HD-28: Tobias Read lays down the hammer on Manuel Castaneda
Kari Chisholm
You've got to see this video from Thursday night's Beaverton Voters Forum. It's a short 90-second clip of Rep. Tobias Read using his opening statement to blast Manuel Castaneda - who is Rep. Jeff Barker's opponent.
Take a moment to watch the video. Now, here's the backstory:
In Washington County, Republicans - and their right-wing friends at the Oregon Transformation Project - are desperately trying to defeat Rep. Jeff Barker (D-Aloha).
They're so desperate that they're resorted to just making things up. In a recent mailer, for example, they imply that Rep. Barker is going to earn a $100,000 pension from serving in the legislature. The truth? It's substantially less than that - and the bulk of it comes from his 30-year career as a police officer.
Stranger still? The mailer says "Why is Jeff Barker running for office, when he probably wants to spend even more time in Arizona?" - suggesting that he's been vacationing in Arizona, rather than doing the people's business. As Barker told WW's Aaron Mesh, he hasn't spent any time vacationing in Arizona.
“I vacationed in Arizona with my dad and sister in my dad’s brand new 1955 Dodge,” Barker says. “I was twelve.”
For the record, it's the Republican leadership that's been taking winter vacations to sunny locales to, ahem, play golf.
Manuel Castaneda and the Oregon Transformation Project should be ashamed of themselves. And here's to Tobias Read for speaking up and offering a response that had exactly the right amount of outrage.
Learn more about Jeff Barker here. And if you want to help him fight back, make a donation here.
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4:27 p.m.
Oct 13, '12
Full disclosure: My firm built Tobias Read's campaign website. I speak only for myself.
4:35 p.m.
Oct 13, '12
Wow. Thanks Tobias. Well done.
6:22 p.m.
Oct 13, '12
My company, Third Century Solutions, is Manuel Castaneda's consultant. I am also the treasurer of the Oregon Transformation Project PAC, which has contributed to Manuel's campaign.
Kari, the mailer did not imply that Barker would have a six figure PERS pension from the legislature. Have you seen it? Or are you just going off of what you were told by Read?
The mailer implied that Barker, when he retired, would have taxpayer funded pensions of $100K per year. Which would include, of course, his Portland Police pension, and his PERS pension.
Now, if this is not true, Barker could prove so very easily. Just how much IS his Portland Police pension, and what will be his PERS pension when he retires?
How is it at all out of line to make the political point that a legislator receiving a taxpayer funded pension, and who will receive an additional pension from PERS when he retires, just might not be the best person to represent taxpayer interests when the legislature tries to tackle the huge PERS problem?
That mail piece is not even close to being out of line. But if Barker would like to disclose what his actual pensions are, we would be happy to put those figures in our next mailer.
9:03 p.m.
Oct 13, '12
I live in the district and the implication was that Rep. Barker was getting 100k in taxpayer funded retirement (the implication being PERS) and that he would be spending it in Arizona. Rep Barker hasn't been to Arizona in 50 years and has a much more modest pension. So it really seemed like you were lying.
10:00 p.m.
Oct 13, '12
Oregon legislators currently earn about $23,000 per year, truly a princely sum. After ten years in the House, Representative Barker must be eligible for a fantastic pension. I'll bet he's shopping for yachts and vacation homes on Bora Bora as we speak.
9:49 a.m.
Oct 14, '12
Dude, the mailer was reprinted on Willamette Week's website - which I linked to. Here, try this one.
It clearly says "More than $100,000 a year".
As for what Barker could "prove so very easily", I'm sure he could.
But the burden of proof is on you, since you made the claim. Where is your evidence that his pension is more than $100k?
And secondarily, I do think the language and the mailer were carefully crafted to imply that it was a legislative pension. After all, it says nowhere that he was a cop for 30+ years.
2:16 p.m.
Oct 14, '12
Does "Taxpayer-funded" = PERS? No. PERS is not the only taxpayer funded pension program.
12:04 a.m.
Oct 15, '12
Weasel-words, indeed.
8:03 p.m.
Oct 14, '12
Not so different than Harry Reids allegation that some years Romney paid zero taxes, then when asked to prove it, Reid says Romney can disprove.
I've seen several comments that Barkers pensions are much less than 100k. I guess I'd just say that is a mere allegation as well at this point.
4:02 a.m.
Oct 15, '12
WARNING: Kremer sells low grade Snake Oil!
10:08 a.m.
Oct 15, '12
Rob: Public employees' salaries are also taxpayer funded. In fact, it's pretty stupid to suggest that the piece is revelatory in any respect. Unless, of course, you're trying to create the implication that Kari accuses you of, i.e. that his legislative career is getting a big pension for him.
7:12 p.m.
Oct 13, '12
wow. so proud of Tobias Read.
and proud of Shemia Fagan who, upon learning of personal attack ads on YouTube against her opponent, immediately contacted the person posting them to ask they be removed.