New hope: Nader

Most of us didn't realize that when Barack Obama talked of hope during his presidential campaign, it meant hope for insurance and pharmaceutical companies, the military-industrial complex, banks that were bailed out and the bankers who received huge bonuses.

But when consumer activist and third party presidential candidate Ralph Nader spoke in Portland on Saturday, I felt a sense of hope. It wasn't because he made promises. As a matter of fact, he talked a lot about what our president hasn't done.

Nader was in Portland to promote the Progressive Party. It was the audience reaction to his speech that inspired me, and the hope that perhaps Americans will stop watching sports and television long enough to sift through mass media information and learn what is going on in America and to care.

BEV ANSLOW
Gladstone

Oregon Supreme Court Upholds Law Requiring Truthful Reporting of Sources of Political Contributions

but the unanimous decision does not address whether the current ban on anonymous contributions is valid
April 29, 2010

The Oregon Supreme Court today issued its opinion in State of Oregon v. Thomas Paul Moyer, in which a person accused of making political contributions in a false name challenged the the constitutionality of Oregon's statute that prohibits any political contribution from being made "in any name other than that of the person who in truth provides the contribution to." ORS 260.402. This law was enacted by voter initiative over 100 years ago and has never before been challenged. Local businessman Tom Moyer was accused by the Multnomah County District Attorney of contributing to a campaign for Mayor of Portland in the names of his relatives and employees.

The opinion is at: http://www.publications.ojd.state.or.us/supreme.htm#apr10

The brief of Amicus Curiae and other briefs are here: http://fairelections.net/court/moyer

Oregon Treasurer's fund managers get thousands in bonuses

by Michelle Cole
September 30, 2009

Eleven employees in the Oregon treasurer's office received bonuses in February ranging from $9,860 to $57,006.

The money was paid as a performance reward to investment managers who oversee the Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund, the Common Schools Fund and other portfolios totaling about $60 billion.

. . . Last year, with the nation mired in recession, the Public Employees Retirement Fund was down 27 percent, which was not comforting to thousands of retirees but in line with other public pension systems. Based on the performance of the fund and other state funds, 11 of the 14 investment managers in the treasurer's office were paid a total of $475,000 in bonuses and related costs.

Despite state ethics rules, Treasury officials golf regularly on duty

by Les Zaitz and Ted Sickinger
April 11, 2010

For years, the Oregon State Treasurer's office has had a laissez faire policy on staff participation in golf outings while on duty and traveling on state business.

Ron Schmitz, Treasury's chief investment officer, said such outings had been approved by the agency's senior executives and vetted by agency attorneys, despite state law that in some circumstances prohibits taking free outings.