Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in Oregon Politics: Oregon Right to Life, Michael Jordan, Oracle

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Friday, February 27, 2015

GoLocalPDX News Team

Every Friday, GoLocalPDX breaks down who's rising and who's falling in the world of Oregon politics. Check out who made the lists this week.

HOT: 

Sam Sachs

Sam Sachs was the driving force behind the legislature’s 2009 decision to pass a “Rooney Rule” for its state colleges, requiring a qualified minority candidate at least be interviewed when a head coaching vacancy was to be filled. It is based on a rule in the NFL. Since then Sam went on to lead the charge to unionize Portland’s part time Park Rangers, of which he is one. This week Sam was at the Portland City Council, seeking to get the city to enact a Rooney Rule for its high level positions. If his track record is any indication, this will become policy soon.

Oregon Ballot Measures

The most ballot measures Oregon voters have ever seen was 26 in 2000. That could become an easier record to break. Under a proposal that seems certain to be approved by the legislature, ballot access will soon be made easier. The bill, championed by Governor Kate Brown, will automatically register anyone registered with the DMV. There is no data that shows just because people are compelled to register they will be any more likely to vote. Meanwhile, the total number of signatures to gain ballot access will remain constitutionally tied to the number of ballots cast in the most recent gubernatorial election. This combination will ensure the number of eligible signers will increase rapidly, meaning the 30% or so of the signatures that are routinely thrown out will be drastically reduced. The end result will very likely mean changing laws via the voters will become a lot cheaper. 

Gresham Mayor Shane Bemis

Gresham Mayor Shane Bemis seized the sad moment of Jerome Kersey's passing and proclaimed Wednesday, February 25, 2015 "Jerome Kersey Day" in Gresham. Further, Bemis called on the Portland Trailblazers to rename the Hustle Board the "Jerome Kersey Hustle Board" to honor his unyielding hustle and energy on the floor.  While others may follow suit in other cities, let’s face it, there is only one 25th immediately following Kersey’s passing and Mayor Bemis won the day for his timing.

Oregon Right to Life

You gotta give it to them. They just will not give up. Oregon Right to Life, and a group of lesser known right wing causes, is holding a rally on March 14th featuring Oliver North and a variety of other notable guests. While North’s convictions were later vacated, having someone with such a checkered past is a bold move by an organization trying hard to bring politics back to the era of the Iran Contra scandal that brought North to prominence. To boot, rally is happening simultaneously with Dorchester in an effort to impact their attendance. Dorchester is America’s oldest annual political conference. While it is not an Oregon Republican Party event, it is an Oregon Republican event. They will be debating the merits of current topics such as Uber versus taxis while Right to Life is clinging to a debate that ended long ago. While pro-life bills have been introduced in Salem, they are unlikely to even get a hearing.

NOT: 

Lars Larson

KXL’s Lars Larson seems more sensitive than Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa, who John Oliver keeps toying with. Like President Correa, he cannot stifle those who he disagrees with. Last week Lars took offense to this column, citing at least a half a dozen factual errors including that he didn’t like being called an “entertainment personality” instead of journalist. 

Oddly the only two things he agreed with us on were the only items of actual fact included: that he did his show at the Capitol and from an inopportune location. Sorry Lars. You can use your large radio audience to say whatever you like. We can use ours here to say what we like. 

Michael Jordan

Oregon’s Michael Jordan is a career bureaucrat with many successes under his belt and a stellar reputation. Jordan is currently the head of the Oregon Department of Administrative Services (DAS, rhymes with a*s), the state bureaucracy that even other state bureaucracies hate because it is overly bureaucratic. This week several notable things surfaced: Jordan admitted to having been interviewed by not only the FBI but IRS agents pertaining to Cylviagate. Hm. Let me understand this. While he has been subpoenaed himself, his agency “leaked” emails to local reporters and is still responsible for securing the emails. The leakers have apparently been punished and Jordan offered an interview to the Oregonian this week to share information not previously known, such as the IRS role in the investigation. It sure seems like the mouse is guarding the cheese.

Oracle 

Oracle using the timing of Governor John Kitzhaber's troubles and the public expense of the court system to obscure the fact they failed miserably in fulfilling their contractual agreement to Cover Oregon. This week Oracle took legal action against former Kitzhaber staff and even campaign consultants.  Their decision to use the court system is vindictive and will be expensive for taxpayers. When all is said and done and no loss is found, I bet those staff and consultants will highlight in their credentials that they took on a mega corporation and won. 

Art Robinson

“Shut up, and go away.” That is the closing line from a virtual novella blasting outgoing Oregon Republican Chair Art Robinson emailed to the Oregon Republican Party Central Committee membership last week. The email, written by a long time activist, sounded off on a litany of concerns that are shared by other active Republicans. Some in the Party are tired of a Chair who has become a laughingstock for being a perennial candidate who sends more requests for urine than fundraising letters. His tenure will make it easy for the next party leader to look like they are doing a good job. The candidates who have announced are Bill Currier, current vice chair and Wally Hicks, a recent former legislator from Southern Oregon.

Related Articles

• Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in Oregon Politics: Blue Oregon, Shemia Fagan, Kurt Schrader
• Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in Oregon Politics: Charlie Hales, Amanda Fritz, Kate Brown
• Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in Oregon Politics: Denis Therauilt, John Kitzhaber, The Oregonian
• Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in Oregon Politics: Kate Brown, Lars Larson, Clean Fuels
• Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in Oregon Politics: Ron Wyden, Ellen Rosenblum, City of Portland
• Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in Oregon Politics: Steve Novick, Chief Reese, Cylvia Hayes
• Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in Oregon Politics: Steve Novick, Reservoir Dogs, Working Class Oregonians
• Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in Oregon Politics: Teressa Raiford, Nick Fish, GMOs
• Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in Oregon Politics: The All Kitzhaber Edition
• Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in Oregon Politics: The Race for Mayor, Education, Ducks
• Who’s Hot and Who’s Not: Bike Ranking Down, Measure 91 Fundraising Up
• Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in Oregon Politics: Val Hoyle, Margi Hoffmann, Gas Tax

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