28431 | A House Divided
T
pRto the 1992 enhe u -u Lections found Gorton embroiled in the
spotted owl battle, the president with a recession on his hands and
Brock Adams’ 31-year political career at a sad end. Rumors that there
were more Kari Tuppers had dogged Adams since 1987. Perceived as vul-
nerable within his own party and rebuffed by his old Labor Council allies,
Adams already had one announced challenger, the upstart Patty Murray,
while Mike Lowry was on the cusp, brandishing a poll he commissioned
that documented Adams’ vulnerability. Adams put on a brave face. “There’s
always wannabes. I’m the only winner. I’ve won eight straight elections.”^1
On Sunday, March 1, 1992, a few weeks after Adams formally an-
nounced his bid for re-election and just before the precinct caucuses, The
Seattle Times front-paged a devastating investigative piece. Eight women
claimed the senator had sexually harassed or molested them in incidents
that stretched back two decades, sometimes plying them with a mixture
of drugs and alcohol. There were even more victims, the newspaper said,
but it was relying only on those willing to sign statements that they un-
derstood they could be compelled to testify if the senator sued the paper,
as his lawyer had threatened. Adams had no comment. But on the after-
noon of the day the story appeared he called a press conference at his
campaign headquarters. The story “was created out of whole cloth by peo-
ple that hate me,” he said. Nevertheless, it had mortally wounded his bid
for a second term and caused great pain to his family. He was withdraw-
ing his candidacy. “This is the saddest day of my life.”^2
Gorton said the new allegations convinced him that Tupper’s story was
true and that Adams should resign forthwith. Some Democrats recoiled.
“What he’s trying to do is put his foot on Brock’s neck,” said Jeff Smith,
executive director of the State Democratic Party. “He still holds it against
him that Brock beat him. This is a very personal thing.” J. Vander Stoep,
who had succeeded McGavick as Gorton’s chief of staff, said Smith was
misinformed. “If you are talking about Republican politics, it’s better for
the Republicans that Brock Adams stay in office.”^3