The Liftoff: A week of turmoil and turbulence for Oregon leaders
PLUS: Kotek's surprise pick for Secretary of State; Bynum's major new endorsements in CD5; Holvey punches back; former legislator dies; Kotek weighs vetoing bills; MLB to Lloyd Center?; and more!
Welcome back to The Liftoff! We hope you have a happy and safe 4th of July!
This week we have a special post for paid subscribers with a few legislative winners and losers that flew under the radar, plus some predictions.
Remember: the Oregon Treasurer, Secretary of State, and Attorney General will all be on the 2024 ballot—so buckle up, it could be a wild election season next year!
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1. Kotek’s surprising choice for Secretary of State
One of the biggest headlines this week was Governor Kotek’s surprise pick for Oregon’s next Secretary of State. And, it was a name that was not on anybody’s radar.
Kotek announced Wednesday that she had selected former Portland Auditor LaVonne Griffin-Valade. By Friday afternoon, Griffin-Valade was was sworn in to serve the remainder of Shemia Fagan’s term (which runs until January 2025). An important reminder: because she was appointed and not elected, she “would not become governor if that office were to become vacant”, reports The Oregonian. Next in line to be Governor is now State Treasurer Tobias Read.
Griffin-Valade joined Multnomah County as an auditor in 1998, later winning election as auditor for the city of Portland from 2009-2014. Griffin-Valade is also an author: according to her Amazon profile, her “debut novel, DEAD POINT, featuring Oregon State Police Sgt. Maggie Blackthorne, was released by Severn River Publishing on June 15, 2021.”
On Friday, Griffin-Valade told reporters she doesn’t plan to run in 2024, leaving a wide-open field for both Democrats and Republicans.
More from OPB: “The announcement caught many political observers off guard. While she spent 16 years as a government auditor — first at Multnomah County and then as Portland’s elected auditor — Griffin-Valade left government service in 2014 to pursue a career in writing. Kotek was widely expected to choose someone who currently or recently served in public office for the role.”
According to the Capital Chronicle, “Griffin-Valade said she hasn’t yet decided whether the office will conduct a new audit of the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission.”
2. Drama with Portland’s Street Response (and other Portland news)
The manager of Portland Street Response, Robyn Burek, abruptly announced her departure last week. WW writes, “Burek’s abrupt departure from the initiative she has led since its formation in 2020 is another sign of unsettled conditions at Portland Street Response.”
From The Oregonian: “When Rene Gonzalez, the new fire commissioner, took over, Portland Street Response workers said they felt less support and more concern for the future of the program. Gonzalez barred workers from handing out tents during the coldest months of the year and directed them to assist with city-ordered sweeps.”
Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler walked back his plans for a ban on open drug use, citing the Oregon Legislature’s recently passed bill that adds criminal penalties for fentanyl possession above a gram, reports KGW-TV.
Mayor Wheeler is supporting the Portland Diamond Project’s recent proposal to turn the Lloyd Center mall into a Major League Baseball stadium. “Wheeler and his staff are exploring numerous ways to bolster the plans, according to documents obtained Thursday by The Oregonian/OregonLive through a public records request.”
Fred Meyer and the City of Portland announced a partnership to heighten security at Portland-area stores, citing an increase in retail theft and crime, according to KATU. Shoppers will need to show a receipt when exiting the store.
The Portland Mercury reports that ODOT is putting the brakes on two Portland-area freeway expansions. “After Gov. Tina Kotek's recent decree that ODOT must pause toll collection efforts until at least 2026, the state transportation agency has been left in a lurch.”
The WSJ profiled Portland and highlighted its significant population decline in recent years — losing nearly 3% of its population from 2020-2022.
3. A week of turmoil and turbulence for Oregon leaders
Weeks after a recall campaign against him was announced by UFCW 555, Rep. Paul Holvey is punching back. On his new website, Holvey writes: “This recall effort was launched by one union (UFCW Local 555) who is represented by a lobbyist who I believe is acting in a very unethical manner. This lobbyist appears to be in control of the information the union receives and seems to be making the decisions for them as well.”
The PAC formed to recall Holvey has spent $97,000 since it was formed about six weeks ago.
Stacy Chamberlain, who has led American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 75 (Oregon AFSCME) since 2018, is on paid administrative leave, reports Willamette Week. The story says says there was “formal complaint” from AFSCME staff.
The article also says that in June, “AFSCME employees vacated the union’s Portland headquarters at 6025 E Burnside St. The bright green building (AFSCME’s trademark color) served as a citadel of labor since its purchase in 2005. But now, like many Portlanders, AFSCME is without a home of its own. For some, it’s a sign of poor management that AFSCME sold its building without securing a new location.”
