OR-GOV: SEIU goes up on the air against Dudley
Carla Axtman
Given that the Oregon Governor's race is the only one in Oregon where Republicans are raising money, it makes sense that constituency groups are weighing in for Kitzhaber. The first salvo is up on the air, from SEIU.
From yesterday, David Steves at the Eugene Register Guard published the story, interviewing SEIU political director Art Towers:
Here’s how Towers explained the message his union’s ad is trying to get across: “Chris Dudley runs in the circles of the ultra wealthy, millionaires, multimillionaires ... Our point is that he’s publicly pledged he’s going to provide that set of folks hundreds of millions of dollars in tax breaks at a time when ordinary Oregonians who rely on public service are seeing their school year threatened. They’re seeing public safety threatened and they’re seeing other vital public services threatened.”
Towers declined to say how much his union is spending on the ads and it has yet to publicly disclose such figures through the Oregon Secretary of State’s ORESTAR online campaign finance database.
The ad first aired Tuesday in the Portland area and went statewide today.
Dudley hasn't exactly hurt SEIU's efforts with his bailing out on Oregon to dodge state income taxes and popping off about the minimum wage.
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11:06 a.m.
Sep 23, '10
Another reminder of how our union friends are leading the charge, working together - and contributing from their paychecks - to protect the Oregon we all care about. Well done, SEIU!
3:23 p.m.
Sep 23, '10
The money is being taken from their paychecks ...they are not voluntarily contributing anything and their are a large percentage of those workers who don't support kitzhaber. 20 years of failed democratic and pro union politics in this state have taken us straight backwards. Why do government employees need to have a union again? to protect them from themselves?
3:57 p.m.
Sep 23, '10
Stop lying. SEIU's Committee on Political Education (COPE) is voluntary contributions from it's members and not collected form mandatory dues.
11:04 p.m.
Sep 23, '10
Mitchell are you kidding me... this is not true that fight the deadly campaign is concerned about it... it's a lie! All this demonstrates to oregonians is how desperate liberals in this state are... now that they are trailing so dramatically in the polls and how little respect the left has for both the truth and the people of Oregon's ability to differentiate the truth from lies. I think that makes liberal ideologues so repulsive and repugnant is their total lack of respect for the values which built this country. You're any means to an end politics is about to be rejected again. I hope you don't sit here are scratching our heads wondering why you have become irrelevant so quickly
9:13 a.m.
Sep 24, '10
Not kidding at all. You falsely claimed that SEIU was breaking the law by forcing involuntary contributions by it members to pay for political ads and contributions. That is simply a blatant falsehood.
SEIU's political efforts are done through SEIU's Committee on Political Education (COPE), which is the union's voluntary political action fund that is used for our political activities. By law, unions can't use their union dues for political purposes.
1:47 p.m.
Sep 26, '10
Mr Vanderbilt is all wet. Every member contributes $9.00 per year by resolution; however, that contribution may be redirected to charity at the member's request. ALL other member contributions are voluntary. It would be great if persons such as Mr. Vanderbilt used facts when he shoots off his mouth.
11:15 a.m.
Sep 23, '10
Given how the min. wage disproportionately affects the service sector, Dudley's retrograde position on the min. wage should help fire up the SEIU base.
2:47 p.m.
Sep 23, '10
Now the Dudley campaign are crying like little babies over this ad.
Good on SEIU. Run the ad more.
3:15 p.m.
Sep 23, '10
What you are hearing is the sound of all of the non union citizens of Oregon as the corrupt labor unions of this state ride to their own rescue trying to protect the huge investments they have made in corrupt politicians like Kitzhaber (who is owned by labor)
As I recall Mitchell you and Carla both cried like children when the Supreme Court recognized coporate personhood because you thought it would allow corporations to buy or influence our elections? Then you both marinade in your own hypocrisy as you cheer on the sidelines whle a government labor union continues to do what you were so afraid a corporation would do? Isn't it clear to you yet where playing "follow the labor" leads us too? Let's see we have tried it for long enough now ...are you better off now than you were before unions started buying and selling politicians and elections in this state?
