Police Union Tosses Hales $5,000

Charlie Hales
By NIGEL JAQUISS

One of the subtexts of last year's mayoral race was that the major public employee unions—all except Service Employees International Union—bet on then-Rep. Jefferson Smith (D-East Portland), who finished a distant second to Charlie Hales.

Late in the race, Portland police and fire unions withdrew their endorsements of Smith, and after Hales won, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees gave Hales $10,000 in December.

Portland firefighters and the Portland Association of Teachers, both strong supporters of Smith, still have not chipped in to help Hales pay off campaign debt (now down to $7,500). But on Friday, the police union wrote the new mayor a $5,000 check.

WWeek 2015

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