From Charley Royer

The undersigned former Seattle Mayors released the following statement regarding the balance of Mayor Ed Murray’s term:

“We have been saddened by the recent allegations against Mayor Murray. He made the honorable, but personally painful decision to drop out of his re-election campaign, a decision that underscores his commitment to Seattle.”

“We firmly believe Mayor Murray should continue to lead the city through the remainder of his term. A transition merely months before electing a new mayor would be messy and time consuming, and would present serious challenges to the day-to-day operations of the city. As former mayors, we know transitions are long, difficult, and important processes, which is why Mayor Murray and his team have already begun the job of preparing for the new mayor to be sworn in next year.”

“We should now thank the mayor for his service to our city and look forward to him coming to work every day on behalf of the people of Seattle throughout the remainder of his term and an orderly transition.”