3:17 p.m.
Sep 23, '10
sorry the sound of all of the non union oregonians CRYING AS THE CORRUPT LABOR UNIONS PUT THE FIX IN ON ANOTHER ELECTION
3:54 p.m.
Sep 23, '10
First, corporate personhood (which is a fundamentally nonsense position, i.e. that a corporation is a person under the law with rights to free speech, etc.) is not really germane to the issue of Dudley's campaign rightly being raked over the coals over his stating that the min. wage is too high.
That said, I am all for preventing union and corporate money in elections and only allowing individual contributions with reasonable set-limits.
But since unfettered corporate spending is allowed, I will not unilaterally disarm. So your claims of "hypocrisy" ring hallow (as usual).
4:19 p.m.
Sep 23, '10
We should not feed the trolls, but I would like to add my voice at what an excellent Ad this is, and on target on the sham that Dudley is, and how his "trickle down" economics of giving tax breaks to special interests explodes the budget with the result that schools and classrooms are further destroyed, and the tax burden is shifted to the middle class. Dudley is whining about the Ad so it must be effective.
11:29 p.m.
Sep 23, '10
the labor unions have been buying politicians and elections in oregon fo 20 years + ...corporate personhood was just established a few months ago ... you are marinading in your own hypocrisy Mitchell...don't be surprised to discover that Oregon is not for sale this time around
9:20 a.m.
Sep 24, '10
First, corporate personhood was established in the SCOTUS in 1886 with the in the Santa Clara County v. Southern Pacific Railroad ruling. That over 110 years of legal rulings followed is, is one of the major reasons why undoing it is actually so problematic.
Second, again I am all for preventing union and corporate money in elections and only allowing individual contributions with reasonable set-limits.
But since unfettered corporate and special interest spending is allowed now after the wrongly decided Citizens United v Federal Election Commission ruling by the activist conservative bloc on the SCOTUS, I will not unilaterally disarm. So your claims of "hypocrisy" ring hallow (as usual).
12:50 p.m.
Sep 25, '10
we had no problem undoing even more years of legal interpretation when we decided that there was a new thing called 'birthright citizenship" ...
3:57 p.m.
Sep 23, '10
Before I begin, let be apologize for both your parents for naming you Chester Vanderbilt. That must have been hard growing up.
This is ad is art! Kitz is not controlled by unions and none of your fear mongering will change that. He is a really nice, caring, hardworking Oregonian who happens to be willing to put up crap from people with silver spoon brat sounding names like yourself.
This may have gotten old by now but Lord Vanderbilt, might I trouble your for a spot of grey poupon? I am not one for name calling but I just have to address you by your real name to get a chuckle. Chester. Ha! Good luck pissing in the wind on this one! Gonna change a lot of minds here!
10:30 p.m.
Sep 23, '10
Well said, Tim!
10:34 p.m.
Sep 23, '10
I will assume that your need to make personal attacks is simply your imitation of a surrendering Frenchman ..."Tim". I don't understand why people are always accusing liberals of immediately divng to make personal attacks against people who don't agree with them... any idea where that comes from Tim? You'll have to excuse me if I don't join in the mudslinging... my position doesn't need the help yours does.
What bothers me about Dr. John is not that he is owned by the labor unions of this state... A fact that is really not up for debate.
I'm not even bothered by the fact that he would sell a seat on the Oregon investment Council in order to line his own pocket.
