Marlton May Lose Labor Endorsement Labor Council Denounces Candidate’s Comments; Meets Tonight To Consider Rescinding Support

FOR THE RECORD: Thursday, September 14, 1995 Correction: Campaign workers for We The People are not suggesting voters support Spokane city-county consolidation as a way to throw controversial politicians out of office, as was reported Wednesday. A quote by Leta Walters, a worker at the group’s booth at the Spokane Interstate Fair, was misprinted. It should have read: “They (people approaching the booth) have been saying, ‘We’d like to get rid of Marlton, and Hasson, too.”’

Organized labor dealt a huge setback Tuesday to the campaign of Spokane County commission candidate George Marlton.

After endorsing him over fellow Democrat John Roskelley, the leader of a local organization that represents 74 unions and 15,000 workers denounced Marlton’s recent outburst of profanities and a sexual reference about a female campaign worker.

The Spokane Labor Council, affiliated with the AFL-CIO, will meet tonight and is expected to formally rescind its endorsement.

“Women workers should not have to tolerate the kind of remarks reflected in his comment,” council secretary-treasurer John Leinen said in a written statement. “The council will not support public officials who project that type of attitude.”

Last Friday, Marlton, 50, walked in on a courthouse meeting with Commissioner Steve Hasson, two county managers and Spokesman-Review reporter Dan Hansen, whom Marlton did not know.

While uttering a string of scatological and sexual remarks, Marlton feigned masturbating and said a Democratic campaign consultant had offered him oral sex if he did well while taping a television commercial earlier that day.

After Hansen introduced himself as a reporter, Marlton declared his previous comments “off the record.”

Marlton apologized to “all” women Monday.

On Tuesday, he said he was “very hurt and saddened” over losing labor’s support, but vowed to stay in the race.

The lawyer and longtime county public defender said, “I shot my mouth off in front of a reporter. I want to apologize to my friends in labor if I have let them down and understand why they may have to withdraw my endorsement.

“But win or lose, I’m still a friend of labor.”

Marlton would not say Tuesday whether campaign consultant Kay McGlocklin mentioned oral sex, but said, “I’m not going to rule it out.” He added, “I’m not going to blame anyone else. I’m responsible for what I said.”

McGlocklin, 41, of Preferred Advertising, angrily denied saying anything offcolor and released a statement Tuesday saying she was resigning as Marlton’s media buyer and steering committee member.

“Due to Commissioner Marlton’s actions and statements, I will not be involved in any capacity for the campaign and have also withdrawn my personal endorsement,” she said.

KAYU cameraman D.W. Clark, who taped the Marlton commercial, said McGlocklin made no inappropriate remarks to the candidate.

McGlocklin, who said Marlton’s comments made her “sick to my stomach,” will not air the 30-second commercial because it remains her property. She submitted a bill Tuesday for an undisclosed amount to Marlton’s campaign.

Marlton was appointed to the commission three months ago to fill the unexpired term of Skip Chilberg. Tuesday’s primary is Marlton’s third election for commissioner. He lost in 1982 and 1990.

Roskelley, a mountain climber and author known for defending the environment and promoting managed growth, refused to comment on the Marlton controversy.

The Democratic Central Committee, in keeping with longstanding policy, has not endorsed either Marlton or Roskelley and won’t until after the primary.

Before Tuesday, a group supporting a proposed city-county government consolidation bolstered its case by pointing to such controversial county officials as Hasson and county Coroner Dexter Amend. Amend last month attacked homosexuality in detailing a girl’s death at the hands of her uncle.

We the People, which manned a booth Tuesday night at the Interstate Fair, was making Marlton’s name part of its battle cry.

“We’d like to get rid of Marlton,” said Leta Walters, a volunteer. “People are just disgusted, just disgusted.”

, DataTimes