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Council Woman Jeanne Harris Hurriedly Issues an Apology

by lewwaters

UPDATE: Vancouver City Council Ethics Panel Decision HERE

Unscientific poll on Harris’ fate HERE

Jeanne Harris on Lars Larson, Wednesday September 15, 2010:


Not unexpected, but controversial Vancouver City Council Member Jeanne Harris, under fire for her outbursts aimed at citizens and fellow Council Member Jeanne Stewart, as well as facing an ethics probe that could result in punitive action, has issued a press release stating an apology for her disgraceful conduct.

Press Release

From Councilmember Jeanne Harris
City of Vancouver
For Immediate Release

In every life there are things that happen that you wish didn’t and Monday night’s council meeting during citizen’s communications I behaved in a manner that is not normal for me.

I want to publically apologize to the citizen’s that attended citizen’s communications, the citizen’s of Vancouver and to the mayor and city council and specifically to Councilmember Jeanne Stewart for any actions on my part that were disrespectful and inappropriate.

I have not been asked to do this; I know that I was not being my usual self and recognize that I have disappointed not only myself but many others as well. The best thing I can do is learn from this experience and always try to do my very best for the citizen’s of Vancouver.

I appreciate the support and confidence that you have shown me in the past and will work hard to rebuild your trust in me in the future.

While I can appreciate an apology, the sincerity of it is in question as this is not the first instance of Ms. Harris going off on others in such a manner, as noted previously on Clark County Conservative.

This should have no bearing on the ethics complaint she faces and she must be held accountable for such disgraceful conduct, as would any person in public office.

An apology, if sincere, is a good start, but should not be the end of the matter.

UPDATE: Harris is saying she is being treated without respect or dignity and she is owed an apology since Burkman and Smith did not speak to her before lodging their complaint against her. Harris’ Apology

This definitely brings doubt to the sincerity of her “apology.”

Harris apologizes, but is angered by councilors’ complaint

KATU TV 2 Video Report

Posted on September 15, 2010 at 1:07 pm in Clark County Politics   |  RSS feed |   Respond   |   Trackback URL

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19 Responses to “Council Woman Jeanne Harris Hurriedly Issues an Apology”

    
  1. Jeremy
    September 15, 2010 at 7:13 pm

    When you have a history, man or woman of negative outbursts that she displayed last Monday night, do I really feel as a community member of the city of Vancouver that Councilman Burkman and Smith MUST issue an apology or heads up to her actions?

    Jeanne, I think you haven’t learned from this episode. A heads up wasn’t warranted because it would have given you an edge to knowing that this was going to be coming up against you.

    You have a history of blowing up in front of community members. And your apology sounds to me a tad bit hollow when you are making demands of other community members in your written apology.

    Shouldn’t a written apology show SOME contrition? Some sincere level of understanding of the level of the actions you displayed to the whole community? What an embarrassment and black eye to every community member who tries to show off this wonderful community and the local newspaper makes you the front and center piece?

    I DO hope that this ethics committee at the very minimum, it will force you to face each and every community member. I don’t make this very lighthearted, when what you said was so offensive and have a history of outbursts.

    I don’t out and out, call for your resignation OR ask other community members to recall you. I DO believe that you should face some form of process that has recommendations as to what should be done. That is the fairest way to deal with the situation. Every person in America has the right to due process and the ability to face their accusers. and answer to the accusations against them.

  2. lewwaters
    September 15, 2010 at 7:16 pm

    I agree that she is entitled to all the due process over this infraction, before they kick her sorry butt off the council ;-)

  3. Chris
    September 15, 2010 at 11:06 pm

    Well, I DO call for her resignation! That type of arrogance and condescension by any govt official is outrageous and simply should not be tolerated. The woman is obviously mentally unstable and should seek psychiatric help. Is there any wonder why Americans are so outraged with our govt?

  4. Angry American
    September 16, 2010 at 8:15 pm

    John Wilkes Booth, Lee Harvey Osward, or James Earl Ray, could you please pick up the white courtesy telephone?

  5. lewwaters
    September 16, 2010 at 8:19 pm

    A simple resignation is what is in order. No need to make anyone else a martyr, especially someone so undeserving.

