Rod Underhill Forms Committee to Run for Multnomah County District Attorney

Rod Underhill
By JAMES PITKIN

A second candidate has officially indicated his interest in replacing Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schrunk.

Rod Underhill, a chief deputy district attorney in Schrunk's office, registered a candidate committee on Tuesday with the Oregon Secretary of State's office to run for district attorney.

Underhill's campaign has more than $13,000 in the bank and lists some influential donors, including Multnomah County Chair Jeff Cogen, prominent appellate lawyer Roy Pulvers, Kimberly Staton (wife of Multnomah County Sheriff Dan Staton), and John Copic, another deputy in Schrunk's office.

Schrunk, who has been DA for 30 years, has not yet announced his plans but is expected to either step down or decline to run for re-election in 2012. Several possible candidates have emerged. Kellie Johnson, a former Schrunk deputy who now works at the Oregon State Bar, announced her candidacy last month.

"I respect Mike Schrunk's process, and he has not announced whether he will be seeking another term of office yet," Underhill says. "I'm exploring the options surrounding the position of the Multnomah County district attorney and continuing to have what have been ongoing conversations with numerous public-safety partners, business and other community stakeholders, and citizens about the position"

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