Honest Elections Testifies at Oregon Senate Hearing

Dan Meek testified for Honest Elections Oregon at the hearing of the Senate Rules Committee of the Oregon Legislature on campaign finance reform bills.  TESTIMONY HERE

Salem Statesman Article on CFR Bill at OR Legislature

Advocates see holes in Oregon campaign finance reform legislation Connor Radnovich Sales Statesman-Journal   May 26, 2019 Become a Statesman Journal subscriber Reforming Oregon's campaign finance laws was a priority for a number of top lawmakers heading into the 2019 legislative session, but with only five weeks left some advocates are underwhelmed by the current proposals. The three bills under consideration would set limits on campaign contributions to candidates and political action committees, require some disclosure on who is paying for political advertisements and attempt to shine a light on the funding behind so-called "dark money" groups. But concerns have been raised that proposed campaign contribution limits are too high, certain political action committees are exempt from limits and the advertisement disclosure is ineffective at best.

Campaign spending surges in East Portland Democratic Senate race

Updated May 9, 7:14 AM; Posted May 9, 7:14 AM

Shemia Fagan and Rod Monroe have raised the most money in the Senate District 24 Democratic primary. (Associated Press and The Oregonian/OregonLive)

By Hillary Borrud

hborrud@oregonian.com

The Oregonian/OregonLive

Spending in a much-watched Oregon Senate race surged in the last month, as groups funded by the real estate industry and trial lawyers poured money into the race that will determine whether Democratic incumbent Rod Monroe continues to represent East Portland.

Monroe is trying to fend off Shemia Fagan and Kayse Jama, who are running against him from the left, in the May 15 primary. Housing affordability is the central issue: Monroe says rent control doesn't work, whereas Fagan and Jama want to allow cities to impose such limits. The election is also a referendum on the Senate's moderate Democratic establishment.

The Largest Independent Expenditure of This Election Cycle Is Rooted in a California Trailer Park Fortune

It’s surprisingly easy for large out-of-state interests to influence Oregon politics from behind several smokescreens.

(Grant Kratzer)

The largest independent expenditure so far in this spring's election cycle is $90,000 spent on a TV attack ad.

The campaign commercial, which began airing by May 1, accuses former Rep. Shemia Fagan of hypocrisy in her crusade to overturn Oregon's statewide ban on rent control.

Fagan is seeking to unseat incumbent state Sen. Rod Monroe in the Democratic primary.

But Monroe didn't pay for the ad.

Instead, a political action committee spent the money in a Democratic primary that's turned into a knock-down, drag-out fight over the future of housing policy in Oregon.

Rod Monroe (right) speaks at a forum while Shemia Fagan and Kayse Jama look on. (Daniel Stindt)

The reasons for the expenditure are clear: The funders want to keep the rent-control ban in place. But the individuals behind the campaign contributions are far more opaque.

It's surprisingly easy for large out-of-state interests to influence Oregon politics from behind several smokescreens.

Dan Meek, a lawyer and advocate for campaign finance reform, expressed alarm that the ad fails to fully disclose its funders. "It says that democracy is in peril, if not in death throes," says Meek.

OP/ED: Outsider Money Swamps Local Political Race By Cheryl Johnson Astoria, Oregon – Oregon House District Race 32 is one of the few positions in the May 15, 2018 primary where voters have a choice. With few races on which to spend their money to influence the outcome of the election, the HD 32 race has attracted thousands of dollars from outside the district from corporations, unions, and non-profits. The money is predominantly from the Portland Metro area. “Clearly we need to do something to get money out of politics,” says John Orr, one of the Democrats running to replace Deborah Boone. Orr has accepted money only from individuals. He has collected 9% of the total contributed to this election. Tim Josi, whose money is predominately from corporations, has collected 52%. Tiffiny Mitchell has collected 38%, with the majority coming from Portland based unions and non-profits. “Money is distorting democracy” says Orr. “The purpose of district elections is for local citizens to choose who will represent them in Salem. It is not for Portlanders to choose legislators in addition to their own”.

Cancer risk doubles in industry-backed toxic air plan for Oregon

For nearly the last two years, state regulators, scientists, advocates and businesses interests have met in public to come up with a plan to cut toxic air pollution statewide.

But before it can be adopted, the state Legislature is stepping in with its own plan, crafted in secret and backed by industry.

A group that includes two Democratic senators, a Republican senator, regulators and two industry lobbyists is drafting legislation that would do less to reduce toxic air pollution than what Gov. Kate Brown proposed in response to Portland's 2016 toxic air crisis. No environmental groups or public health advocates were invited to participate in the lawmakers' closed-door discussions.