City Council candidate Jesse Cornett has pledged to bring a new code of ethics to Portland on his website this morning:
Real Ethics for the City of Portland
Portland’s Code of Ethics should be real and enforceable. In the unfortunate chain of events last week where a City Commissioner likely violated two sections, a huge loophole in the Code of Ethics has been identified: is only enforceable when it can be enforced by another body, meaning the state or federal government. Ethics in the City of Portland are as the City Attorney opined “aspirational,” and as a result refused to investigate whether it had been violated. No entity outside of Portland has the legal authority to investigate City Code. So our Ethics Code is advisory only.
Portland can do better.
When I am elected to City Council, during my first week in office, I will introduce an ordinance specifically repealing this advisory language and require the City Auditor enforce these rules in the future and levy fines when they are broken.
That’s the least Portlanders deserve.
Matt, I’m sorry to hear you’re leaving. The Merc will suffer as a result. No one else there has your snooping skills, or frankly, your inclination to snoop in the first place (instead of just writing down whatever talking points the politicians, planners and the BTA are spewing on a given day.)
Good luck to you in New Orleans.
So Sam violated the same code of ethics, where was Mr. Cornett’s outrage then?
Beau Breedlove got a Children’s Levy contract?