Two members of the Oregon House Republican leadership team have stepped down from their roles. Rep. Shelly Boshart Davis will no longer be deputy leader, and Rep. E. Werner Reschke will no longer be whip. Neither have offered a reason publicly for their resignation from leadership, but the Oregonian reports that they resigned “on the same day that they skipped the House vote on the controversial reproductive healthcare bill that had been central to Senate Republicans’ walkout.”
Gov. Kotek named longtime educator, Charlene Williams, to be the next director of the Department of Education. Williams, who will need to be confirmed by the Oregon Senate, would be the first Black woman to serve in that position. The Oregon Capital Chronicle has the details.
After a narrow loss to Congresswoman Chavez-DeRemer last year, Jamie McLeod-Skinner is “seriously considering” another run in the 5th Congressional District. She told the Capital Chronicle that she expects to make a decision in early July.
Meanwhile, Rep. Janelle Bynum (who already announced her run for CD5) has secured some major endorsements, including Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici, Congresswoman Andrea Salinas, the Congressional Black Caucus, and 22 state legislators.
The effort to defeat Rep. Charlie Conrad’s reelection bid has begun with the launching of www.charlieconradyoureout.com. Julia Shumway of the Capital Chronicle offers a fascinating lay of the land in Conrad’s district.
4. Sponsored Message from Harrang Long P.C.: Harrang Long’s Government Ethics Practice
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5. The ”Three Act Play” of the 2023 Legislative Session
The 2023 Legislative Session is officially over! After a six-month rollercoaster ride, the legislature adjourned on Sunday, June 25 (the absolute last day possible!). In this episode, we offer a framework for how to think about the session (a three act play!)--and we also cover some of the major pieces of legislation and budget investments that were passed. We talk about the constitutional referrals (elected official compensation, ranked choice voting, and impeachment) and some of the more highly-publicized bills (e.g. "the potato bill" and self-serve gas). We also discuss what bipartisanship looked like in a politically fraught legislative session (which might surprise you).
6. Special Post: Winners and losers of the legislative session—and some predictions!
This content is made available to our paid subscribers, as a thank you! We cannot do this work without you, and we appreciate it! While we don’t have a crystal ball for the 2024 election, we are looking ahead to a few key dates and important deadlines that will shape Oregon’s political scene.
7. News Round-Up: I-5 bridge complexities, passport problems, and a $16 million estate
Former state representative and longtime lobbyist Roger Martin has died at 88. Martin served in the legislature for 12 years, including four years as House Republican Leader. In 1978, he ran in a three-way primary for Governor against former Governor Tom McCall and State Sen. Vic Atiyeh, who ultimately won. Peter Wong wrote an obituary worth reading in Pamplin.
Don’t miss our recent The Way op-ed from contributor Mark Hester focusing on the complexities of transportation projects and the I-5 bridge.
Oregon’s congressional delegation called on the U.S. State Department to speed up passport processing. In a letter, Oregon’s eight congressional members said routine processing times for passports is taking up to 13 weeks, and people who pay $60 extra for expedited processing are waiting seven to nine weeks.
Governor Kotek hasn’t ruled out vetoing any of the roughly 300 bills awaiting her signature. In a wide-ranging interview with reporters, she said she wanted to hear from Oregonians if there are bills people want her to sign or to veto.
From WW: “Former Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty Will Host Campaign Kickoff Event for DA Mike Schmidt”
In devastating news to Portland and the state of Oregon, Blazers superstar Damian Lillard—who may be the best player in franchise history—has requested a trade after 11 years with the team.
Tips? Feedback? Ideas? Corrections? We want to hear from you! Email benjaminwbowman@gmail.com or kristinaedmunson@gmail.com.
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About the Authors
Ben Bowman is the state representative for Oregon House District 25 (Tigard, Metzger, and South Beaverton) and a member of the Tigard-Tualatin School Board. In his day job, he works as an administrator for a public school district. Previously, he worked as a legislative aide for former Reps. Margaret Doherty and Val Hoyle. He also co-hosts The Oregon Bridge podcast. In the newsletter and podcast, he speaks only for himself.
Alex Titus is a small business owner and consultant to businesses, nonprofits, and associations. Previously, he served as an Advisor in the Trump Administration and as a Policy Advisor to President Trump’s Super PAC. His writing has appeared in National Review, Fox News, The Hill, RealClearPolitics, and other publications.
Kristina Edmunson has been everything from press assistant for Governor Kulongoski, media advance associate for Vice President Biden, and communications director for Attorney General Rosenblum. Born and raised in Eugene, she has been involved in some of the biggest policy and legal decisions in Oregon over the last decade. Today, she runs her own communications practice. She speaks only for herself in her contributions to The Liftoff.