Why Mike Reese? Why now? (Jack Bog's Blog)

The announcement that Portland police chief Mike Reese may run for mayor has tongues wagging. Given the checkered track record of the police bureau under Reese and his political patrons, the Sam Rand Twins, is he kidding? Federal recognized brutality, off-duty drunkenness and crime, bankrupting pension liabilities -- and now he wants to run the whole city government?

It isn't going to happen. Reese may run, but he can't win. And now every move he makes in running his department will be filtered through the lens of his suddenly emerged ambitions for elective office. Yesterday he e-mailed out to various residents a questionnaire about strategic planning for the police for the next five years. In his cover message, he said:

When I first became Chief of Police I committed to four strategic initiatives that I believe will create better relationships within our bureau and the communities we serve. These are:
Building community trust – the Bureau has implemented steps to build healthy productive relationships with all Portland communities, particularly with those communities that are underserved.

Positive work environment – the Bureau is striving for a work environment that is positive and supports all our members, sworn and non-sworn by setting clear expectations, recognizing the exceptional work of our employees, holding employees accountable and creating career opportunities for them.

Maintain a safe city – Portland is one of the safest cities in our nation and crime is at a historic low. However, the Bureau, as a lean organization, needs to be agile in responding to emerging trends.

Being good fiscal stewards of public dollars – during tough economic times, all city bureaus must manage their dollars appropriately. With that in mind, the Bureau created a realistic financial snapshot of this organization while reviewing the bureau’s benchmarks and performance results relative to expenditures.

It's hard not to see this mailing as mayoral campaign literature.

Reese says that important people are asking him to run. Who would that be? Our guess is that it's the people who engineered, and have since enjoyed, the Adams administration -- the people who stood in the foyer of City Hall to support the Creepy One after it was revealed that he had stolen the election. John Russell, Bill Scott -- that sort. They want somebody in the mayor's office who will keep the flow of the average guy's money going up to the West Hills. Charlie Hales would be ideal for them, but now it looks as though he can't win. Eileen Brady has a mind (and well heeled patrons) of her own, and Jeffer-Sam Smith is way too loose a cannon to be trusted with real money.

And so the Portland Money types need another candidate to do their bidding. This week, they're thinking that maybe it's Mike Reese.

Comments (7)

Why Mike Reese? Why now?

Because Randy likes him. Because without Randy Portland needs a bully-in-office

That campaign statement looks like a great collection of throw-away lines.

Posted by Steve | November 4, 2011 10:00 AM

...They want somebody in the mayor's office who will keep the flow of the average guy's money going up to the West Hills. Charlie Hales would be ideal for them, but now it looks as though he can't win....

Don't know how all this will play out, but I am fairly certain that:
The insiders will want to continue their agenda and advantage period!
I agree with Jack that Hales would be ideal for them, but with negatives showing up, they may be fishing for another who could assure advantages continue. Do not know about Reese, my thought is it would be better to have someone other who is not connected with our current scene.

We have a golden opportunity with the Mayor and two Commission positions available next election to break what I perceive to be a stranglehold on "power and decisions over the rest of us."
I do not think our city will recover if the citizens cannot get those three positions filled for the three votes needed to put the public interest first.

Posted by clinamen | November 4, 2011 10:43 AM

Reading Reese's points made my head hurt. I imagine it was that hard for Charlie McCarthy and Mortimer Snerd to speak outside of cliches when they had someone's hand firmly jammed far enough up their butts to make their mouths move, too.

Posted by Texas Triffid Ranch | November 4, 2011 10:54 AM

Aside from his questionable (really, laughable) qualifications, what would make him think he's electable? The fact that Tom Moyer, Brad Malsin or the like might like how his peeps kick the bejesus out of street people in front of the developers' PDC-funded projects doesn't make him electable in Portland. If anything, popularity with those cronies makes him suspect--as it should.

Why would he be interested anyway? Double up on the sweet pension he's already looking at? Ego? Wow.

Posted by observer | November 4, 2011 11:21 AM

They also said Adams couldn't win.

The way things keep going, there'll eventually be a diaspora of Portlanders and Oregonians who've fled the region.

Posted by Mr. Grumpy | November 4, 2011 12:44 PM

I don't know who said Adams couldn't win--his election seemed guaranteed the second he won the city council position, and he didn't need a runoff in the general when he ran for mayor.

Posted by Dave J. | November 4, 2011 1:05 PM

The mere fact that Creepy promoted Peanut Butter Cup is reason to vote against him.

Posted by Mister Tee | November 4, 2011 8:09 PM

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Friday, November 4, 2011

Why Mike Reese? Why now?

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