Federal Civil Rights Violated? Details emerge of publisher’s accusations against three City of Kirkland employees

By on May 5, 2010 in Archived, Business, Featured Slideshow, Headlines

In a letter to City Attorney, Robin Jenkinson, dated April 29, 2010, John Gilday, publisher of the Eastside Sun, expounded on his accusations of wrongdoing by City of Kirkland employees against himself and his publication. Mr. Gilday’s letter was in response to an April 21 request for proof from Ms. Jenkinson (see City of Kirkland asks Gilday for proof regarding alleged wrongdoing by City employees). In it he states, “We are declining to expose our witnesses’ identities due to the retribution that they will surely receive from The City if their identities are made known without the protection of a subpoena. They have been promised anonymity and will receive it.  Should you figure out the identities of some of our witnesses before trial, I urge you to NOT make those identities public. These witnesses – and their employment – are protected by state and federal statutes.”

In the letter, Gilday then chronicles incidents in which he claims three City of Kirkland employees, under the color of authority, acted in violation of his civil rights. Gilday’s previous correspondence with the city has stated his intent to file a Federal Civil Rights lawsuit as well as a civil lawsuit asking for $4,000,000.00 in damages.

Gilday further claims, “At least three members of the Kirkland City Council have first-hand knowledge of the actions of the three city employees listed below. Other City of Kirkland employees have had accusations made against them, but those employees / accusations are not addressed in this document.”

Read John Gilday’s letter dated April 29, 2010.

The letter closes with a repeated request for witness anonymity: “We have witnesses to whom we have promised anonymity. We have promised that they would only be forced to testify under subpoena – after all, they know how these people operate and do not wish to lose their positions, businesses or homes. With a subpoena, they have the protection of the federal court. Some have gone public but most prefer to remain anonymous until court. It is impossible to know everyone these city employees in question have talked to / threatened. Nor is it possible to determine who believed their statements.”

Kirkland Views has redacted the names of City employees in this document.

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About Rob Butcher

Editor and Scribbler of Kirkland Views.
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  • http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/IQHJNCTYXNSOJGGPYRCPYID6YY Mike

    I don't understand why the people who will potentially cost us a buttload of cash get to hide under redacted blurriness. Anyone who works downtown or in the restaurant business knows whose been talking smack about the Sun as well as the woman behind all the drama. If you are afraid of revenge then you shouldn't print the letter at all.

    This has gone on too long in this city and we need to get rid of the troublemakers that cant pay by the rules

  • http://kirklandviews.com Rob Butcher

    Hi Mike,
    Let me explain why I redacted the names of the City employees listed in this document. Whenever there is an accusation made against someone or a situation in which the truth is unknown, I try to err on the side of caution. Everyone is innocent until proven guilty. As you allude, the reputation of people proceeds them around town. You would be incorrect to assume that I would fear revenge or retribution if I were to post the names as you suggest. I chose to redact the names because I find exposing them at this time to be unseemly. The names are of public record and you or anyone else can access that information through the City.
    I wrote the article and I alone am responsible for its contents. I do so under my own understanding of what is right and what is wrong. Publishing the names of those individuals in this document at this time would be wrong. Remember, this document is not a part of a lawsuit. If, however, an actual lawsuit is filed, I suspect I will re-examine this stance. If a civil rights lawsuit is filed, that would be taken very seriously and it should have a different standard applied. As of yet, only warning shots have been fired. I don't want to mistakenly damage the reputation of anyone. I believe that posting those names at this time would do just that. Since I have no inside knowledge of the facts of this case, I choose the side of caution. You may not agree with my decision, but I hope you understand my reasoning.
    Thank you for your comments.

  • kirklandcitizenalso

    Sounds dubious….he is wasting the time and money of Kirkland citizens because he failed in business. He and his attorney should be fully liable for any costs incurred by the city, us, defending this frivolous suit.

