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December 2, 1987
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Charged With
1987 has been a devastating year
for the American voter. Across the
country, the carcasses of fallen
politicians are piling up faster than
they can be buried: Bork, Ginsberg,
Biden and Hart, to name a few.
Among Black Oregonians, there
is a growing feeling that, in Oregon
and in other parts of the country,
some politicians have become cul
turally offensive, partial to political
carelessness, and dangerously out-
of-touch with the average American
voter. And many of these Black
voters belive that former Oregon
Senate Presidents Jason Boe and
John Burns fit these descriptions
well. Boe and Burns have charged
Robert Parker, former Committee
Administrator to Senator Jim Hill
(D-Salem), with
political mis
conduct.
State Senator Jim Hill has de
nounced the allegations as impro
per, unfair, disturbing and poten
tially harmful to Oregon's political
process. "The conduct of Robert
Parker has almost been the entire
focus of this matter, and his con
duct should be fully investigated.
However, the most important issue
is the integrity of the legislative
process. We cannot allow it to be
compromised by those who are un-
scrupulous enough to make false
statements to get their way," he
said.
On November 24, Senator Hill
filed a complaint with the Oregon
Government Ethics Commission.
The complaint asks the Commission
to determine if Boe and Burns are in
violation of Oregon Revised Statute
171.756(4) which states: "N o lob
byist shall knowingly or wilfully
make any false statements or mis
representation to any legislative or
executive official, or knowing a
document to contain a false state
ment, cause a copy of such docu
ment to be received by a legislative
or executive official without notify
ing such official in writing of the
truth."
Senator Hill explains: "Based on
the best information that has been
given to me by Senator President
John Kitzhaber, Jason Boe and
John Burns made false statements
about my former Committee Admi
nistrator, Robert Parker. They did
so in an attempt to undermine the
work of the Senate Committee on
Business, Housinu and Finance in
order to sabotage the impending
passage of Senate Bill 664, also
known as the Gasoline Dealers Bill
State Senator Jim Hill
Photo by: Richard J. Brown
Kenyan Editor Visits Observer
Photos by Richard J. Brown
by Nyewusi Askari
For Africa, the 17th to 20th cen
turies were devastating. In addition
to losing well-over 100-million A fri
cans to slavery, she was also at
tacked and robbed of her monu
ments, artifacts, history, treasures,
land, and in some cases, her cul
tural identity. Consequently, Africa
found herself divided into colonies
and ruled from afar by greedy, bru
tal European nations.
With the ending of slavery, Africa
began to regain her strength and a
new leadership emerged.
It de
manded that Africa be returned to
her rightful owners, the Africans.
Thus began a movement for libera
tion that mirrored the Civil Rights
Movement in America.
by the ruling colonists as a way of
keeping themselves informed of
each other's activities. The news
paper didn't consider the Kenyans
to be newsworthy, and it certainly
didn't think they were capable or
willing to fight to regain their libera
tion.
When the African liberation
movement took root in Kenya, it
spread like wildfire. The country
was returned to the control of Ken
yans; and so was a small newspaper
called "The Standard."
In the beginning (1902), The
Standard was owned and operated
Even before Senator Hill filed the
complaint, Black Oregonians were
starting to question the political
conduct and wisdom of Boe and
Burns. Why, they asked, would
two former Senate Presidents make
such damaging allegations without
evidence to back them up? Why
didn't Boe and Burns seek out the
political input of Black Oregonians
before they went about designing
the allegations against Parker?
Didn't they realize the potential
harm to Parker and his career even if
the allegations weren't true? Or did
they care?
These questions have not been
answered by Boe and Burns. Ac
cording to Senator Hill, "W hile the
Ethics Commission has yet to make
a determination on ethics charges
relating to this matter, my conver
sations with the Commission's in
vestigator indicates there is no sub
stance to allegations (1) and (2).
Indeed, none of the investigations
have even suggested that there was
any validity to allegations (1) and
(2)."
In the meantime, tarnished and
choiceless, Robert Parker resigned
from his job and has since dis
appeared from the Oregon political
scene. Boe and Burns, unrnoved
by it all, continue to walk the halls
of the State Capitol.
Said one angry Black Oregonian:
" If Boe and Burns are in violation
of an Oregon Revised Statute, I
hope the Oregon Government
Ethics Commission throws the book
at 'em.
