Washington State Representative Noel Frame represents the 36th Legislative District, which includes Ballard, Magnolia, and Queen Anne.
Washington State Representative Noel Frame represents the 36th Legislative District, which includes Ballard, Magnolia, and Queen Anne. Kelly O

Yesterday, Seattle Mayor Ed Murray announced his resignation amid accusations from his cousin, Joseph Dyer, 54, that Murray sexually abused him as a teenager in the 1970s. As of 5 p.m. today, Murray will no longer lead the city of Seattle. This news likely comes as a relief to survivors of sex abuse who have watched as Murray worked to discredit his accusers.

In a Facebook post, Washington State Representative Noel Frame wrote that Murray's resignation finally allows her to "stop reliving my own trauma by the constant barrage of new accusations against Ed Murray." Frame also apologized for her silence about the allegations against the mayor and opened up about her own experiences with child sex abuse.

"To engage deeply in this conversation is to open up long-ago 'healed' wounds, which can quickly result in my spiraling into an place of despair," she wrote. "Today’s revelation hits home, and cuts deep. Because it was my cousin that did this to me."

Frame wrote that her cousin sexually abused her for five years when she was between the ages of 5 and 10 years old.

"In my family, and many families I know, intra-family sexual abuse is pervasive, and intergenerational," she wrote. "Why? Because nobody wanted to talk about it. And the behavior gets normalized."

Read her whole statement, below.

Other state officials offered less specific comment.

In an e-mailed statement, Governor Jay Inslee said he stands "in support of survivors of sexual abuse and trauma.”

“Mayor Murray is doing the right thing by stepping down," he said. "He has done good things for Seattle and his resignation will allow the city to move forward."

Congressman Adam Smith said Murray's resignation is "appropriate," given the allegations against him.

“The accusations against Mayor Murray are deeply troubling," he said via e-mail. "It is better for the city to be able to move forward.”

Omer Farooque, communications director for Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, said the congresswoman "supports the mayor's decision to step down."

"The victims and the residents of Seattle have gone through a lot," he added.

I will update this post if I hear back from other Washington State politicians.