As pressure mounts, Mayor Hales offers apology to Commissioner Smith

Kari Chisholm

On Thursday night, at a public event honoring the new director of the city's Office of Equity and Human Rights, Baruti Artharee has acknowledged making inappropriate comments from the stage toward Multnomah County Commissioner Loretta Smith. Artharee is the Mayor's policy director for public safety.

You read that right. The mayor's guy on public safety used the occasion of his introduction of the new director of equity and human rights to, well, let him tell it:

"I said, 'Here's our beautiful commissioner, Loretta Smith—mmm, mmm, mmm—she looks good tonight,'" Artharee told WW.

And then, according to reports, he made some sort of "suggestive", "shimmying", "rolling", "gyrating" or "thrusting" motion with his hips. Whatever it was, lots of folks in the room found it inappropriate.

According to Commissioner Smith, and independently confirmed by WW, Artharee has made similar comments toward her on three previous instances.

After Thursday night's incident, Smith had had enough - and decided it was time to be a role model for other, less-influential women. The O's Steve Duin:

"You wouldn’t have done that to (Commissioner) Deborah Kafoury. You wouldn’t have done that to (Gov.) Barbara Roberts," Smith said. "If I don’t speak up when something happens to me, women — and young girls, in particular — won’t know it’s OK to speak up."

By Monday afternoon, nearly four days after the incident, Smith was telling reporters she was "very" disappointed not to have heard from the Mayor.

After excerpts of her interview with KGW aired during the 4 p.m. news hour, Mayor Hales finally picked up the phone to apologize to Commissioner Smith and pledge a city investigation.

Before taking on his role with Mayor Hales, Artharee had a "business consulting firm specializing in diversity and cultural competency." You read that right.

What do you think? What should the remedy be? Should he be fired? Suspended? Directed to attend a sexual harassment workshop? What action should Mayor Hales take?

By Kari Chisholm June 11, 2013