I’m not surprised at all that Randy Leonard has chosen to leave his City Commissioner’s seat at the end of his term. His daughter died, leaving behind a 12 year old son, he’s recently been remarried and has undergone, I’ve been told, a religious conversion. That’s enough for anyone to deal with let alone do it in public.
There’s much to say about this pugilistic commissioner. We’ll do some of that on the program today (AM 860 11-3).
Leonard has always seemed to conduct business in a wide stance, arms crossed over his chest while looking over his cheaters at you. He’s always had a ‘my way or the highway’ mentality on issues, believing that, if he were convinced something was worth doing, then everyone else should be, too. However, he’s been unwilling to do the groundwork to get everyone on board, so he bullies his way into what he wants.
His legacy in office so far has been to tackle the little things while ticking off a lot of people: duct tape bans, spray paint bans, “saving” a sign that wasn’t going anywhere (at considerable taxpayer expense), giving away a waterfront building for $1.00 a year rent when a Portland tourist attraction was willing to PAY RETAIL for it, and don’t forget the $250,000.00 to create toilets for homeless people.
As head of the BES, Leonard has used police powers to raid and bully business owners with his so called H.I.T. squad. Here and Here. Leonard got tired of trying to reason with the business owners and just sicced the squad on them.
He attempted to bully homeowners around the Lents Rec Center into accepting a new ballpark so the city could plunder the urban renewal funds to pay for it–and other goodies on Randy’s list.
He’s been called the council’s philosopher, quoting from the founders when it suits his purpose, or great thinkers such as the daily kos and their ilk, on issues like his anti Iraq war resolution. The resolution was a litany of half truths, no truths, surmise, Bush Derangement Syndrome bromides and Patriot Act demonizing. The people in the chambers who cheered the anti war resolution later said nothing about unreasonable searches when Randy bullied his way into the Greek Cuisina and Cindy’s XXX Book Store. Embarrassing.
Not as embarrassing as the Cesar Chavez Boulevard overreach, walk back and blundering, though. Remember when council –at Sam Adams and Randy Leonard’s urging–suddenly decided to make Fourth Avenue Cesar Chavez Boulevard right through historical China Town? Good times, good times. They later settled on 39th Avenue which had absolutely nothing to do with Chavez except that some ACORN like groups around there insisted. We’re still waiting to find out where in Portland Cesar ever stepped. Oh, wait…
Leonard told the Schumacher Fur and Outdoor Wear owners they’d have to put up with screaming animal rights protesters outside their store when they didn’t do what he ordered and CLOSE on Saturdays. They said that wasn’t an option and Leonard told them he wouldn’t help them anymore. The continual protesters, exacerbated by the economy, eventually drove the venerable company right out of business.
The one time he could have been a profile in courage Randy biffed it. It was revealed that his close ally on the council, Sam Adams, had groomed a teenager for sex and then lied about it so as not to hurt his Mayoral election chances. Sam was elected, in other words, under false pretenses. He lied to voters. Instead of acting with righteous indignation on behalf of the voters Randy acted like a spurned lover, giving Adams the silent treatment and eventually ‘forgiving’ him. In Randy’s world it was all about him and his feelings instead of the real harm done to his constituents.
