Updated: 4:33 pm September 23
After speaking out against a city councilor over recently resurfaced social media posts from 2020, Portland Police Chief Bob Day is now the subject of multiple state complaints.
The complaints allege Day violated state laws that prohibit certain political activity from non-elected public employees acting in their official capacity. Records provided to the Mercury via a records request show four people have now filed complaints with the Oregon Secretary of State’s Office since September 17, though a spokesperson for the state agency declined said it “has not yet been determined if an investigation will be opened.”
The complaints are in response to a statement issued by the police chief following reporting in the Oregonian that rehashed old posts on Twitter (now X) from District 4 City Councilor Mitch Green during the height of 2020’s racial justice protests and nationwide outrage over the murder of George Floyd by police. Green made numerous posts during that time, long before he ran for office, at times referring to police as “monsters” and describing his “pure hatred” for police. At the time, he said he found police to be incompatible with a peaceful society. Some posts also criticized businesses for seeking assistance from the city after experiencing vandalism. Green’s account has since been deleted, but archived posts were accessed.
The councilor addressed the old posts saying he doesn’t govern in a way that works to abolish the Police Bureau, and hasn’t shown animosity toward police in his voting decisions. He also said his line of thinking has evolved since then and urged his constituents and colleagues not to judge him for statements made six years ago. Still, backlash to the councilor’s old social media posts was swift, and heavy. The Portland Police Association–the union representing most officers within PPB–called for Green to resign. Shortly afterward, PPB released a statement from Chief Day.
“What concerns me is that this Councilor sits on an elected body that sets the Police Bureau’s budget, shapes its policy, and votes on the tools and staffing our personnel rely on to do the jobs safely,” Day stated. “That profound responsibility requires a baseline of good faith: that the Bureau’s work will be judged on its merits rather than beginning with the predetermined conclusion that law enforcement should be dismantled. That is why I have a responsibility to say that I no longer have confidence that this Councilor is evaluating the Police Bureau reasonably and objectively.”
Oregon has laws governing the political activity of non-elected public employees. State statutes spell out a host of specific political activity that’s off limits, such as promoting or opposing the nomination of a person to public office “while on the job during working hours or while otherwise acting in the public employee’s official capacity.”
Day’s statement stopped short of calling on Green to resign, but some allege it might have still crossed a line by attempting to influence voters.
One of the complaints filed with the state came from Jonathan Tasini. Tasini, who ran for City Council in 2024, is supporting Green’s campaign this time around. He said the police chief’s words, less than two months before a City Council election in which Green is campaigning, were more than just a standard statement from a public official, they were an attempt to influence the upcoming election.
“It is quite clear that there is a coordinated effort to defeat Councilor Green, and other Councilors who are generally considered progressive and support policing reforms; in fact, Mayor Keith Wilson is publicly supporting and raising money for challengers to progressive Councilors,” Tasini wrote in his complaint. “Politics is all fine and good. That’s democracy. However, political efforts must be conducted within the parameters of the law.”
Mayor Wilson hasn’t endorsed Green, a democratic socialist, though he has endorsed District 4 Councilors Olivia Clark and Eric Zimmerman–both incumbents running for reelection in the same district as Councilor Green. The mayor has also campaigned for and endorsed candidates like Kellie Torres, who is running in District 3, as well as current District 3 Councilor Steve Novick, who’s often considered a swing vote on Council. Wilson has not supported or endorsed the other incumbents running for reelection in District 3, both of which are also democratic socialists.
Tasini also submitted his complaint to the city’s Bureau of Human Resources for investigation.
“Any reasonable person has to ask the question, ‘Why are they raising it now… on something that happened six years ago?’” Tasini told the Mercury Tuesday afternoon. “If there was this great concern on the part of the chief that he can’t work with this councilor or there’s some issue about fairness, okay, bring it up after the election.”
He asked state investigators to examine records for any communication between the police chief and mayor that would show potential collusion.
Day and the Police Bureau declined to comment on the issue when reached by email Tuesday.
Tasini’s complaint is the most recent. As first reported by OPB, attorney Nathan Haberman also filed a complaint with the SOS alleging Day’s conduct violates state rules. State records show complaints were also filed by Ross Taylor and Peter Ford.
It’s unclear if or when the state will open an investigation.
Green, an abolitionist, told the Mercury before winning election in 2024 that he wasn’t running on an abolition platform. “I am always going to organize towards a world where police and carceral institutions are irrelevant, but we’re not there yet,” the then-candidate said.
Green isn’t the only councilor who was tweeting about police back in 2020. Councilor Zimmerman was among those who took to social media to respond to the heaviness of the moment.
“I know there will be plenty of co-workers who wanna drop flippant remarks and blame protests as un-American. They’ll do some typical Soldier huff-n-puff,” Zimmerman wrote on May 31, 2020, nearly a week after the death of George Floyd. “Those who are hurting will stay silent and feel less seen, while loud mouths all around the camp proselytize about ‘the right way to protest.’ I’m leaning in tomorrow, no matter what.”
Zimmerman, an Army National Guard member, was likely deployed at the time, based on his posts.
“Being away from home while our communities mourn and while our neighbors reach the end of their lifelong patience with inequity and our people march only to be reduced and mastered by senseless violence against the people, by the people, and somehow for the people. Tonight I’m sad I’m not in #Portland with my people.”
Zimmerman and his fellow District 4 Councilor Olivia Clark both condemned Green’s old tweets after the initial reporting, with Clark saying she was “saddened and dismayed” by the remarks.
“Violent political rhetoric inspires violent political action. We should not give voice to that in any form,” Zimmerman wrote in an Instagram post bemoaning Green’s old statements and supporting Chief Day. “Chief Day’s words today reflect many of my own thoughts and my disappointment in what we have recently learned fellow Councilor Mitch Green felt was necessary to say.”
While Zimmerman wasn’t posting as prolifically as Green back in 2020, he was candid about the evolution of his social and political views.
“Hey, it’s ok to, ya know, like, perhaps, have changing political beliefs and values? 🤷♂️ That’s called learning boys and girls! It indicates your brain is functioning and working to your benefit. We can remain reflective & accountable AND we should acknowledge learning/change,” Zimmerman posted in August of 2020.
But Zimmerman says there’s a big distinction between his posts from 2020 and the rhetoric of Green’s posts.
“My concern remains around the public call for violence,” Zimmerman notes. “That’s where my criticism remains.”
Twelve candidates are vying for three seats in District 4, including the incumbents, Green, Clark, and Zimmerman.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
