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Murmurs: Goldschmidt Claims he Was Bilked

News that never forgets.

By WW Editorial Staff
GOLDSCHMIDT IN THE 1970S
  1. Ex-Gov. Neil Goldschmidt says he’s been ripped off to the tune of $601,599—the amount he and his wife, Diana, claim in a lawsuit they invested with Arkansas-based Voyager Financial Group. The Goldschmidts were not buying stocks and bonds, however, but engaging in the controversial practice of buying U.S. military disability and retirement pensions. In recent years, hard-up soldiers and veterans have sold their future pension or disability payments for cash at a big discount—giving investors outsized returns at their expense. The Goldschmidts say in their Multnomah County Circuit Court lawsuit they bought nine military pension and disability contracts between April 2011 and March 2012—and they were the victims of fraud because the investments were illegal and unregistered and unsecured. (See the lawsuit at wweek.com.)
  1. When the Legislature convenes in special session Dec. 14 to consider approving a tax carve-out for Nike, many friends of the sporting goods giant will be on the House and Senate floors. Nike has spread $1.03 million in Oregon political contributions since 2006, balanced pretty evenly between parties. Not so for Nike co-founder Phil Knight, who’s personally given $1.33 million over the same period, mostly to conservative causes. That includes $400,000 he gave to GOP candidate for governor Chris Dudley, who in 2010 ran against Nike’s new patron, Gov. John Kitzhaber.
  1. Former KPOJ-AM 620 progressive talk host Carl Wolfson is preparing to revive his radio show—this time on the Internet. KPOJ’s owner, Clear Channel Communications, canceled Wolfson’s morning drive-time show right after Election Day and flipped the station’s format to Fox Sports Radio, igniting a furor among Wolfson’s listeners who suspected a vast right-wing conspiracy (“Who Killed KPOJ?” WW, Nov. 28, 2012). Wolfson says he’s bringing back his show for a 90-minute Internet program that will stream live at 7 am weekdays. The show debuts Jan. 21, the day of President Obama’s public swearing-in for his second term. “The president was elected to a second term,” Wolfson tells WW. “I think we deserve one, too.”
  1. Give!Guide Update: Hundreds of readers have already made this year’s G!G a hit. Give $10 or more to one of 110 local nonprofits on Dec. 13, and you could win a case of Rogue Spirits. Check out our website (week.com/giveguide) for other great incentives—including home delivery of goodies from WW Editor Mark Zusman or Publisher Richard Meeker if you give $2,500 or more. Donations are closing in on $600,000—putting G!G on track to reach our goal of $1.75 million. Thanks, readers, for your support.

WWeek 2015