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Saturday, February 6, 2010

In his pew

Portland city commissioner Dan "Legend" Saltzman did what he does best today -- he showed up and sat there. It was at the funeral of the unarmed man who was shot in the back and killed by Portland police last week. Saltzman's appearance was a nice gesture, to be sure -- better than you'd get in similar circumstances from Katz, Adams, Leonard, or Potter -- but as the farcical grand jury proceedings and three-year fake internal "investigation" into the shooting proceed, don't expect any actual action from the guy.

It will be interesting to see what "Legend" does when the federal civil jury comes in with a big verdict in the Chasse case. He'll probably say something deep like, "I wasn't the police commissioner when this tragedy occurred."

Comments (12)

Shameless!

Dan may need to go as well, but Sam Adams is the Mayor of Portland and should be held accountable for his Police force.

Sam thought he could dodge all of the controversy surrounding the out-of-control Police department by assigning it to Dan, but it is still ultimately his responsibility.

Sam should be removed for lying to get elected. Letting his Police force shoot an unarmed person in the back, shooting 12 year old girls with a bean bag, etc., etc., is even worse than all of his lying. Any Commissioner that allows this to continue and who doesn't stand up against Police brutality and excessive force should be removed.

Gawd, how many more months until the election do we have to see these photo ops?

Commissioner Saltzman must be replaced immediately. His lack of leadership is partially responsible for the run amok police force. The Police Chief should have been fired after the Chase murder and cover up.

I find myself unable to deal with the implications of this case. It feels like one of those taboo subjects that trauma victims can't talk about.
Saltzman had the nerve to say he told the families this would be handled in a "transparent" way or with "transparency."
Bringing up one of the city council's standard buzz words at a time like this was sickening - especially with what that word has come to mean. This isn't a soccer deal here. An unarmed man was shot by police with a shotgun.
We either stay on this, or let it sink into our own souls and change us into something grotesque.

Correction: Police shot the man in the back with an AR-15 rifle - not a shotgun.

"I just had to show up to give my support ot the victim's family. I wish there was something more this lowly Police Commissioner could do in a situation like this, but I'm just one man."

All of this despicable quagmire is what you democrats repeatedly insist is preferable. You'll elect and accept these incredibly lacking people as if any conservative must be worse.
No matter how skilled, prudent and responsible that alternative may be.
How is it that decades of unfavorable outcomes don't seem to shake or alter that virtual addiction?

Just asking.

Is that an MP3 player he's listening to? Classy.

I don't think Danny can say he wasn't in charge when Chasse died, since he was acting Mayor when Tom was out of town.

Ben: Because most of us know from bitter experience that any self-described conservative will indeed be worse. (See: Bush, George W. Many of us in 2000 took a pass on Gore's candidacy thinking no one could possibly do more damage than the Clinton crowd.) Granted, we need a much better class of politician in this town (and state). Many of our incumbent office holders have been around way too long and has become complacent and out of touch with working people's needs. No argument there. Adams, Leonard, Wyden et al. should face strong primary challenges from real progressives (especially Wyden). But I'd still hold my nose and vote for them in a general election over anyone the Republicans, the PBA, or the recall cranks put up. So will most Portlanders.

Ben,

You write as if this issue is about conservatives, or about you. It's not. The issue is about a police force that has been out of control for a long time.

I would agree with some of the other writers in that I can't believe that Saltzman had the chutzpah to show up at this event.




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