SGN endorses Della, urges vote against Burgess

The Seattle Gay News editorial staff met this week to discuss the Seattle City Council contest between incumbent David Della and challenger Tim Burgess. After a lengthy internal discussion, the staff voted to endorse David Della for Seattle City Council.

SGN Endorsement
Vote for David Della for City Council - Vote against his opponent Tim Burgess

by SGN Editorial Staff

Seattle Gay News has backed the SEAMEC ratings time and time again over the years. Hundreds of requests for endorsement have been declined over the past 30 years in favor of the community based ratings project.

Breaking tradition, SGN's editorial board has voted to immediately and strongly endorse Dave Della for City Council. Della has completed his first four years on the City Council with a good record. His strong can do style when he tackles issues is fine with us, and his down to earth manner is another plus. Della isn't slick, but forthright and to the point.

His record on civil rights goes back decades. He comes from the Filipino political tradition that has always supported the worker in fights with company bosses and has been strongly Gay and Lesbian supportive as well. Dave admires retired City Councilwoman Delores Sibonga, who was among the first wave of leadership on the City Council that fully supported issues of concern to the GLBT community, working with the long defunct Dorian Group. Della continues in that strong proactive role.

Della's endorsement roster is a star list of progressive political leadership throughout the city. Senator Ed Murray, former Washington State Governors Gary Locke and Mike Lowry, King County Councilmember Larry Gossett, Seattle City Councilmember Richard McIver, former Seattle City Councilmember Dolores Sibonga, King County Executive Ron Simms, State Representative Sharon Tomiko Santos (D-37), former State Representative Velma Veloria (D-11). These leaders do not lend their names easily. That support has to be earned. (For a complete list of several hundred individual and organizational endorsements, visit www.daviddella.com.)

SGN joins this worthy list. Vote for David Della's second term in the upcoming November general election.

BLOOD MONEY AND HATE MONGERING, NO WAY IN HELL

For the second time in its history, the SGN says deliberately vote against a candidate. Tim Burgess is an expert at public relations. That is his business. In the past three days rumors became fact when media reports confirm by interview with Burgess that for seven years he helped run the hate mail operations of Concerned Women of America, a virulent anti Gay front group for the far right. CWA is run by the infamous Phyllis Shafley. Under her leadership and in league with the hired gun Burgess PR firm, CWA has pumped out fundraising mailers for many years: which are the most horrible anti Gay garbage one could ever read. SGN used to be on their mailing list.

Burgess now admits under pressure that his firm earned $2 million plus from helping to write/prepare the hate monger mailings under the terms of a seven years contract for public relations consulting. That admission should make the skin crawl on any proud GLBT activist/voter.

Shame, shame, shame on you, Mr. Burgess. You, sir, took blood money in the millions from Concerned Women of America.

That is a flaw that should keep Burgess off the elected political stage in this city forever.

There is no room for his lack of integrity in the roster of political leadership. Vote against Burgess. He should not be welcomed at the elected councils of power in our fair Emerald City, Seattle