Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current, October 18, 2006, Image 1

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    50£
Grand Jury Clears Police
y cat's
No wrongdoing is found in the
death o f a man who died in
Alberta Street's Onda Arte
police custody
Latina opens photo exhibit
See story, page A 2
of
•'community service
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See story, page A6
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‘City of Roses
Established in 1970
Volume XXXVI. Number 42
.Week ¡n
The Review
Satellite images indicate North
Korea appears to be getting ready
fora second nucleartest, officials
said Tuesday, as the defiant com­
munist regime held huge rallies
and proclaimed that U.N. sanc­
tions for its first nuclear test
amount to a declaration of war.
Schnitzer Admits Bribery
Schnitzer Steel Industries Inc. of
Portland has agreed to pay $ 15.2
mi Ilion overcharges that its Asian
subsidiary bribed steel mill man­
agers in China and South Korea,
the company said Monday. The
company reached the settlement
with the U.S. Securities and Ex­
change Commission.
Snipes Accused of Tax Fraud
A cto r W esley
Snipes was in­
dicted Tuesday
on eight counts
o f tax fraud, ac­
cused of trying to
cheat the govern­
ment out of nearly $12 million in
false refund claims and not filing
returns for six years. Prosecutors
said Snipes fraudulently claimed
refunds totaling nearly $12 mil­
lion in I996and 1997.
Democracy Push Backfires
Madonna Adopts African Tot
Pop su p e rsta r
M a d o n n a ’s a-
dopted child has
arrived in Britain
after a private jet
flew the tot out of
S outh
A frica,
overnight. Malawi-born David
Banda traveled with the singer's
bodyguard and personal assis­
tant, and was met by a press
fre n z y w hen he a rriv e d at
Madonna’s London home.
Hawaii Cleanup Begins
Hawaiian residents were inspect­
ing their foundations and clean­
ing up damage in their homes
after a 6.7 magnitude earthquake
on Sunday on the Big Island.
Preliminary damage was esti­
mated at $46 million.
Lidle Gets Fond Farewell
Yankees pitcher
Cory Lidle was
remembered as “a
loving husband
and an awesome
father" Tuesday
at a memorial ser­
vice. An inexperienced pilot, Lidle
died after his plane crashed into
a New York City high-rise.
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www.portlandobserver.com
Committed to Cultural Diversity
Wednesday • October 18, 2006
Campaign for Credibility
2nd Nuclear Test Possible
The United States has quietly
retreated from its high-profile
push for democracy in the Mus­
lim world, since the Hamas elec­
tion stunned the Bush adminis­
tration by bringing a violent mili­
tant group to power. Experts say
U.S. policy-makers saw the Hamas
victory as a potentially danger­
ous trend.
Hispanic Heritage
Celebrated
Frederick, Cogen
work to regain trust
in county election
Neither Frederick norCogen havesought
a political office before, but both have ad­
equate and relevant experience - Frederick
has long-standing ties w ith his community
and county, with an astonishingly diverse
resume dating back 3 0 years, including gigs
as a television reporter, Portland school
district spokesman and current PhD candi­
date at Portland Stale University.
Cogen adds to his city government back­
ground with experience running a small pret­
zel company and organizing a grass roots
organization to increase public investment
to children.
Both candidates recognize similar county
and philosophical issues.
For instance, both pledge to foster the
diversity ot the District 2 county commis-
sion district they are running in, which en­
velopes north and northeast Portland, the
county's most diverse population.
Frederick said he would be an advocate
for minority contractors who struggle for
business.
by S arah B lount
“A lot of black contractors didn’t know
T he P ortland O bserver
about
the possibility of the South Water­
Jeff Cogen and Lew Frederick have a tall
front
project
until it was too late," Frederick
order in their race for
; said. "Public officials
an open seat on the
assum ed everyone
Multnomah County
would have the same
Commission.
(
access.
There isn’t a
Both candidates
5
a
county
board
member
are working to gain
who
spends
time
with
back the tru st o f
the
Portland
Devel­
county residents who
opment Commission
feel betrayed by a
on
a regular basis, and
county board that has
that
is important be­
raised public spats to
cause
it has a direct
highly negative and
impact
on businesses
sensationalized per­
in
north
and northeast
sonal attacks.
Portland.”
As the Nov. 7 Gen­
If elected, Cogcn
eral Election draws
wants the county to
near, Frederick, a lo­
do a better job work­
cal African American
ing with m inority,
leader and form er
women and emerging
b ro a d c a ste r, and
b u sin e sse s.
Ten
Cogen, chief of staff
years ago he created
toCity Commissioner
a business outreach
Dan Saltzman, both
program with PSU,
prom ise to bri ng some
which allowed busi­
c o h e sio n to the
ness students to con­
board.
sult with aspiring mi­
“Until we restore
nority business own­
the credibility on the
ers
in north and north­
county board, it will
east.
