Portland City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty is in the hot seat. After failing to show up in court hearings over her outstanding credit card accounts, Multnomah County Circuit Judge Judith Matarazzo has recently ordered Hardsty to pay over $16,000 in unpaid debts and fees.
Previously, Hardesty filed a $5 million lawsuit against the Portland Police Association, its former President Brian Hunzeker, and the City of Portland over reports that she was involved in a hit-and-run accident.
Joining us today is police officer Michael Letts, founder of InVest USA. We ask Officer Letts to share what he believes the impact of Hardesty’s lawsuit and actions will have on the city that she took an oath to serve.
Q&A:
1. Welcome, Michael. Candidly, as a police officer, do you feel that Ms. Hardesty’s actions are acceptable behavior for a City Commissioner?
Answer: No, her actions are not acceptable. It’s disappointing to see how Commissioner Hardesty continues to deflect blame to others. This is not good behavior for any role model, especially for a City Commissioner. Her actions were demoralizing to the Portland police force, which had already been demoralized by the national Defund the Police movement. Those highly publicized riots showed police ordered to stand down. They were not allowed to do their jobs to serve and protect. Instead, they stood idle, watching criminals destroy their city.
2. Why do you think Hardesty wouldn’t attend her court dates regarding her credit card debts? Is she trying to avoid responsibility, or is there something else at play?
Answer: Time will tell, but it certainly is not straight forward behavior. It’s this sort of thing that gives politics a bad name. Leaders are supposed to serve the people. Unfortunately, too many politicians think it’s the other way around. That is dangerous and a path toward despotism.
3. How do you feel about Hardesty’s lawsuit against the Portland Police Association, not to mention the city itself?
Answer: She made negative comments against police in 2020 during the Portland riots. Think about it. How would you like to be a policeman with a mayor or city commissioner who is berating you as a police officer, making you out to be the bad guy? Police put their lives on the line every day for very little pay. This treatment would be like a sports coach telling his players they are rotten and to stand down and let the other team win.
4. What do you think will come of the lawsuit? Could there be a lesson learned here, particularly from Hardesty’s actions?
Answer: The moral here is one we learned as kids that crime doesn’t pay. That applies to mayors and police commissioners. Perhaps that’s why some elected leaders are soft on crime.
5. How would you personally handle a situation like this if you were one of the parties named?
Answer: If I acted shamefully as did Commissioner Hardesty, I’d admit to my shortcomings and leave public service, knowing I disgraced the office, and offer due apologies. If I were a police chief, I’d apologize publicly for allowing police to be shamed and make every effort for such a travesty never to happen again. Furthermore, I’d encourage positive communication between the leadership of a city and its police force and its citizens.
6. Tell us about your work at InVest USA and how you help the police.
Answer: At InVest USA, for more than three decades, we have provided bulletproof vests, and Active Shooter Vests, to police officers, firefighters, and other first responders.
7. Do you have a website we may visit?
Answer: Yes. It is InvestUSA.org. That’s InvestUSA.org.
Michael Letts is the CEO and Founder of InVest USA, a national nonprofit charitable organization based in Columbia, South Carolina. His charity helps hundreds of communities provide thousands of bulletproof vests for their police forces through educational, public relations, sponsorship, and fundraising programs. Michael is also the founder and CEO of the First Responder Academy, a school that helps future heroes become police officers, firefighters, or other first responders. Those interested in learning more about Letts and his work may visit his official website. CONTACT: To schedule an interview, contact Celinda Hawkins or Robert Workman of Special Guests PR Agency at jerry.specialguests@gmail.com or (432) 349-2736. Other Interview Guests and Topics: https://SpecialGuests.com/guests-topics/