    Kirkland Citizen

  • http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/IQHJNCTYXNSOJGGPYRCPYID6YY Mike

    I suppose I should have said this in my first post. I know two of the hairstylists that are called to testify with the grand jury and have already been deposed. Everything I know aboout this comes from them and they totally agree with the facts set forth in the lawsuit. They worked at the salon where one of the defendants from the city discussed her dirty work with her friend. As far as I know it certainly isn't frivolous KirklandCitizenalso. We're screwed because Kirkland employees can't play by the rules.

  • bigyaz

    Thanks for your discretion, Rob. If the accusers can't/won't be named — and since no legal action has been taken — there's no reason to name the accused.

    If the charges are true this is of course serious. But a lot of us have doubts about Mr. Gilday's credibility.

  • http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/IQHJNCTYXNSOJGGPYRCPYID6YY Mike

    Sniping from behind an anonymous shield makes it hard to take you serious,bigyass

  • Atopaz76

    Anyone who has the misfortune of meeting John Gilday immediately knows that he is an outsider looking in, and that he desperately wants to be “somebody” in Kirkland (he doesn't live here, thank God!). With John, aka Mike, you literally see what you get. He looks exactly like what he truely is, a smarmy and foul-mouthed creep who likes to bully people and talk about shooting people with his 9mm. People smile to his face because they know he is the type of scum that you don't want to cross. He is a coward who will stoop to any level to hurt people and get what he thrives on, revenge. We are lucky to be rid of his filthy rag, and hopefully, he will stop slithering and skulking around Kirkland as much. Mike, no amount of money or revenge can make up for whatever it was that happened to you in your youth, that turned you into the monster that you are. Please go away and try to get some help somewhere else. Our happiness just inflames your self-loathing. Do yourself a favor and go far, far away.

  • Amanda

    Gilday is a pathetic loser who talks so much about retaliation and revenge because he is PROJECTING! Those are the tactics that define his every move and his personality. He is nothing but a parasite, a bully, and a creep. He should crawl back under whatever slimy rock he came from under and stay out of OUR fair town. His kind does not belong here.

  • Amanda

    I have heard that the nasty rag failed a long time ago, and that Gilday just continued to print it and even do the advertisments for free, just to have some content, and to appear to be a legitimate business. He just likes to call himself an editor, and imagine that he actually has something to say the people care about. The truth is that he subsidized the paper himself, just to have it, even when almost no business in Kirkland would allow him to place his free rag in or near their stores or businesses. I would bet that he planned and orchestrated this entire scam just because he was running out of money to continue publishing his filth. That is why this farce will go absolutely nowhere. Gilday is a fraud, and I hope he goes to prison over this scam.

  • http://kirklandviews.com Rob Butcher

    Atopaz76,
    You obviously have a great deal of anger and you have found this forum to be your outlet. That is unfortunate. This forum is for people who can discuss the issues and not for spitting venom regardless of your target. You seem to excel in the same sort of vile of which you claim Mr. Gilday guilty. When you say, “He is a coward who will stoop to any level to hurt people and get what he thrives on, revenge,'” I suggest you look in the mirror.
    Please refrain from personal attacks while in this forum, regardless of your target. Even those with whom you disagree deserve the same respect you would want granted to you.
    And while you're being introspective, rethink your claim of “coward” the next time you sign your comments with a psyudonum.

  • JohnGilday

    Wow, you kiss your dog with that mouth?

  • Bill Henkens

    Rob, Well said. Anyone who would hide behind a psyudonum is the coward. If you have a beef at least have the backbone to sign your real name.

  • Chandra S

    Hello Doctor, I have had the opportunity to meet you and Mr. Gilday and I must say I prefer John 10 times over you. He gets involved in his community which is more than I can say for you. He published a newspaper promoting Kirkland for years and I have to ask What have you ever done? Even your tenure as KDA president was a bitter disappointment since you couldn’t even be bothered to show up at meetings.

    I went to you supposed reviews for your chiropractic clinic and they are the same names as you used here. Fortunately they have been updated to show what you really are.

    With the exception of you and our resident bag lady, everyone else likes John weather or not they agree with his writings.

    So in closing, please take your sickness elsewhere. you have done enough damage here and Kirkland would be a nicer place without you.

    And in the future please do not hide behind womens names, you are a man or at least you are a male please avt like it