What bothers me is that he would sell it for so much money. He has priced investment Council seats far outside the budget of the normal workaday Oregonian. That's not fair! If you do the math, $300,000 at 6% for seven years is alot of money. If "Special K" is so honest then why was he charging so much for OIC jobs? If that was the price for an OIC job.. What was he charging for the really good jobs? The money he was paid by Jerry Bidwell may be considered "soft dollars" within the investment industry but they are dollars nonetheless. Unless someone can show me where Bidwell made the same types of loans to other citizens of this state who were not able to put him on the investment Council then he is a dishonest bribetaking crook and should be thrown in jail. The corrupt labor unions of this state and Jerry Bidwell all know what the rest of the state of Oregon is just finding out and that is that "Special K." accepted a bribe and is for sale to the highest bidder. What's the difference between special K. and Illinois Gov. Rod B.... nothing! Maybe they can share a cell at club Fed
12:18 p.m.
Sep 24, '10
For all your complaints about being personally attacked, he's simply stating things as they are, Chester. You repeatedly spout falsehoods even after they are proven to be wrong. We're not talking about a matter of opinion here, you state things that are false when you know them to be false.
This makes you a LIAR, Chester. You. Lie. Repeatedly. Get that? And people in BlueOregon are too used to fact checking right wing liars to be taken in by them. We've seen far too many.
If you don't want to be called out as a liar, try - NOT LYING. It will take some time for you to rehabilitate your reputation, but it can work. Especially if you acknowledge your lies and apologies for them.
And if you can't do that, then go away. Or get used to the "personal attack" of people telling the truth about you, Chester.
12:53 p.m.
Sep 25, '10
As soon as you can point me towards one of those specific lies Steven then I will assume what you consider to be false is simply a matter of interpretation of the same set of facts ..i.e. Kitz's soft dollar problems etc.
10:55 p.m.
Sep 23, '10
Chester, if you can't stand the heat..Please provide proof of your allegations. And I would expect the same of an accusation on the "other" side of an issue.
11:12 p.m.
Sep 23, '10
Sure here you go...
http://blogs.wweek.com/news/2010/09/23/kitzhaber-releases-some-tax-information-payments-contradict-earlier-statement/
http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2010/09/this_years_cheapest_shot.html
11:25 p.m.
Sep 23, '10
If you can't stand the heat? What kind of a pathetic statement is that? Are you saying that you think it's okay for everybody to call each other names like nine-year-olds on a playground... They don't agree with? I have an idea>>> Wouldn't it be easier for everyone to grow up and act like adults instead? Is that what we should tell people who complain about being verbally assaulted for their sexuality, or for complaining about sexual-harassment, or the person who complains about racist comments made toward him/her?
"Hey if you can't stand the heat..."
what a truly asinine remark Lea.... please turn your brain on before you respond the next time
11:48 p.m.
Sep 23, '10
Oh, my! You sure can be articulate when you want to be. Hmmm. Public or priviate education, she wondered.
I asked of proof. Not passing on gossip.
12:24 a.m.
Sep 24, '10
I am articulate all the time Lea. while I have not personally reviewed these documents I can only pass on the written findings of people who have. The fact that this comes from a lefty tabloid in Havana on the Willamette should give it some immediate cred. I have learned that whenever someone on these boards asks for the proof they really don't want proof ...what they want is something to point at when they throw up their hands and say .."That's all you have ,...not good enough" You have the proof that kitz not only sold the seat to bidwdell but then obstructed justice by lying about it. The bottom line is you are going to vote for Dr do over even if you are shown video of him robbing a 7-1 at gunpoint ...you are so buried in your own ideological sewage you don't know how to look at the issue objectively. On the issue of education your musings have gotten further than mine ...I was still asking myself (about you) "any education at all??"
9:21 a.m.
Sep 24, '10
That's a keeper.
1:20 a.m.
