Campaign Finance Reform - in Oregon

A spokesperson for the Oregon Department of Justice said on Friday that the agency is reviewing whether to open a criminal investigation of the Democratic Party of Oregon for misreporting the donor of $500,000 last fall.

A Bend lawyer has asked Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum to open a criminal investigation into whether the Democratic Party of Oregon knowingly reported false information about who gave a $500,000 campaign contribution.

The assistant attorney general representing the Elections Division wrote that a Democratic party official “should not have been — and any other reasonable person would not have been — satisfied when (donor Nishad Singh told the party) that Mr. Singh ‘prefers Prime Trust (though not strongly) so go w[ith] that.’”

Deputy Attorney General Lisa Udland will oversee the department’s investigation into Nishad Singh, the former director of engineering at the disgraced cryptocurrency firm FTX.

A recent settlement that substantially slashed a fine for the Democratic Party of Oregon for misreporting a $500,000 donation raises significant questions about the ability of Democrats to hold their own party accountable, the editorial board writes.

Election officials will fine the Oregon Democratic Party $15,000 and ask the attorney general to investigate a cryptocurrency executive.

Election officials opened the investigation into Nishad Singh and the Democratic Party last October after the party identified the donor of its largest ever campaign contribution as cryptocurrency wire service Prime Trust.

Kotek has faced pressure to appoint a "caretaker" secretary to replace Shemia Fagan. Some Democratic allies oppose that idea.

A $500,000 contribution made to the party in October by FTX exec Nishad Singh was falsely filed under the name of a different company.

Our Oregon alleges that a committee to pay costs for Republican state senators participating in a walkout broke state campaign finance rules.

Two state senators want Oregon U.S. Attorney Natalie Wight’s office to investigate cash donations from cannabis company to state politicians.

Fagan resigned May 8 amid a controversy over a $10,000 a month side gig she took consulting with a cannabis company.

Oregon elections officials found that Democratic Party of Oregon staff hid that a former FTX executive donated $500,000 to the party in 2022.

My enduring image of Shemia Fagan is as state senator, with her fist held high, signaling her alignment with progressives holding a rally on the Oregon Capitol steps.

Oregon lawmakers are mulling whether to boost pay for statewide officeholders and pass ethics reforms following the resignation of former Secretary of State Shemia Fagan, who stepped down after news that she had taken a $10,000 a month side job with a troubled cannabis company.

Portland needs to make both short-term and long-term changes to the Small Donor Elections Program to ensure it remains free of political interference, write Amy Sample Ward, Berk Nelson and Cristina Nieves, who serve on the Portland Elections Commission.

Oregon lawmakers are mulling whether to boost pay for statewide officeholders and pass ethics reforms following the resignation of former Secretary of State Shemia Fagan, who stepped down after news that she had taken a $10,000 a month side job with a troubled cannabis company.

Oregon Democrats promised to reform the state’s campaign finance laws. But their fix tilts the playing field in their favor, says a Democratic lawmaker.

Shemia Fagan leaves office Monday, six days after she announced her resignation following news of a side job with a troubled cannabis dispensary.

“I have been inactive for the past two years but need to become active again,” Fagan wrote from her personal email address on Friday, Feb. 3, at 2:31 p.m.

Shemia Fagan was supposed to be the next Democratic star in Oregon politics, but now she's about to be out of office due to a spectacularly fast-moving scandal in Salem. Reporters Lauren Dake and Dirk VanderHart talk about Fagan's rise to prominence and sudden resignation as Secretary of State.

Knight made the donation April 4 to the Bring Balance to Salem PAC

“Great feedback!” Secretary of State Shemia Fagan emailed Rosa Cazares. “Thanks Rosa.”

Fagan logged five out-of-state trips in the last six months. When in Oregon, she typically logged out of work by 2:30 p.m., the calendars suggest.

Imagine you are Oregon’s Secretary of State Shemia Fagan. A campaign donor in the pot industry offers you a job moonlighting to help them with business opportunities.

Shemia Fagan didn't make just one mistake in her dealings with La Mota cannabis chain owners Rosa Cazares and Aaron Mitchell, the editorial board writes. Her acknowledged "poor judgment" occurred repeatedly and reflects her prioritizing self interest over Oregon's. She must resign.

Treasurer Tobias Read believes he could be a good fit, and former Senate President Peter Courtney says he'll fill in if asked. Informal conversations with Democratic politicos Tuesday turned up a wide range of names, including a trio of current or former Multnomah County officials: Jessica Vega Pederson, Deborah Kafoury and Susheela Jayapal.