 25, 2006
A frequent argument advanced by the strip club industry is that their activities are only about freedom of expression and legitimate adult entertainment. Strippergate was never about adult entertainment; from the beginning it was a case of public corruption, a common and pervasive occurrence in the industry. This piece advanced the argument that Seattle’s public vote on the 4-foot rule was a good opportunity for city voters to reject those who would corrupt our electoral process.
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