Republican House Candidates Copy and Paste
When the Oregonian sent a questionnaire to state legislative candidates, several Republicans had an easy time finding the answers... in their email:
If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Rep. Bruce Hanna should feel flattered.When The Oregonian sent questionnaires to candidates for its online Voter Guide, at least three of the House Republican Leader's fellow Republicans copied Hanna's answers or used much of his wording.
House Republican staffers e-mailed Hanna's responses to other Republican legislative candidates in the spirit of "this is for your information," said Nick Smith, a spokesman for House Republicans.
"We sent it around and said, 'This is what he's going to post,' but we didn't intend for campaigns to take that literally," Smith said. "We certainly didn't encourage people to use that information."
Some of the answers were conspicuously copied word-for-word:
Candidate Piotr Kuklinski, a doctor who lives in Washington County's Bethany area, has never held legislative office. But using Hanna's answers made it appear that he had."In 2007," wrote Kuklinski, "I co-sponsored the Oregon Stability and Investment Plan to update our antiquated corporate tax system, provide targeted tax relief and boost private investments in Oregon's businesses and workers."
Kuklinski, who is running for House District 34, explained that he returned from a spring vacation trip with his family one day before the deadline for the questionnaires, "and the office was full of a mountain of work for me to sign for the last 10 days."
"I just cut and pasted," he said. "It came in handy because I was desperate."
He said he didn't realize he had included wording that made it sound as if he was involved in introducing legislation. "I would just have to be corrected on that because that would not be factual," he said.
Read the rest. Discuss.
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April 22, 2008
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2:17 p.m.
Apr 22, '08
Hilarious. And embarassing.
Apr 22, '08
Wow. Just wow. I find it amazing that Kuklinski didn't even READ what he copied. Who's his democratic challenger?
2:31 p.m.
Apr 22, '08
This what good little authoritarians do.
Apr 22, '08
beautiful. if this is the best that republicans can do in oregon, i have a feeling they are going to take an ass-whipping in november that will make '06 feel like a fond memory for them.
Apr 22, '08
This is a bit awkward for me (thus the "anonymous" tag). Dr. Kuklinski is my physician, and he's a good one, and a fine human begin too. It's unsettling -- and humbling -- when someone you actually know is the blunt of jokes and derision rather than just some anonymous person running for some office somewhere.
It reminds me that even those with whom you may not agree politically can be decent, caring people too, and that is the case here.
Apr 22, '08
Anon 3:34:54,
Is it unsettling to see your personal physician engaging in careless and unethical, if not necessarily harmful, behavior?
5:07 p.m.
Apr 22, '08
Isn't this the same tactic used for Candidate McCain's economic and foreign policies, just a copy & paste of Dubya's? Suzanne Bonamici (D) holds the HD34 seat and is running for re-election. I look forward to the debates.
Apr 22, '08
Verasoie -- you misunderstood, or I didn't explain clearly. I'm not condoning what Dr. Kulclinski did; it was dumb and careless. My point is that often on these blogs people are held up to ridicule – often vicious ridicule -- who are essentially anonymous to the vast majority of folks who post. I've done it – mocked people who make these sort of mistakes -- and when is happens to someone you’ve known for many years, it’s somewhat humbling and gives pause, at least to me, about piling on the next time some would-be politician pulls a bonehead play and gets whacked on a blog, but I’m only speaking for myself.
I often forget, when struggling for the ideals we all hold, that those on the other side can be (though not necessarily) honorable people too. This has just made me more aware of that.
What’s ultimately unsettling to me is that when this sort of thing happens to someone you know and respect, -- well, a different light illuminates the criticism and scorn.
That’s it – no biggie.
6:34 p.m.
Apr 22, '08
Definitely not the first time they've done it. I'm not going to search for the LO story, but watch these three "legislative reports" from Thatcher, then Krummel and finally Flores from last year...
Apr 22, '08
"Definitely not the first time they've done it. I'm not going to search for the LO story, but watch these three "legislative reports" from Thatcher, then Krummel and finally Flores from last year..."
That's because the caucus staff typically write those, not the individual offices . . . The D's do that as well. HOWEVER, I'd be the first to admit that it's completely unacceptable/embarrassing that they wouldn't even read what they are copy-and-pasting. It could be a very rough year . . .
**HD28 Glen--Bonamici will be in the Senate, you need a candidate.
9:13 p.m.
Apr 22, '08
The D's do that as well.
Link? Source?
Let's not go throwing accusations around without proving them.
Apr 22, '08
Yes, you're probably right on that account. For what it's worth, there are a couple of others seeking that position from the Multnomah County side.
The bigger question, of course, is who gets Bonamici's seat. Anyone out there from Cedar Hills, Oak Hills, north Beaverton want to fill some big shoes?
9:25 p.m.
Apr 22, '08
These guys can't even find an original way to screw up. From last year: Oregon's copy-and-paste Republicans.
10:55 p.m.
Apr 22, '08
From what I have heard, Suzanne is not officially running for the Senate (that is, she has not filed for the Senate seat in the Primary) and she is remaining on the ballot for re-election to her House seat. She will however seek appointment to fill the Senate seat vacated by Brad Avakian, at a convention conducted by the Washco Dems with the Multco Dems. This will basically be a repeat of last year's appointment to fill Ryan Deckert's seat, which went to Mark Hass. Anyway, IF Rep Bonamici is nominated at the convention, the names of all the nominees go to the Washington County Commissioners, who choose a replacement from the 3-5 nominees selected at the convention. This will happen over the next several weeks. Since it is not a sure thing, Rep Bonamici is wise to continue her re-election efforts for HD34. Portland activists Paul Terdal and Julie Young (and possibly others unknown to me) have also applied for SD14 and will be among those at the convention. If Rep Bonamici does win the appointment to SD17 (and I believe the appointee would not need to run for SD17 re-election until 2010, the end of the four-year term) then a Democratic candidate for HD34 will step up and it will be a very interesting election for that seat. But I'm not telling, you'll have to wait and see.
Apr 23, '08
Link? Source?
Let's not go throwing accusations around without proving them.
That wasn't an accusation, but rather the reality of having the lack of professional staff/time in the Capitol. Are you honestly arguing that the communications directors for the various caucuses don't write material that is used in the legislative reports for members? Seriously? Are you going to say that they don't write the press releases for members as well?
If I have some extra time, I'll dig around the 2005 reports when Lonn wrote all the material for the House Ds . . .
11:09 p.m.
Apr 23, '08
FYI, the SD17 Nominating Convention will be held Sat Apr 26, 10AM at PCC Rock Creek, and is open to all for view. Only Democratic Precinct Committee Persons from SD17 will be eligible to vote. The Sergeant at Arms will boot out disruptive lurkers. More at WashcoDems.org
11:11 p.m.
Apr 23, '08
Well that didn't work very well. Let's try it the old-fashioned way: http://www.washcodems.org/node/1148 and http://www.washcodems.org/node/1141