Sep 25, '10
Yep, Mitchell. Priceless........ Chester, if that is in fact your real name, all you're doing is passing on gossip and speculation. If the proof stands up, the source isn't relevant. I'm looking for documented evidence. I understand Kitz has produced 1098s to show the interest he paid. (There's a link on this site...) Let me dumb it down for you - a 1098 is the document that a lender files with the IRS to report the interest a borrower paid so the IRS can verify the deduction, among other reasons. There is no proof he "sold" the seat. His nominees had to be confirmed by the senate. Since, I believe he was dealing with a hostile Repugnant legislature, I don't see how he could have skipped that step. Your comments show your ignorance. (It appears it took you a few minutes to catch my comment. Guess your editor/ghost writer was busy...) Based on your bio on FB, you are barely voting age, and it appears you are from the east coast. Why don't you clean up your own back yard and get some real life experience under your belt, before you try to tell Oregonians how to run our state?
1:12 p.m.
Sep 25, '10
sorry lea I don't camp out here waiting for responses ... The part that bothers me the most is how this group is able to spend so much time, energy and gray matter coming up with one scenario after another about chris dudley only paying 400k + in taxes without anything approaching real evidence of any wrongdoing yet fall all over themselves to make excuses for a real ethical lapse presented to them in black and white about the guy they like. Kitz provided 3 yrs worth of interest statements for 7 yrs worth of a loan ...he claims it was a margin loan yet the docs he submitted to the IRS state otherwise (is he cheating the taxpayers out of taxes by calling margin interest mortgage interest? ... thats a crime isn't it?) He also stated his interest rate was x when in fact it was actually Y with Y being a rate far below the market rate at the time... and he also claimed he paid this 5 yr note off early ... I don't know how he was able to cram 5 yrs into 7 on what he makes? he did the same thing they just prosecuted bloggo for minus the colorful wiretaps..
1:45 a.m.
Sep 25, '10
This is a pretty badass ad. Run that a few hundred times and see what Dudley's response is.
And the whining is crap. $800 million is over the four years he'd be trying to put his top-down policies into place.
Ol' Chester mumbled something about polls. Funny, going race by race there are a lot of places where teh Democrats are suddenly pulling even or moving more solidly ahead. Washington and Nevada are looking stronger, Conway is right there with Paul, Boxer has recovered and Brown is running dead even or ahead spending no money, the generic has flopped back towards rough parity.
One question no one seems to have asked is, does a lack of enthusiasm correlate with a low likelihood of voting? Surely you CAN be so unenthused that you don't vote--but is that even a majority? What is the phrase "lesser of two evils" at the ballot box but the classic statement of disenthusiasm?
As registered voters become likely voters in the polls, some--particularly in the Midwest and most prominently among Blue Dogs and conservadems, not the more liberal candidates--are looking very ugly for the Dems still. But on balance, I think there's been a definite tightening. That's a BIG deal for the Dems, because their money advantage can kick in then.
1:52 a.m.
Sep 25, '10
By the way, I'm not at all disenthused from voting--I can't imagine EVER being capable of voting and not doing so, as long as I knew the candidates to any extent. I just don't plan on voting for Democrats on my Congressional lines, and I'm not yet sold on the Goobernor line either.
By the way, if you like the work that Working Families Party have done to get fusion on the ballot, their focus on kitchen table politics, and want to see them get the state certification that earning 1% of the vote gets you, please take a look at Bruce Cronk, WFP from Roseburg, running in the Senate race here in Oregon.
1:59 p.m.
Sep 26, '10
Mr Vanderbilt you lied about SEIU 503 member's political contributions!
Therefore, you are a liar.
Please deal in facts not inflammatory rhetoric of the fear mongering, right wing idiots who are using several times more money to purchase time on the airways than all organized labor.
3:23 p.m.
Sep 27, '10
No Barney YOU are the liar ...please show me where I said the SEIU did or did not do anything please because I don't see it anywhere. Therefore YOU are a left wing loon and a LIAR! Hope that clears that up ...you guys should at least wait until someone accuses you of something before you start getting emotional and declaring your innocence. The labor unions have corrupted the politics in this state and thats a shame the fact that you think its ok is also a shame