He says the pro­
be difficult to address
gram
created jobs at a
other issues,” Cogen
/ ou,
/i
photo bx M ark W ashington /T he P ortland O bserver
fraction
of the cost of
said.
Lew Frederick (left) and Jeff Cogen, candidates for county commissioner for north and northeast Portland meet during a
federal
job
programs.
Frederick agrees: public forum at Rigler Elementary in northeast Portland. Kathy Turner moderated the debate for Portland Impact.
“
W
e
used
re ­
“The County needs
sources
we
already
to do a significantly better job, and 1 hope to
had, and that’s a huge lesson for govern­
provide a face and contact point for the
ment,” Cogen said.
community, for what the county actually
Both candidates are interested in rein­
does,” he said.
stating
Portland’s Youth Gang Outreach
So far both candidates have practiced
Program,
which has been nearly d is­
what they preach in keeping the race clean,
mantled with just one staffer.
except fora recent bicker regarding polling
- Lew Frederick
techniques.
continued
on page A3
A lot o f black contractors didn 7 know
about the possibility o f the South
Waterfront project until it was too late.
Former Chief Cites Emotional Distress, Harm
Foxworth seeks
to right a wrong
by
Potter also noted a 40-page city report "concludes
that investigators found nothing to substantiate allega­
tions o f sexual harassment."
F o x w o rth , th ro u g h h is a tto r n e y , L a w re n c e
M atasar. em phasized the fact that the city already
knew about the relationship before Foxw orth was
prom oted to chief.
In an O ct. 4 le tte r from M atasar to the city
notifying it that Foxw orth intends to sue, M atasar
claim s Foxw orth did nothing w rong because there is
no city rule that prohibits personal relationships with
c o -w o rk e rs.
M atasar also said other senior officials have had
romantic relationships with co-w orkers anti were never
disciplined.
"The reason given for his removal was that he did not
meet the high standards' expected o f a C hief o f Police,"
M atasar wrote. "However we do not believe that the
reason given was the actual reason for removal."
But Yvonne Deckard, the city's human resources
director - who also is black - defended the mayor's
decision, saying she thought the demotion was "appro­
priate."
The form er chief is seeking $1 million in dam ages for
emotional distress and harm to his reputation and career,
along with about $250,000 to cover his reduced pay and
pension, and $60,(XX) for attorney fees so far.
W illiam M c C all
Sexually explicit e-m ail cost form er police C hief
Derrick Foxworth his jo b after M ayor Tom Potter said
the man he helped move up through ranks had to be held
to a "higher standard."
Now Foxworth is threatening to sue the city, claim ­
ing he was unfairly dem oted to captain and reprimanded
because he s a black man who was involved in a
relationship with a white woman.
P otter responded w ith a b rief statem ent: "I regret
that D errick F oxw orth has indicated he may pursue
a legal action against the city. If he proceeds w ith a
law su it, then the c ity is p repared to vig o ro u sly
d efen d itse lf ag ain st any a lleg atio n that he was
treated unfairly or inappropriately. U ntil then, I c a n ­
not co m m en t on specifics."
It w as a response, ironically, from a m ayor who
w as seen as a civil rights activist w hen he was police
chief in the early 1990s, m arching in gay pride
parades and prom oting and recruiting m inorities and
w om en at the P ortland Police B ureau, w here his
daug h ter, K atie, w as am ong the first openly gay
o fficers to serve.
In another irony, the second woman to serve as
Portland police chief, Rosie Sizer, who is white, im m e­
diately prom oted Foxworth to com m ander after Potter
named her to replace Foxworth.
The Foxworth dem otion came after a city investiga­
tion into allegations by adesk clerk, Angela Oswalt, who
had a relationship with Foxworth when he was her
precinct com m ander earlier in his career.
Her lawyer. V ictor Calzaretta. released excerpts of
sexually explicit e-m ails from Foxworth when he filed
legal notices with the city after going directly to the
m ayor with allegations that Foxworth had abused his
authority. Portions o f the em ails were broadcast and the
entire versions were published on TV websites.
Derrick Foxworth
Bu, the city cleared Foxworth of
seven o f eight allegations Oswalt
made against him. leaving only a
m inor com plaint about sharing his
personal opinion by email with his
then-girlfriend about an unrelated
inquiry into alleged sexual harass­
ment by police.
In his statement to announce the
Foxworth dem otion last June, Pot­
ter noted that both O sw alt and
Foxworth agreed "their relationship
was a consensual one."
William McCall is a reporter fo r the Associated Press
in Portland.
Other senior officials have
had romantic relationships
with co-workers and were
never disciplined.
— Lawrence Matasar, attorney for
Portland Police Commander Derrick Foxworth
1