Awkward: Collymore and Stacey Booted off Stage Over Columbia River Crossing

More fallout over the issue of who supports the Columbia River Crossing project and who doesn't occurred over the weekend at the Labor Day picnic in Oaks Park.

As we've previously reported, trade unions are raining endorsements and money on Tom Hughes and Loretta Smith—candidates for Metro president and Multnomah County commission, respectively, who strongly support building a new I-5 bridge. Their opponents, Bob Stacey and Karol Collymore, have received cold shoulders from the trade unions.

That made for an awkward moment for Collymore and Stacey at Monday's picnic, sponsored by the Northwest Oregon Labor Council.

Hughes and Smith received the council's endorsement and were allowed to give speeches on stage during the picnic. Stacey and Collymore, meanwhile, watched from the audience.

During what's known as a "cattle call" for candidates and public officials to introduce themselves, Collymore and Stacey jumped on stage. But they were promptly asked to step down, because they did not have the council's endorsement.

"I felt as if it was an afternoon well spent being there on Labor Day with working people, but it was a disappointment to get culled out of the herd on cattle call," Stacey says, noting he's endorsed by the transit workers' union, the Portland Association of Teachers and the local musicians' union.

Collymore this morning said she stepped on stage because she's been endorsed by the Service Employees International Union and the Communication Workers of America.

"I would not go up there had I understood that it was only for [the Northwest Oregon Labor Council]," Collymore says. "It wasn't the worst thing in the world."

Bob Tackett, executive secretary-treasurer at the labor council, was not immediately available for comment.