U.S. House Candidate Tussles With NAACP of Portland Executive

Albert Lee says E.D. Mondainé threatened him physically.

Albert Lee (Naim Hasan)
By Nigel Jaquiss

Albert Lee, who is challenging U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) in next year's Democratic primary, got in a scrap at a Sept. 28 meeting of the NAACP of Portland at Lloyd Center.

Lee, who is of African-American and Korean heritage, says he criticized the leadership of NAACP President E.D. Mondainé.

In return, Lee says, Mondainé threatened him physically—and Mondainé's nephew grabbed Lee's phone so he couldn't record the confrontation.

"I have no confidence in the leadership of the organization, have strong concerns regarding the lack of transparency and oversight of the finances, and am shocked and offended by the president's actions towards me," Lee says.

Mondainé says he doesn't know what Lee's talking about. "I'm a peaceful man," Mondainé says. "I don't make a habit of threatening people."

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