Jefferson Smith Plans "Major Announcement" After News Report on Dropped Assault Charge

Portland Mercury:

In light of a report by Willamette Week today that mayoral candidate Jefferson Smith was cited—but never prosecuted—for misdemeanor assault in 1993, Smith is planning to hold a news conference outside City Hall where he's planning to make a "major announcement." According to witnesses who spoke with WW, the incident that sparked the assault citation, back when Smith was attending the University of Oregon, unfolded like so: Smith was at at party where someone had tipped over a couch where an intoxicated woman (the paper doesn't say whether it was alcohol, drugs, or both) was sleeping. The woman woke up after she hit the floor, mistakenly blamed Smith and started hitting him. Smith reportedly tried to get the woman to stop hitting him by grabbing the woman's arms and, eventually, hitting her on the forehead. The woman was injured enough to have medical bills that an apologetic Smith paid. The case was serious enough that there were subpoeans, but Smith also agreed to community service, he says, and the charge was dropped. Lane County's DA's office told WW and the O that no records of the incident existed in its files. We'll update with what Smith has to say at the news conference. [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

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