The president and CEO of the Urban League of Portland, Nkenge Harmon Johnson, is calling for a criminal investigation into the Oregon Department of Justice.
"As I listened to what folks from the ACLU and other organizations, who are more expert in this area than I, have said it seems as though a crime may in fact have been committed at the Department of Justice. And that needs to be looked into immediately," said Harmon Johnson.
The call for the investigation comes after Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum told OPB she was concerned that some of her staff members broke the law.
The question is whether some DOJ employees illegally profiled people living in Salem who posted on social media about 'Black Lives Matter.' In an interview with OPB, Rosenblum said she was "concerned that the Department of Justice conducted an illegal search."
Harmon Johnson’s husband, Erious Johnson, heads the civil rights division at the Oregon Department of Justice. He is also a staff member on a panel looking at police profiling.
The Department of Justice’s Criminal Division “has been using software to conduct ‘threat assessments,’” according to a letter sent from the League to Rosenblum.
Rosenblum has confirmed Erious Johnson was investigated in the 'Black Lives Matter' incident.
The Department of Justice did not return a request for comment on Sunday.
Editor's note: Oregon Public Broadcasting incorrectly reported Nkenge Harmon Johnson's title. She is the president and CEO of the Urban League of Portland. OPB regrets this error.
