Oregon Senate GOP seeks to clear ‘ethical fog’ around Kitzhaber

Oregon Senate Republicans

Request Correspondence between Governor’s Office and Campaign Advisers

Salem, OR – Today, Oregon Senate Republicans announced they have submitted a Public Records Request for all correspondence between key Kitzhaber political campaign advisers and the Governor’s office from January 1, 2014 to February 18, 2015.

“During this unprecedented time, following the disgraceful exit of former Governor John Kitzhaber, Oregon finds itself in the national spotlight and at a historical crossroads,” said Senate Republican Leader Ted Ferrioli (R-John Day). “We are concerned the ‘ethical fog’ extends beyond Kitzhaber’s administration to political operatives in the Democrat party and believe Oregonians deserve to know the extent of that connection.”

Senate Republicans argued that in a predominately Democrat-controlled state, a “shadow government” exists behind the scenes operated by long-time political consultants like Patricia McCaig, Kevin Looper, and Mark Wiener. The Public Records Request singles out email and other correspondence between former Governor Kitzhaber and his staff with Looper and Wiener, who run political consulting firms Winning Mark and Fulcrum Political. McCaig, Looper and Wiener were all recently named in a lawsuit by Oracle over interference with the state’s handling of the Cover Oregon debacle.

As ethical concerns surrounding Low Carbon Fuel Standards are still yet to be resolved, it was discovered in FEC filings that NextGen Climate PAC (primarily funded by California Billionaire Tom Steyer) recently paid Fulcrum Political $40,000.

Since 2010, Democratic leadership campaigns and Political Action Committees paid over $3.2 million to Winning Mark and Fulcrum Political, including $603,000 from Governor Kitzhaber, $136,750 from the Senate Democrat Leadership Fund, and nearly $133,000 from Governor Brown. Senate Republicans believe this indicates key Democrat political consultants using their influence to pursue a lucrative progressive agenda behind the scenes.

“Recent revelations from Public Records Requests resulted in the resignation of a Governor who served Oregon as an elected official for four decades,” said Senator Ferrioli. “It will be a shame for all Oregonians if this ethical fog creeps into our current Governor’s office.”