Sid Leiken is running for Governor. HAHAHA!

Kari Chisholm

Remember Sid Leiken? He's the former Mayor of Springfield (now Lane County Commissioner) that ran against Congressman Peter DeFazio back in 2010 -- only to drop out in disgrace.

Now, it looks like he's running for Governor in 2016.

He tells the Register Guard that he hasn't decided whether to run, even though he's changed the name of his campaign committee to "Sid Leiken for Governor". As far as I'm concerned, that's the announcement. He joins Dr. Bud Pierce (R-Clipart) in the race.

But let's rewind the tape back to 2010. Back then, he was the top-tier challenger to DeFazio, highly touted by the NRCC. And then... well, the really short version is this:

Leiken converted $2000 of his campaign's money to personal use — something that's very illegal. When he was caught doing it, the cover-up included a misreported campaign expenditure, a cash transaction, an unsigned and undated receipt, an unregistered company, a missing "tally sheet" for a fake poll, and a disposable phone.

Here's the longer version: Back in November 2009, I recounted "just for posterity" (who knew we'd need it?!) how it all went down:

• Leiken transferred $2000 from his campaign to his own firm, SWL Consulting, something that's against state law.
• Then, when he was called on it, he said it was a reimbursement to P&G Marketing, a company that isn't filed with the state.
• Then, he admitted that P&G Marketing was his mother's firm.
• Leiken claims that P&G conducted a poll about the gas tax - a poll that his allies say they never heard about at the time.
• When asked for documentation of the transaction, he provided an undated handwritten receipt for $2000 in cash. (Twenties or hundreds? We don't know.)
• When asked to prove that she actually performed services for the $2000, Glenda Leiken provided three pages of nonsense that proved only that she has no idea what political polling actually entails.
• Trying to stave off the inquiry, Leiken tearfully admitted screwing up the paperwork - ignoring questions about the underlying transaction.
• A number of professional pollsters, including Republicans, called the alleged poll "suspicious" and "impossible".
• Investigators demanded details of the poll, including the proposal, the plan, the questions, the call sheets, the tally sheets, the phone records, and more.
• Glenda Leiken eventually refused - claiming that she used a disposable phone, and no phone records were available.
• The investigators asked about the phone, and Glenda Leiken clammed up. (She wouldn't even tell 'em which phone company she used. No, really.)

If you want to go back read the whole Sad Saga of Sid Leiken as it unfolded, here you go:

• April 26, 2009: NRCC courts Sid Leiken for 4th Congressional District
• May 5, 2009: Sid Leiken runs against Peter DeFazio.
• June 19, 2009: Sid Leiken already having money trouble...
• June 22, 2009: More on that Sid Leiken funny money business
• July 8, 2009: Sid Leiken's funny money business, part 3.
• July 14, 2009: Leiken's statements don't match his C&E documents
• July 24, 2009: Sid Leiken's implausible and baffling explanations continue
• July 27, 2009: As state investigation continues, doubts about Sid Leiken's candidacy percolate
• August 22, 2009: Sid Leiken tearfully admits to bogus transaction report
• August 24, 2009: Politico calls Sid Leiken's tearful apology a "Muskie moment"
• August 27, 2009: Pollsters call Sid Leiken's alleged poll "suspicious" and "impossible"
• September 15, 2009: State investigators demand details of alleged poll for Sid Leiken
• October 17, 2009: Sid Leiken's campaign circles the drain
• November 17, 2009: Sid Leiken cited for unlawful personal use of campaign funds
• March 4, 2010: Sid Leiken drops out.

By Kari Chisholm April 28, 2015