Amid the process of resolving a legal dispute, the city of Portland in Oregon has embarked on a distinct agreement aimed at providing financial restitution to Jo Ann Hardesty, a former City Commissioner. This intricate legal scenario centers on allegations involving the city, the police union, a former union president, and a police officer, all accused of disseminating concocted information that unjustly connected Hardesty to a hit-and-run incident.
Revisiting March 2021, Jo Ann Hardesty, a vocal advocate for police defunding, experienced a fleeting connection to a collision. An erroneous 911 call erroneously implicated her as the driver behind a rear-end collision before hastily departing the scene. A subsequent internal inquiry, conducted last year, unveiled the revelation that a member of the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) had shared this inaccurate accusation with a recognized activist, who subsequently streamed it live.
Towards the end of 2021, Hardesty took the initiative to initiate a lawsuit, alleging that Brian Hunzeker, president of the police union, was also instrumental in propagating false information to a reporter. The lawsuit posits that these disclosures were motivated by factors relating to race and politics.
Prompt clarification of the situation promptly exonerated Hardesty of any wrongdoing. Moreover, Hunzeker, who had assumed his role only recently, chose to step down. The union cited a “serious, isolated mistake” linked to the incident as the underlying reason for his departure.
In the midst of the social upheaval that engulfed Portland in 2020, Hardesty championed a redirection of substantial funds, amounting to tens of millions of dollars, from the PPB’s budget. Functioning as a commissioner, she diligently advocated for this significant alteration. In July 2020, facing criticism, she felt compelled to tender an apology after insinuating that police “saboteurs” and “provocateurs” were responsible for igniting fires during the demonstrations that ensued following the tragic demise of George Floyd at the hands of Minnesota police officers.
In more recent times, the city’s legal representative extended a proposition for settlement to Hardesty, encompassing a monetary sum of $5,000 to address legal expenses, accompanied by a formal apology from Portland’s Mayor, Ted Wheeler. Hardesty found this proposition acceptable. Within Mayor Wheeler’s letter of remorse, he duly recognized the negative repercussions stemming from the leakage of confidential information about Hardesty, an action perpetrated by members of the Portland Police Bureau. This incident caused substantial harm to her reputation and impeded her earnest endeavors towards police reform.
It is of significance to note that, initially, Hardesty sought a symbolic $1 as nominal damages from the city. It’s crucial to clarify that this particular settlement exclusively pertains to the city’s role within the case. As the clock ticks towards late September, the impending trial for Hardesty’s lawsuit against the Portland Police Association, Hunzeker, and Officer Kerri Ottoman is poised to commence. In her legal pursuit, Hardesty seeks a sum of $3 million from the police association, an additional $1 million from Hunzeker, and yet another $1 million from Ottoman.