Leonard, Sten sour on city’s pact with FBI

Two commissioners are concerned with oversight of anti-terrorism task force

By Jennifer Anderson

The Portland Tribune, Oct 22, 2004, Updated Oct 30, 2009

Two city commissioners are leaning against voting to renew the controversial Portland FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force when it comes up for debate in two weeks.

Commissioners Randy Leonard and Erik Sten said they have growing concerns about the task force, the partnership between the Portland Police Bureau and FBI to investigate and prosecute criminal acts of terrorism.

“While the concept behind the task force is a good one,” Leonard said recently on the Web log blueoregon.com, “I have mounting concerns that its original mission has been compromised by the policies of President Bush and Attorney General John Ashcroft.”

The hearing is scheduled for2 p.m. Nov. 3.

Leonard said he’s asking Portland police officials why the task force is necessary. He also has requested information on cases they’ve investigated. He said he’s not confident there is proper oversight to ensure that Portland officers who are deputized as federal agents are complying with Oregon law.

He invoked the case of Brandon Mayfield, the Beaverton attorney whom the FBI jailed for two weeks in May in the mistaken belief he was responsible for the March 11 rail bombings in Madrid, Spain.

“It doesn’t smell good,” Leonard said. “It doesn’t feel good. É It’s going to be a steep hill for me to climb to reauthorize the JTTF.”

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