For those that are tired of politics as usual Jessie Sponberg, is a breath of fresh air. The Portland, Oregon, activist is running for mayor against a sitting state treasurer, a county commissioner and twelve other candidates. While Oregon Treasurer Ted Wheeler is considered the favorite, Sponberg has all of mayoral candidates beat, and maybe every candidate in history, in best hip-hop campaign video.
Sponberg is widely known among Portland activist circles as someone who takes on the establishment, fighting for the rights of the homeless, against police brutality and public ownership of Oregon’s water supply. I met Jessie during the Measure 91 marijuana legalization campaign when he asked me to be on a segment of his “Fight Church” talk show that he broadcasted on the internet. I have found Mr. Sponberg to be a very passionate advocate that cares deeply for the city of Portland. I was inspired by Jessie to donate clothing to one of his many homeless outreach efforts and came away amazed at the amount of work that he does for the less fortunate in this city.
In my opinion, Portland is very fortunate to have an activist Jessie running against a strong candidate like Ted Wheeler. Both Sponberg and Wheeler voted “yes” on Measure 91 and have touted the economic benefits that the cannabis industry can have for the city of Portland. To my dismay, Multnomah County Jules Bailey voted against legalization, believing that Oregon needed to wait longer before ending the failed and harmful policy of cannabis prohibition. Bailey has also rightfully taken heat for waffling on whether police officers that use deadly force get to receive 48 hours notice before answering any questions from internal investigators. Bailey was also on the receiving end of a blistering critique from Sponberg for not adequately addressing the housing crisis faced by local residents.
Whether Jessie Sponberg can pull off one of the greatest political upsets of all time in the Portland mayoral race is to be seen, we’ll know for sure on May 17th (get registered to vote by April 26th, Portlanders). However, if the race is decided by best campaign video, I think that Mr. Sponberg would win in a landslide.
Check out the video, which includes many of Sponberg’s activist causes, including a banner that states, “Pot Grows Jobs”:
Anthony Johnson
Anthony, a longtime cannabis law reform advocate, was Chief Petitioner and co-author of Measure 91, Oregon's cannabis legalization effort. He served as director of both the New Approach Oregon and Vote Yes on 91 PACs, the political action committees responsible for the state's legalization campaign. As director of New Approach Oregon, Anthony continues to work towards effectively implementing the cannabis legalization system while protecting small business owners and the rights of patients. He sits on the Oregon Marijuana Rules Advisory Committee and fights for sensible rules at the legislature as well as city councils and county commissions across the state. Anthony helps cannabis business comply with Oregon's laws and advises advocates across the country. He also serves as content director of both the International Cannabis Business Conference and the Oregon Marijuana Business Conference, helping share the vision of moving the cannabis industry forward in a way that maintains the focus on keeping people out of prison and protecting patients. He was a member of the Oregon Health Authority Rules Advisory Committee, assisting the drafting of the administrative rules governing Oregon’s state-licensed medical marijuana facilities. He first co-authored and helped pass successful marijuana law reform measures while a law student at the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law. He passed the Oregon Bar in 2005 and practiced criminal defense for two years before transitioning to working full-time in the political advocacy realm. His blogs on Marijuana Politics are personal in nature and don't speak for or reflect the opinions of any group or organization.
