Attorney questions timing of Seattle strip club raid

Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports:

Usually "October surprise" election bombshells happen on the campaign trail.

But the attorney for a Lake City strip club wonders if that was the motive behind a police crackdown Tuesday evening.

That evening, Seattle police vice detectives cited five dancers at Rick's between 8 and 9 p.m., according to police reports.


The detectives' reports give scant information on what the dancers did or how the detectives observed their actions. But all five were cited for illegal touching and accepting money for an illegal act, both prohibited under Seattle Municipal Code business regulations governing adult entertainment.

Three of the dancers were also cited for nudity, which is prohibited unless they are on a stage 18 inches high and 6 feet from the nearest patron. Those three were also cited for caressing or fondling themselves.

Gil Levy, attorney for Rick's, said the timing was suspicious.

"I'm tempted to say that the timing suggests that this might be politically motivated, but it could be regular enforcement," Levy said. "In the last few years, they come in once in a while -- maybe a couple times a year."

Deputy Chief Clark Kimerer agreed that arresting strippers for lap dancing isn't something vice officers do frequently, but, he added, it is routine police work. "Periodically, we have to exercise some regulatory oversight because the law requires it," Kimerer said.

The vice unit also has a new commander, Capt. Dan Oliver, who is known as a no-nonsense officer.


"He is very aggressive about these things," Kimerer said.

On Nov. 7, Seattle voters decide Referendum 1, which would impose rules politicians hope will undermine the profitability of strip clubs. One such rule would prohibit dancers from getting within 4 feet of club patrons. It's a de facto ban on lap dances. The other would require clubs to be brightly lighted. The rules were approved last year by the City Council and Mayor Greg Nickels. Seattle's three strip clubs have contributed more than $850,000 to repeal them via the ballot measure. On the other side, there is no organized support for Referendum 1.

The Blue City of Seattle sure isn't libertarian about much.