Mayor’s foes’ ad accuses him of bringing disgrace to city

A 30-second television commercial produced for the Committee to Recall Jim West has been on the group’s Web site for about six weeks, but it saw only limited air time in the last week. It shows a picture of Mayor Jim West on a computer screen.

Under his photo is the phrase “You still interested?” – taken from an e-mail West sent to someone he thought was a local high school senior but was actually a forensic computer specialist hired by The Spokesman-Review.

The commercial calls for West’s removal, accusing him of disgracing the city, making “a mockery of the office of mayor,” making the city a national laughingstock and “not having the decency to resign.”

The mayor’s stance

West said he hasn’t seen the ad since it first appeared on the Web site but recalls “no memorable elements” in it. “People can make all the allegations and nonsensical statements they want,” he said.

Recall committee’s stance

Committee members said they used West’s own statements in press conferences or interviews in the ad.

Bottom line

The statements in the ad are defensible, if one-sided.

The scandal has caused problems for West since the allegations were first reported in May, and while he contends he’s concentrated on running the city, he has had strained relations with the City Council, which called for his resignation and hired a special investigator to look into allegations.

When the council and other local groups did call for him to resign, West said it’s up to the voters who elected him to decide whether he should leave office.

West was the subject of jokes on the “Tonight Show,” “The Daily Show” and Al Franken’s radio broadcast from Spokane, although that wouldn’t necessarily make the city “a national laughingstock.”

The advertisement was broadcast primarily over the Web, so its impact likely will be small.