Port St. Lucie mayor lashes out about son's arrest

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - This month, police arrested an 18-year old son of Port St. Lucie Mayor Pat Christensen for providing alcohol to a 15-year old girl at the family's home.

Now, in an email obtained by NewsChannel 5, the mayor is speaking out about the arrest, claiming police are out to get her.

Police arrested the mayor's son Erik Christensen Friday following a 3-week investigation that was run by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, to make sure there was no hint of impropriety.

In an email sent out to more than 70 of her friends and supporters, the mayor railed against the police department.

She told her supporters she's taken her son's arrest very seriously, that he's been grounded and that he will pay dearly for his actions.

She went on to write:  "God knows the PSL police department, who decided to press charges against Erik on the alcohol incident, would love to find a way to reopen the case. They want blood, MY BLOOD, because the unions aren't getting their way and are upset about getting pay cuts and increases to their health benefits not to mention there are still some layoffs to take place among the rank and file."

Police union representative Scott Johnson responded, "With this letter, this email, we as a union are very concerned with this council, this mayor, any decisions coming out are strictly retaliatory in nature.”

When he got a copy of the mayor's email the city's police chief, Don Shinnamon, shot back an email of his own, telling the city manager the investigation into the mayor's son was not politically motivated and that the mayor has impugned his department's image unnecessarily.

The mayor also made recommendations to her supporters on whom to vote for in Tuesday's elections, steering them away from candidates who support the police.

We tried reaching the mayor for comment but her spokesperson told us the mayor considers this a personal matter.