Murmurs: National Democrats in With Flynn

NATIONAL DEMOCRATS IN WITH FLYNN: In a break with usual practice, the Democrats’ House Majority PAC is spending $1 million to back one candidate in the competitive, open primary for Oregon’s newly created 6th District. That candidate: Carrick Flynn, a political outsider who grew up in Vernonia and attended Yale Law School (and has rarely voted in Oregon). Traditionally, the PAC supports Democrats against Republicans in the general election, so the committee is now under fire from U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and the Hispanic Caucus campaign arm, Bold PAC, as well as six of the other Democrats running for the seat, including three women of color. But it’s not the only extraordinary expenditure in the race: Earlier this week, WW reported that super PACs had spent nearly $6 million to support Flynn. Protect Our Future (funded by cryptocurrency’s richest billionaire, Sam Bankman-Fried) is the group responsible for most of that spending. The congressional Democrats’ decision for their PAC to bankroll Flynn also set off speculation that Bankman-Fried or Protect Our Future has agreed to bankroll the Democrats’ campaign nationally.

CITY AUDITOR CANDIDATE DINGED FOR LATE CAMPAIGN FINANCE FILINGS: The Oregon Secretary of State’s Elections Division plans to impose a fine on Simone Rede, a candidate for Portland city auditor, following a complaint alleging Rede’s campaign finance committee was late to file disclosure of more than 30 transactions. “We reviewed the information submitted and determined that transactions were filed late,” says SOS spokesman Ben Morris. “We will be following our normal process to assess civil penalties for late filed transactions.” That determination follows a March 31 complaint filed by Portland accountant Joan Horton, alleging the Friends of Simone Rede committee was late to report at least 33 contributions totaling more than $49,400, in addition to eight expenditures totaling $940. The Elections Division could not confirm by press deadline whether it had determined the fine’s amount. Rede is vying to succeed current City Auditor Mary Hull Caballero, who is not running for reelection. She faces one opponent: Brian Setzler, a Portland CPA. “I detected the late transactions, which my volunteer treasurer reported to the city, but not to the state,” Rede tells WW. “I corrected the error, and the Oregon Elections Division is satisfied with my actions. Further, I hired a professional treasurer to ensure timely reporting to the city and the state. And like any good auditor, I’m checking that work as well.”

TAX MEASURE BEEF GOES TO JUDGE: On April 13, Multnomah County Circuit Judge Katharine von Ter Stegge will hear a dispute between the Portland Business Alliance and backers of a proposed November ballot measure that would levy a 0.75% capital gains tax on Multnomah County residents. That tax would raise $12 million to $15 million a year to fund lawyers for tenants facing eviction. The PBA sought to challenge the proposed ballot title and explanatory statement for the measure in a March 28 filing with the court but made errors that left in question whether the challenge was filed in time. Attorneys for Multnomah County and the campaign Eviction Representation for All contend the court should answer that question before weighing the merits of PBA’s objections. However the judge rules, the dispute is another skirmish in a larger battle over how to fund public services, which has left high-income county residents paying among the nation’s highest marginal income tax rates.

RIDWELL GETS GREEN LIGHT FROM STATE: Ridwell, the Seattle company that picks up hard-to-recycle items from doorsteps, received a license April 7 from the Department of Environmental Quality to continue operating its facility in North Portland. The approval process began last year after Portland’s franchised trash haulers flagged Ridwell’s operation for not being properly licensed. (While that process proceeded, Ridwell continued to operate the facility.) A similar license required by Metro is expected to be issued later this week. Meanwhile, Ridwell continues to spar legally with Washington County, from which Ridwell withdrew after the county sent it a cease-and-desist letter alleging the company was violating the county’s exclusive franchise agreement with trash haulers. Ridwell has long argued that because it picks up items trash haulers cannot, it’s violating no such thing. The county is currently working on a similar pickup model that, if approved by commissioners, would be exclusive to the haulers. (It’s allowing Ridwell to continue service until the model is set up.) The Metro and DEQ licenses have no bearing on any other jurisdictions’ actions against Ridwell.