King County Executive Dow Constantine has vowed to return or donate the over $5,000 he has received in donations from David Meinert, a longtime Seattle businessman that was recently accused of rape and sexual misconduct.
A spokesperson for Constantine, who is the largest recipient of Meinert’s donations, sent this statement to The Stranger Friday morning:
“After reading the KUOW story, I am directing my campaign staff to return or donate contributions,” Constantine said in the e-mailed statement.
Meinert is a longtime political activist in the city and state. He has donated over $36,000 to political campaigns, according to the state’s Public Disclosure Commission.
Constantine received $5,161.46 from Meinert, the most money Meinert gave to any single candidate.
Here is a full list of Meinert’s contributions:
UPDATE: 1 p.m.
Tim Burgess, the former city councilmember and interim mayor of the city, reached on his cell phone while on vacation on the Olympic Peninsula, said he was shocked when he heard about the allegations against Meinert.
“That is stunning,” Burgess said. “That is shocking, too bad. That’s not the David I know, so yeah that’s very surprising.”
When asked if he would return the $1,100 in donations he received from Meinert, Burgess said he was “retired from city government and politics so I will stay out of that.”
