More recently, Rosellini explains, he began to help Levy use the political process to achieve goals for Colacurcio Jr. "Recently, Gil Levy, attorney for Rick's, came to me to ask my advice" on the club's parking-lot problems, Rosellini wrote in a recent letter to Seattle Weekly. "I told them they needed to do what any other business or citizen should do: become politically active. Present your case. Use the political process." The letter continues, "As part of this effort, I volunteered to host a couple of fund-raising events, as I have for many candidates for 60 years of my political involvement. I organized the events, and I solicited the donations. None of the City Council members were involved in any of the 'asks.'"
Yet in an interview earlier with Seattle Weekly, Rosellini denied asking people to contribute to campaigns. "I urge people to support a candidate. I give them some political advice but tell them it's up to them. I never solicit any contributions for anyone."
Seattle Post-Intelligencer Collection, Museum Of History And Industry
Albert D. Rosellini, then a state senator, at the Legislature in 1953.
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Rosellini evidently had extraordinary success with his fund-raising efforts, because people associated with Colacurcio Jr. through business, marriage, or birth contributed at least $32,000 to Compton, Nicastro, and Wills, most of it in four clusters: at fund-raisers for Nicastro last November, Wills in March, and Compton in May. And on June 11, Nicastro deposited at least $10,000 from the 17 donors connected to Colacurcio Jr., though she didn't have a fund-raising event that day.
Levy asserts that his involvement in the political process is distinct from that of his clients' interests. "My participation in the political process was not done and never would be done to secure a particular benefit" for a particular client, he says. Levy, who has attended fund-raisers and contributed to political candidates for years, says, "The primary reason was that I believed in the candidates or the positions they had taken."
This year, Seattle City Council members Compton, McIver, Nicastro, and Wills all report being personally lobbied on the parking-lot issue either by Levy or Rosellini. They all ended up supporting the matteralthough all say personal relationships had nothing to do with it. They insist that they looked into the issue carefully and voted in favor of the rezoning because the measures agreed to by Rick'sthe lot will only be used by employees, there will be an attendant on the site, and the club will build a wall for soundproofingshould prevent the site from being used for sex acts, fighting, or partying, as it has in the past. Levy made a formal presentation to the City Council on behalf of Rick's at a hearing that became part of the public record available to council members and their staff.
On June 16, five membersCompton, McIver, Nicastro, Wills, and Drago voted in favor of the rezoning. Steinbrueck, Licata, Margaret Pageler, and Richard Conlin voted against.
THE SEATTLE SUN, a community newspaper, first reported the convergence of campaign donations and support among City Council members for the rezoning. The story sparked extensive media coverage. Rosellini and Levy do not see what all the fuss is about. "My clients happen to be in the adult- entertainment business," says Levy. "You and the other newspaper imply there is something wrong about that. This whole business of singling out my clients is an attempt to embarrass the candidates and punish my clients for attempting to become politically active."
Levy adds that Seattle Weekly's reporting on the story is hypocritical. "The Weekly is subsidized by massage-parlor ads. Nobody suggests the Weekly is a bad newspaper because it runs sex ads or that it is the spokesperson for the escort business."
Rosellini observes in his letter, "In politics, as in life, you support the people who take the time to learn about and listen to your concerns. That is what happened here, and that is all that happened here.
"I think Jim Compton, Heidi Wills, Judy Nicastro, and their fellow City Council members are people of high integrity, and they work hard to do the right thing for the people and businesses of Seattle. To insinuate otherwise is doing them and our city a disservice."
One has to wonder, though, if Rosellini has, by providing good service to Colacurcio Jr., failed to look after the interests of the politicians that he is supposedly grooming for higher office.
randerson@seattleweekly.com
ghowland@seattleweekly.com
