Ted Wheeler Calls Jefferson Smith's Behavior "Unacceptable"

WWeek:

<img src="http://www.wweek.com/portland/imgs/media.images/10470/wheeler.t2.jpg"/>State Treasurer Ted Wheeler earlier this week weighed in on Facebook about the recent reports that mayoral candidate Rep. Jefferson Smith was charged with a misdemeanor assault in 1993 for punching a woman at a college party.

In an interview today with WW, Wheeler explained what prompted him to post his message.







<center><img src="http://bojack.org/images/wheeleronsmith.jpg"/></center>

Prior to his election as state treasurer, Wheeler said, he served as chair of Multnomah County Board of Commissioners, where he oversaw county services for battered women and families affected by domestic violence.

“There’s no question that the incident around Jefferson Smith has raised the profile of violence against women in our community,” Wheeler told WW. “I have some very strong opinions about that. I stewed over it for a couple of nights and frankly it is not my intention to get involved in the Mayor’s race in the city of Portland but I was very concerned about what I was reading on line, particularly from young men whom I know to be otherwise progressive in their values, that suggested to me that they believe that it is defensible to hit a woman and that it is defensible to blame the victim.

“As somebody who has spent a lot of time looking into the issue of violence against women, I believe neither is acceptable," Wheeler says. "It is unacceptable for a man to hit a woman. Period. That was the message I was expecting to hear.”

Here's what Wheeler had to say:


Read the full article here. Discuss below.

connect with blueoregon