Mark Wiener Registers, Then Immediately Unregisters, as Steve Novick's Consultant

Meanwhile, Novick's campaign polled would-be voters about his relationship with Wiener.

Mark Wiener, the powerful Portland political consultant who helped broker the city's peace deal with Uber and became the subject of questions about his double roles, is just following the rules.

This month, as required under a new city ordinance that asks political consultants to report their work on behalf of the city's elected officials, Wiener did just that. In detail. And maybe with just the slightest hint of irritation.

"I am not working on Mr. Novick's current campaign in either a paid or professional capacity," Wiener wrote in a Sept. 15 disclosure form submitted to the city's independent auditor.

"On September 9, 2016, I was at a dinner that included Mr. Novick and the subject of his campaign came up in conversation," Wiener continued. "I do not believe the content of that conversation constituted political consulting services as defined by the ordinance, but based on the wording of the ordinance and the associated rules and guidance from the auditor I am not certain of it. Therefore, I am registering in an abundance of caution."

Does he think the rules go too far?

"No inference should be drawn," Wiener tells WW. "I simply wanted to clarify what the rules require to ensure that I am compliant."

Wiener subsequently submitted a second disclosure form, dated Sept. 16, officially saying he had terminated his consulting for Novick.

Novick's relationship with Wiener is, apparently, a subject of interest to the candidate as he faces re-election in November against lefty bookstore owner Chloe Eudaly.

In a recent poll commissioned by the Novick campaign, respondents were asked whether they cared that Novick had employed Wiener in the past. (Novick's campaign declined to discuss why it had asked about Wiener—or what the poll results showed.)

Commissioner Nick Fish, who drafted the ordinance, says the first round of reports, including Wiener's, make him feel proud. "This is a big win for transparency in government," he says.

Portland already requires lobbyists to report their contacts with elected officials. The idea behind Fish's new rules was to give voters the opportunity to crosscheck the city's lobbying reports with its consultants reports to see when and how political consultants are also lobbying their clients on behalf of third-party interest groups.

Wiener's paid work on behalf of Uber is part of what inspired the new requirements. As a political consultant, Wiener helped get Mayor Charlie Hales and Commissioners Dan Saltzman and Steve Novick elected. He then went to work for Uber, helping the ride-sharing company reach agreement with city officials to operate in the city. Hales, Saltzman and Novick provided the three necessary votes. (Fish and Commissioner Amanda Fritz voted no.)

Last January, Portland Auditor Mary Hull Caballero dinged Uber and Wiener for not disclosing his lobbying work on behalf of Uber.

Around that time, Novick said he regretted telling Wiener it was OK with him if he worked for Uber. "I thought that if Uber had someone who knew the city well, maybe they'd help them understand they were making a mess of things," Novick told WW last December. "Mark is a guy who definitely fits that description. Although he wasn't currently advising me, his involvement in consulting for city electoral candidates gives people pause, and that's entirely fair."

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