Reformers Want Fast-Track Battle Over Oregon's Campaign Finance Laws

Reformers Want To Fast-Track A Battle Over Oregon's Campaign Finance Laws

Ann McGarry/OPB

A fight over limits on campaign donations that could have Oregon-wide implications is headed to a higher court. The only question is: Which one?

Earlier this month, a Multnomah County judge slapped down new campaign finance rules that limit campaign contributions to $500. County voters approved the new rules, which also cap how much can be spent independently to help a candidate’s chances, by a huge margin in 2016.

Those limits represented a big change in Oregon, which has among the most permissive campaign finance laws in the country. But Judge Eric Bloch ruled March 6 that the Multnomah County rules ran afoul of Oregon protections on free speech.

Now, with an appeal of that ruling assured, reformers who supported the changes want to fast-track a final decision. In a little-used move, they plan to ask the Oregon Court of Appeals to pass the matter directly to the Oregon Supreme Court, rather than hearing the case itself.

If the motion succeeds, the state’s highest court will soon mull whether or not Oregon law truly forbids limits on campaign donations.

“In a case like this, I think the chances of getting certification to the Oregon Supreme Court are good,” says Dan Meek, an attorney representing a group of citizens who’ve defended the limits in court.

Multnomah commissioners flip after backlash on campaign finance reform County will defend voter-approved contribution limits after all, instead of standing on sidelines. In an abrupt about-face, the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners on April 13 decided to defend the constitutionality of a campaign finance reform measure overwhelmingly approved by voters. The change of stance was announced hours after dozens of reform supporters packed the board's Thursday morning meeting, protesting an earlier board decision to not defend the reform measure. Speakers noted repeatedly that 89 percent of the voters approved the change in November. The voters "spoke loud and clear," said Juan Carlos Ordonez, who sat on the county committee that recommended the charter change. "If you respect the will of the people you should instruct the lawyers to go defend the measure."

Reversing Citizens United: The little measure that could A campaign finance reform plan on the Multnomah County ballot was written to be challenged — and to force the U.S. Supreme Court to re-examine its contentious 2010 decision On Nov. 8, voters in Multnomah County will decide on a ballot measure that could make it possible to reel in runaway political campaign funding nationwide. While Measure 26-184 is written as a county charter amendment specific to Multnomah County races, it contains provisions capping independent expenditures, which is prohibited under the U.S. Supreme Court Citizens United decision of 2010.  That ruling held that political spending is a form of free speech. It allowed for corporations and unions to begin spending unlimited sums of money on political campaign promotions and attack ads, and it contained loopholes making it difficult to know where dark money flowing into political action committees is coming from.