(PORTLAND, OR.) — The Portland City Council meeting on July 29 was largely marred by internal conflict and a perceived lack of decorum, particularly surrounding a contentious remark from a previous meeting.
Public commenters expressed frustration over the council's conduct, with one individual even suggesting the chamber needed 'smudging' due to palpable negative energy, and another comparing the proceedings to a 'bad reality TV show.'
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Councilor Morillo's 'daddy' comment from the week before led to a heated public and internal exchange, with Councilor Smith feeling personally disrespected and traumatized.
John Hollister suggested smudging the room due to palpable negative energy. He recounted John McCain's famous refusal to tolerate personal attacks against Obama as an example of proper political decorum, contrasting it with the council's current behavior.
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Jack Dickinson criticized Councilor Loretta Smith for repeatedly interrupting colleagues with invalid points of order, threatening people (referencing a past threat to shoot people), and attempting to 'extort' specific wording from city staff to justify pre-made votes.
Dickinson expressed extreme frustration with the council's 'fourth-grade classroom' atmosphere, specifically mentioning the 'daddy comment' as poisoning the narrative, and implied Councilor Smith might be abdicating her role to serve as a spokesperson for Mayor Keith Wilson. He called on Council President Jamie Dunphy to take responsibility for maintaining decorum.
“There are just too many distractions coming out of this body. There are times when I am listening to these meetings online and I have to take off my headphones or pause for a minute, because I don’t have the bandwidth to deal with a fourth grade classroom,” Dickenson said.
Annette Johnson expressed hurt over the 'daddy comment' made to Councilor Smith, calling it foolish and disrespectful, and wished for an apology.
“You guys are making a fool of [yourselves]. You look foolish to the city. If you drive down the street, aluminum foil covers the streets of Portland. Why isn’t that important? There’s about ten people dead in the morgue this week from fentanyl overdose. But this city wants to talk about Donald Trump. I don’t care who’s the president, really. But that statement. I wish you would give her an apology, and I wish y’all would get it together,” Johnson said.
Pastor Robin Weisner expressed discomfort as a Black man hearing the 'daddy of Portland' comment. He recited a list of significant achievements by Black historical figures and included Councilor Loretta Smith, a Black woman, in this list to highlight her accomplishments and challenge the disrespect.
Following public testimony, Councilor Morillo and Councilor Smith spoke about the incident.
Councilor Morillo sought to clarify that she was not addressing Councilor Smith, but the moderates on the council she felt were using the mayor rather than working together and compromising.
“I understand how that would have been taken by certain members of the community and how that is interpreted, and I certainly never wanted to give that impression, neither to the community nor to Councilor Smith,” Morillo said.
Councilor Smith called the remark “toxic” and said she feels like she is on a “really bad reality TV show” instead of a “very honorable city council.”
“I am a Black woman. I have a degree from Oregon State University. I’m a former business owner. I’m a mother and I’m a grandmother, and I do not deserve to be disrespected and mistreated like this,” Smith said.
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After these statements, the council continued with business as usual.
OpGov.news will continue its coverage of the Portland City Council.
If you would like to comment on this report, please email me at rory.h@lead4earth.org.
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