Clackamas County equity group calls for Mark Shull's resignation
Clackamas County's Leaders for Equity Diversity and Inclusion Council has joined groups across the region in asking for Commissioner Mark Shull's resignation in light of social media posts expressing racist, transphobic and Islamaphobic views.
"Due to the recency, seriousness and extensive number of posts of this nature, the members of LEDIC demand that Mr. Shull resign, effective immediately. The members of LEDIC have lost faith in Mr. Shull's ability to provide leadership to the county based on these personal views," members of LEDIC said in a statement to the Pamplin Media Group.
The chair of the 22-member committee works for Goodwill, and committee members include a Clackamas Community College instructor, a Metro spokesperson and Nike's senior operations manager. LEDIC said that Shull's posts perpetuat stereotypes and beliefs that lead to hate.
"It is unacceptable for an elected leader to hold these views while claiming to represent all of their constituents," the statement said. "There is no place for hate on the governing bodies that set policy, especially now, when our community is facing the dual challenges of rebuilding after the recent wildfires and responding to and recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. Without decision-making practices that include and support all, the gap between the haves and the have nots will only grow wider."
The group commended the Clackamas County Board of Commissioners for voting to censure Shull, and commissioners requested his resignation during a meeting on Thursday, Jan. 14. Shull also voted in favor of the resolution but said he intends to remain on the board. He apologized for his statements on Monday, Jan. 18, during an event at the Muslim Educational Trust in Tigard.
The Leaders for Equity Diversity and Inclusion Council is a citizen group tasked with examining county processes to recommend and facilitate changes that foster equity of services and greater inclusiveness, develop leadership from diverse communities and increase community participation in county government.
Equity council members include:
Joselito Tanega, equity council chair and acquisition manager, Goodwill Industries of the Columbia Willamette
Kimberlee Ables, public information officer, Metro
Ernest (Tory) Blackwell, biology instructor, Clackamas Community College
Betty Brickson, retired educator
TerryAnn Cabine, senior partnership manager, KairosPDX educational nonprofit organization
Claire Calhoun, workforce advisor, Clackamas Community College
Rod Cook, deputy director, Clackamas County Health Housing and Human Services
Janette Romero Christenson, student getting master's degree in social work from Portland State University
Michael (Mike) Foley, retired Community member
Raquel Vega Gonzalez, undergraduate student, Portland State University
Megan Hussey, product services lead, Benchmade Knife Co.
Patricia (Trish) Jordan, executive director, Red Lodge Transition Services
Bonnie Lander, operations and policy analysis, Oregon Employment Department
Carlos Benson Martinez, youth peer support specialist, Wolf Pack Consulting and Therapeutic Services
Fernando Sobrevilla, enrollment manager, Clackamas County Children's Commission
Molly Ruff, student, West Linn/Wilsonville School District
Dina Stults, senior operations manager, Nike, Inc.
Mikaela Todd, student, Portland State University
Chelsea Varnum, executive director, The Living Room
Maria Magallon, Martine Coblentz and Csea Leonard, Clackamas County employees.
You count on us to stay informed and we depend on you to fund our efforts. Quality local journalism takes time and money. Please support us to protect the future of community journalism.