Surely Boe and Burns
must know that what goes around
comes back around."
Sharon Mitchell Becomes
Co-Host at KGW-TV
V A V
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sis
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ween The Standard and the Port
land Observer. The proposal was
Channel 8 News reporter Sha
ron Mitchell will become co-anchor
for News 8 at Sunrise, announced
KGW-TV News Director Reagan
Ramsey Friday Viewers can look
forward to seeing her in the morning
beginning December 7th.
Mitchell joined the news team
at Channel 8 as general assignment
reporter in April, 1984.
□ “To the level to which they’ve
been pushed, I am convinced that
black South Africans are ready to
do whatever Is necessary to
achieve their freedom.’
□ “I came to the United States to
observe the culture, the elec
tions, the people and to promote
friendship. And I am very de
lighted and honored to be a guest
today In Portland’s black com
munity. Very honored Indeed.’’
of Rights.
"Specifically, it was alleged by
Boe and Burns, who represent pet
roleum industry clients, that: (1)
Parker used a credit card belonging
to a lobbyist who represented the
Oregon Gasoline Dealers; (2) that
Parker negotiated favorable treat
ment of City of Salem-supported
legislation in exchange for the City's
favorable disposition of his overdue
parking tickets; and (3) that Parker
offered favorable treatment of legi
slation in exchange for money from
other members of the lobby.
"A fter six months of thorough
investigation by the Attorney Gene
ral's office, the Marion County Dis
trict Attorney and Grand Jury, Par
ker was not charged for any crime
even related to the principle allega
tions."
Since gaining its liberation, The
Standard has forged an African
readership of 50,000. One of its
bureau chiefs, Mr. Amos Marenya,
visited the office of the Portland
Observer last Wednesday while on
a fact-finding tour of Portland. In
addition to sharing an abundance of
information about Kenya, its peo
ple, its children and its culture, Mr.
Marenya brought forth the idea of an
international news exchange bet-
Before coming to KGW-TV,
Mitchell spent three years as a radio
reporter and anchor for KGW Radio.
Her coverage of the area's news
earned her an Associated Press
Spot News Award. She also had
four years of television experience
at KPTV in Portland, where she
functioned as news production aide,
weather reporter and staff an
nouncer.
□ “In Kenya, we record our cul
tural history. Every week there is
a given program at a theatre, a
community gathering, etc. Here,
we are reminded on a daily basis
of what our cultural heritage is
and what is expected of us. At our
public ceremonies, Kenyans are
expected to display their heritage
and culture.”
_____________
accepted. This means that begin
ning early next year, Mr. Marenya
will be featured in the Observer as
a columnist. It also means that the
Observer will send local news to
Kenya on a daily basis.
This historical agreement comes
as the Observer prepares to cele
brate its 18th year of publication.
Mr. Marenya's visit and commitment
to bridge the gap between Kenya
and Portland's Black community
will be remembered as one of the
most memorable moments in the
Observer's young history.
Mitchell also hosts Northwest
Faces, a public affairs show broad
cast Sunday mornings on Channel
8. The program, which highlights
ethnic diversity and contemporary
cultural issues, received a 1987
award of recognition from the
American Association for Affirma
tive Action.
Sharon Mitcheli. Channel 8 News reporter
Meeting Scheduled
DMAC to Meet
The Oregon Commission on Black Affairs will hold its regular monthly
meeting Wednesday, December 9, 1987, from 3 to 5 p.m. in Room
354 of the State Capitol Building in Salem, Oregon. The meeting is
open to the public and all interested persons are welcome.
The next meeting of the Desegregation Monitoring Advisor/
Committee (DMAC) will be held on Wednesday, Decembe.r9 198_
at Cleveland High School, 3400 SW 26th, Portland. OR 97202, from
7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
--------------- ——
Nancy Francis co-anchors
News 8 at Sunrise, Carl Click is
sports anchor and Jim Keiter is pro
ducer.
Being in front of an audience,
whether on the air or in person, is a
familiar experience for Mitchell.
While a student at Jefferson High
School she excelled as a performer
in musical theatre, and her love of
singing and acting motivated her to
attend the American Academy of
Dramatic Arts in New York, N.Y.
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