Spokane mayor James West

January 1986: West cosponsors a bill to bar gays and lesbians from teaching, beginning a regular pattern of opposing gay rights.

December 23, 2003: West is sworn in as mayor of Spokane.

October 2004: Spokane's Spokesman-Review newspaper begins investigating alleged sexual activity between West and men he met online.

February 19, 2005: Posing as "RightBi-Guy," West chats online with "Moto-Brock," a former federal agent hired by the newspaper to pose as a 17-year-old high school student.

March 21: A message from West's e-mail asks "Moto-Brock" to apply for an internship at City Hall.

April 9: West comes out to "Moto-Brock" as the mayor of Spokane, and the two plan a face-to-face meeting.

May 5: A Spokesman-Review expose hits the streets. West admits to consensual sexual encounters with men.

May 11: West says he's the victim of a "brutal outing" by the paper.

May 20. The FBI opens an investigation into West's actions.

May 23: West vows to fulfill his term as mayor.

COPYRIGHT 2005 Liberation Publications, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group