Oregon Republican Party Calls On Oregon Democrats to Return Harvey Weinstein’s Money

DPO calls Weinstein "contemptible" but declines to give back money spent long ago.

Harvey Weinstein

The disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein was a prolific campaign contributor when not sexually harassing young actresses, giving more than $1 million to Democratic candidates and committees over the past two decades.

In the 1995-96 election cycle, Weinstein gave $5,000 to the Democratic Party of Oregon.

As sometimes happens when news turns a donor into a pariah, Republicans are now using Weinstein and the people who accepted his money as a pinata.

The Republican National Committee has released a list of some of Weinstein's recipients, many of whom have announced they will either give his money back or make an offsetting donation to a worthy cause.

Here's the list the Republicans produced:

The Oregon Republican Party wants Oregon Dems to join the many recipients who have repudiated Weinstein.

"As a woman and an Oregonian, I was shocked and angered to learn that the governing party in our state, Democratic Party of Oregon, is keeping the $5000 donation they've received from the despicable sexual predator Harvey Weinstein," Oregon GOP Vice Chair Christine Barreto said in a statement.

But Democratic Party of Oregon spokeswoman Molly Woon says the party spent Weinstein's money long ago and will not give it back.

"Harvey Weinstein's behavior toward women is contemptible and and it's high time he's held accountable for using his power to abuse and bully women," Woon said in a statement. "That said, $5,000 received 22 years ago is long gone toward electing Democratic candidates that have a strong history of affirming the rights of women in Oregon. We will not be 'returning' funds received over two decades ago."

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