  6. Heidi Nold
    September 16, 2010 at 10:40 pm

    Her behavior was disgraceful!! To be so self-indulgent that you forget why you are in office to begin with is unforgiveable. RESIGN!!!!

  7. Jeremy
    September 17, 2010 at 12:20 am

    Thank you for posting that Lars Larson. I loved IT!

  8. lewwaters
    September 17, 2010 at 12:25 am

    Victoria Taft invited her on her show Tuesday and never received a reply. Needless to say, Victoria and her producer Eric are a bit upset over that.

  9. Jeremy
    September 18, 2010 at 11:18 pm

    One and a half more days until Monday night Tag Team action at the City Council meeting on September 20th. Why do I have a feeling there is going to be a long list or major, major card holders asking to speak to the council about Mrs. Harris?

  10. lewwaters
    September 18, 2010 at 11:20 pm

    Time will tell, Jeremy. I doubt it will be settled Monday, but I agree, the citizen communication ought to be very interesting.

  11. jheric
    September 20, 2010 at 5:03 pm

    an abrasive self serving waste of food……………

  12. John
    September 22, 2010 at 6:49 am

    Would you want this person representing you? I don’t, I’m all for her to resign or be recalled.

  13. someone from Ohio
    September 28, 2010 at 7:45 pm

    Well it should give everyone a sense of satisfaction to know that people all over the USA are starting to see this outburst as the video is going viral. I know that all 3,500 of my facebook friends have seen it since i posted it to my wall, and it will be picked up by several conservative citizen groups as well. I’d like to congratulate Jeannie on being the next Internet “star”.

  14. lewwaters
    September 28, 2010 at 7:48 pm

    Personally, I’d like to congratulate her on being the latest EX council member.

    The country needs to see this woman in action, as well as our neutered mayor who allows it.

  15. therealvancouver
    September 29, 2010 at 9:52 am

    No one is bringin up what’s very OBVIOUS about all of this.

    WHAT causes a person to act this way? I’ve seen it before, have you?

    Ms. Harris acts like someone who has a big pile of cash from the transit companies in her safe – the mere mention of the issue in connection with her name sends her into fits.

    Punitive sanction? Resignation? NOTHING LESS THAN JAIL IS WHAT IS IN ORDER HERE.

    Of course, that would require a real investigation, but since each and every member of the council is a bought-and-paid-for political WHORE, you will NEVER see justice happen in this case.

    Welcome the Washington State, USA. Land of the corrupt, home of the coward.

  16. steve warner
    September 29, 2010 at 12:31 pm

    See ya later sweetie!! Nice job.

  17. PJ
    October 1, 2010 at 6:01 pm

    Jeanne Harris’ behavior is completely unacceptable- if not unbalanced. She has created a hostile environment for citizens and her counterparts. She should be recalled and removed from office immediately. The mayor should bear some responsibility for not leading and controlling the meeting. Our city council meetings have a time set aside for open items. Citizens can talk about what ever they want to. Speaking time is limited to 3 minutes. Formal agenda items also have time limits. They should implement something similar in Vancouver.

  18. Momma
    October 5, 2010 at 9:23 am

    What a crummy apology: “I want to publically [sic] apologize…for any actions on my part that were disrespectful and inappropriate.” A sincere apology must acknowledge the specific actions that merit apology; the councilwoman chose to word her apology with vagueness, rendering the apology entirely insincere.

    This woman is a bully who shouted down citizens and mocked another council member. Perhaps, if this woman would have held her tongue for a moment, the citizens trying to speak might have revealed behavior that would have justified curtailing their comments. As it was, these citizens were being preemptively silenced by the imperious arrogance of this council woman, as facilitated by the mayor. While the mayor was infinitely more polite, he ought not to have used his gavel to silence the citizen speaker.

    Harris makes an ostentatious display of walking out while a citizen is speaking. Then she returns only for the purpose of berating Jeanne Stewart, who, after the meeting, rightfully complained about Harris’ accusations that she (Stewart) had ties to the citizens speaking that night.

    Everyone was handling Harris with kid gloves, bending over backwards to maintain civility and courtesy in the face of her haughty mockery and scorn. She abuses the very modest amount of authority to which she has been entrusted. Jeanne Harris clearly lacks a servant’s heart, and has no business doing The People’s business.

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