SEATTLE, WA — Councilman Tim Burgess became Seattle's 55th mayor on Monday afternoon, the third Seattle mayor since last Wednesday. Burgess became mayor in a brief ceremony at City Hall, giving few details about what he plans to do with his 71-day mayoral term.

The swearing in ceremony gave Burgess the opportunity to address the manner in which he came into office - on the tails of Ed Murray's child abuse sex scandal. Burgess declared that the scandal had come to a conclusion last Tuesday when Murray resigned, and said in a firm tone "that's behind us now" in reference to it. Burgess maintained throughout the summer that Murray should serve out his term after two men came forward (following two others in previous years) to accuse Murray of sex abuse. Even this summer after a Seattle Times report showed that an investigator in the 1980s found that Murray had likely molested his foster son, Burgess thought it would be best for Murray to stay in office.

Among sitting Council members, only M. Lorena Gonzalez and Kshama Sawant called for Murray to step down. Burgess was nominated to become interim mayor at the regular Council meeting Monday afternoon. He was the only nominee, but he was not unanimously approved. Sawant voted against his appointment, and Councilwoman Lisa Herbold was absent.

"Will the person who's appointed act in the best interest of regular working people and the most vulnerable and marginalized in our community?" Sawant asked. "I do not support a mayor who is pro [homeless camp] sweeps as Councilman Burgess has consistently been."

Burgess was seen as a feasible choice for the interim mayor job. According to the City Charter, a member of Council who ascends to become interim mayor has to give up their Council seat. Burgess is a lame duck, so he has no seat to go back to.

Gonzalez, who will likely be reelected in November, was another potential candidate, but she announced Monday morning that she would not seek the job. In fact, it was Gonzalez who nominated Burgess to become mayor.

With the interim mayor in place, the Council will turn to filling Burgess' seat. Former five-term Council member Nick Licata has been talked about as a possibility, but some on Council, chiefly Councilwoman Kshama Sawant, want to open the process up to applicants from the public. The Council has 20 days to fill Burgess' seat.



During public comment Monday, trans rights activist Danni Askini and Socialist Alternative's Philip Locker, among others, asked the Council to consider opening up the vacant Council seat to candidates from the public. Burgess takes the reigns from Council President Bruce Harrell, who became mayor last Wednesday, but ultimately decided to return to his Council seat.