Latest News & Action Alerts
Minnis continues to take Money from Promote Oregon
From the Oregonian:
The political action committee for the House Republicans' caucus reported Friday that it paid Rep. Karen Minnis, a caucus member, $2,700 for campaign consulting services this month.
Minnis, R-Wood Village, donated $10,000 to the caucus' PAC, Promote Oregon Leadership PAC, in December. She formed a consulting business, Karen Minnis and Associates, that month and the caucus committee has now paid her $15,500 for consulting services.
» August 26, 2008 - Read More & Comment (0) - News
Dan Thackaberry endorsed by Teamsters & Farm Bureau
From the Albany Democratic Herald:
“Dan Thackaberry, the Democrat running for state representative in House District 17, has received the endorsements of the Joint Council of Teamsters No. 37 and the Linn County and Marion County Farm Bureaus, his campaign announced.
'The Teamsters are an important part of my district and I believe I understand their issues,' Thackaberry said in a statement. 'Unions are essential for workers to earn a living wage, to cope with increasing inflation, food and fuel costs.'
Of the farm bureaus’ support, he said: 'I’ve been a farmer all my life, and it is an honor to have this vote of confidence from my professional peers. They know that I understand the critical issues that they are facing.'
Thackaberry is making his second run for the House seat now held by Republican Sherrie Sprenger, who was appointed to fill a vacancy.
Thackaberry has been endorsed by other labor groups including two locals of the Service Employees International Union, the Linn County Labor Council, the Oregon Education Association and AFSCME.
» August 22, 2008 - Read More & Comment (0) - News
Andy Duyck & Bill Kennemer Appoint Convicted Child Abuser to Legislature
From the Oregonian:
Washington County Commissioners Tom Brian, Andy Duyck and Roy Rogers voted for Wingard, calling him the most qualified candidate. So did Clackamas Commissioner Bill Kennemer.
Commissioner Desari Strader also abstained, criticizing Wingard for a 2002 misdemeanor conviction for striking his son. "I'm a child advocate," said Strader. "I can't afford to support you."
From the Beaverton Valley Times:
In a process that one county commissioner called a “loaded deck” and another chastised as being “sad,” two county commissions approved Tuesday afternoon the four-month appointment of Republican Matt Wingard to Oregon House District 26.
But it wasn’t before two commissioners abstained from voting, two others voted for another candidate and the two candidates who were seemingly running against Wingard said they supported him as well.
Sounds a little convoluted? It was.
View Beaverton Valley Times Article
For information on the awesome Democratic Candidates running against Andy Duyck & Bill Kennemer, visit Represenative David Edwards' Website and Toby Forsberg's Website Show them your support!
Also find out more about Jessica Adamson (HD 26)
» August 20, 2008 - Read More & Comment (0) - News
Minnis sends wrong message
From the Gresham Outlook editorial:
Former House Speaker Karen Minnis, A Republican from Wood Village, may not have broken campaign-fund laws, but she certainly has raised eyebrows and aided in the impression of wrongdoing.
Minnis, who is retiring as an Oregon lawmaker, shifted $20,500 of her leftover campaign funds to four Republican campaign committees. Soon after, she was hired as a paid consultant by those same committees – although she ended up not accepting payment from two of them. State law allows politicians to donate leftover campaign money to committees and nonprofit organizations. But it’s illegal to convert those dollars into personal use.
Some people have viewed Minnis’ actions as crossing that thin gray line by perhaps providing funding to a committee that later would pay her for services – in effect, rewarding that donation with employment.
Minnis, a highly experienced politician, should have known better. She easily could have avoided this situation by going through the hiring process and then choosing to give her leftover campaign cash to organizations that she wasn’t working for.
» August 13, 2008 - Read More & Comment (0) - News
Farm Bureau Endorses Jason Brown (HD 23)
Linn County Farm Bureau endorses Jason Brown a hay farmer from Dallas. James Monroe, vice-president of the Linn County expressed the group's support of Jason Brown:
“In Jason’s presentation to our county board he clearly expressed his position that District 23 is a rural agricultural district whose interests he would support. Linn County urges our state organization to endorse and actively support Jason’s efforts to represent District 23 and Oregon agriculture in the next legislative session.”
Visit Jason Brown's Campaign site and show him your support!
» August 13, 2008 - Read More & Comment (0) - News
