October 29, 2020

Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty endorses Sarah Iannarone for Mayor

Today, Portland Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty announced her endorsement of Sarah Iannarone for Portland Mayor. Her endorsement read, in part:

This is a moment in history that requires strong and inclusive leadership, not more of the same status quo. If we are going to actually rethink community safety based on a public health model, we must be bold and visionary. Sarah Iannarone has a vision and a plan to do this that was developed and rooted in the community. She is the people-powered candidate in this race, assembling an impressive grassroots coalition of passionate volunteers and small donors to take on an incumbent backed by big business interests and Super PACS. Sarah has committed to making me police commissioner when elected Mayor, where I would utilize my 30 years of subject matter expertise to hold our rogue police force accountable and start instituting some real change.

Sarah Iannarone said in a statement:

I'm honored to receive the endorsement of a Portlander I so admire for standing up for justice and fighting for what is right. I look forward to serving with Commissioner Hardesty and to rolling up my sleeves alongside her as we work together getting Portland back on track.

The Commissioner’s full statement follows:

We are living in extraordinary times, requiring us to each be extraordinary leaders. Last night I put my best foot forward to deliver for Portlanders when you have been in the streets, emailing and calling council offices and it's absolutely clear and unambiguous that you demand change. Unfortunately the leadership to deliver that change was unavailable.

Let me be clear - justice delayed is justice denied.

In the last few months I have been pulled in many directions to address the many crises our community is facing. COVID, economic insecurity, wildfires, racial justice, and more. In this electoral cycle I have looked to leaders to serve with me and help me in charting a future for all Portlanders where we can thrive - because I am not interested in rebuilding inequitable systems. In these moments some of our leaders have risen, causing me to change my mind and throw my support to them, and last night - after months of urging from my community, I finally realized that some of our leaders - including our current Mayor - have failed. I cannot in the last few days of this election let this acknowledgement go unnoticed and unvoiced. You deserve to hear from me where I stand on who our next Mayor is to serve in these extraordinary times, and after much reflection I believe that person to be Sarah Iannarone for Portland Mayor.

This is not a decision based on an isolated disagreement. Since the national uprising demanding police accountability and a new system of community safety began in the wake of the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and countless others killed by police, I have been constantly disappointed at the lack of vision and leadership from the Mayor. At the beginning of this month, I announced I wasn't planning on endorsing either candidate for Mayor for the upcoming November 3rd election. I laid out what I hoped to see from each candidate - stating: "Our city is in need of leadership driven by a strong moral compass that isn’t afraid to fight for real police reform, take aggressive action to mitigate climate catastrophe, foster a transparent and engaging city government, and propose creative solutions to our affordability and houseless crisis."

I made it clear I had no interest in rebuilding the inequitable Portland that existed before this pandemic. Unfortunately, that limited, status quo thinking is what we have seen from our current Mayor.

This is a moment in history that requires strong and inclusive leadership, not more of the same status quo. If we are going to actually rethink community safety based on a public health model, we must be bold and visionary. Sarah Iannarone has a vision and a plan to do this that was developed and rooted in the community. She is the people-powered candidate in this race, assembling an impressive grassroots coalition of passionate volunteers and small donors to take on an incumbent backed by big business interests and Super PACS. Sarah has committed to making me police commissioner when elected Mayor, where I would utilize my 30 years of subject matter expertise to hold our rogue police force accountable and start instituting some real change.

This is a pivotal moment in Portland history and we need to plot a new, truly progressive path forward. These are exhausting and challenging times, but I look forward to working with Mayor Sarah Iannarone to continue engaging our community to build a more equitable and resilient Portland out of the series of crises we find ourselves in today. We have a lot of work ahead and I believe Sarah Iannarone is the best choice for Mayor of Portland. I ask you to stand with me and vote Sarah for Mayor.