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<p style="text-align: center;"><span
style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"><span
style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">December 31,
2009</span></span></span> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span
style="font-family: 'Univers',sans-serif;"><span
style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">OREGON
SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS LIMITS ON LOBBYIST GIFTS TO PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND
LEGISLATORS</span></span></span> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span
style="font-family: 'Univers',sans-serif;"><span
style="font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">BUT THE
LIMITS HAVE NO PRACTICAL EFFECT IN OREGON’S REGIME</span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Univers',sans-serif;"><span
style="font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">OF UNLIMITED
CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS</span></span></span><span
style="font-family: 'Univers',sans-serif;"><span
style="font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> AND
VIRTUALLY NO LIMITS ON</span></span></span><span
style="font-family: 'Univers',sans-serif;"><span
style="font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> HOW THEY
ARE SPENT</span></span></span></p>
<p> <span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"><span
style="font-size: 12pt;">The Oregon Supreme Court today issued its
opinion in <i><span style="font-weight: bold;">Vannatta v. Oregon
Government Ethics Commission</span></i>, in which lobbyists challenged
the constitutionality of the limits on gifts, entertainment (meals,
golf, etc.), and honoraria that (1) lobbyists (or anyone with a
particular economic interest in government action, including
legislation) can give to public officeholders or candidates for public
office or (2) public officeholders or candidates can receive.</span></span> </p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"><span
style="font-size: 12pt;">The opinion is at:</span></span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.publications.ojd.state.or.us/supreme.htm#dec09"><span
style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255);"><span
style="text-decoration: underline;">http://www.publications.ojd.state.or.us/supreme.htm#dec09</span></span></span></span></a></p>
<p> <span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"><span
style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">[This
press release is the initial reaction of the attorneys for Amicus
Curiae in the case. The opinion is not a simple one, so there may be
another press release later.] </span></span></span></p>
<p> <span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"><span
style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Under a
statute enacted in 2007, the limit on gifts from any person to any
officeholder or candidate (or to their close relative) is $50 per year.
Providing “entertainment” is limited to $50 per year per recipient.
Honoraria (usually speaking fees) are limited to $50 per recipient per
occasion.</span></span></span></p>
<p> <span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"><span
style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The Court
upheld the limits on what public officeholders or candidates can
receive as gifts, entertainment, or honoraria. The Court struck down
those same limits as applied to what persons can <span
style="text-decoration: underline;">offer</span> to give to public
officeholders or candidates. The result is that, while anyone can now
offer unlimited gifts, entertainment, or honoraria, Oregon public
officials and candidates cannot <span
style="text-decoration: underline;">accept</span> such offers which
exceed the statutory limits. Thus, the offering becomes moot.</span></span></span> </p>
<p style="margin-left: 0.4in;"><span
style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">An extensive amicus brief was filed by
seven individual Oregon voters, several of whom were chief petitioners
on the most recent statewide campaign finance reform initiatives (in
2006). This brief is available at </span></span></span><a
href="http://fairelections.net/court/gifts"><span
style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255);"><span
style="text-decoration: underline;">http://fairelections.net/court/gifts</span></span></span></span></a></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"><span
style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">“These
limits on gifts, speaking fees, gifts, and other benefits for
officeholders and candidates are clearly valid,” said Dan Meek, an
attorney on the amicus brief. “Nearly all states and the federal
government either prohibit or have low limits on gifts to public
officeholders."</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"><span
style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">“While it
is good that the Court upheld the limits, that will have little or no
effect in practice,” said Meek. “As our brief in the case demonstrated,
the lobbyists can provide the same benefits to public officials and
candidates (gifts, entertainment, and even honoraria in the form of
consulting fees) in the form of “campaign contributions,” which the
Legislature has chosen not to restrict. Some of the widely-publicized
legislator luxury trips to Hawaii were actually paid for with campaign
contributions, and today’s Court decision will not prevent such trips
in the future. "Until the Secretary of State or Attorney General starts
enforcing Measure 47, enacted by the voters of Oregon in 2006,
lobbyists can continue to use big money to buy influence with
government.”</span></span></span> </p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"><span
style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Oregon
voters in 2006 enacted in Measure 47 the nation's most comprehensive
and strict system of limits on political campaign contributions and
expenditures, including a ban on using campaign contributions for
anything other than reaching voters during the campaign. But the
Secretary of State and Attorney General of Oregon are refusing to
enforce the limits. The Chief Petitioners on Measure 47 are suing those
government officials to require them to enforce the law. That case is
before the Oregon Court of Appeals. Until that law is enforced, Oregon
remains effectively one of only 4 states without limits on campaign
contributions, which in Oregon can be used for almost any purpose,
including:</span></span></span> </p>
<p style="text-indent: -0.8in; margin-left: 0.8in;"><span
style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span> </span>1.<span> </span>for
any campaign-related purpose, including taking extended luxury trips to
Hawaii or elsewhere to meet with potential contributors;</span></span></span> </p>
<p style="text-indent: -0.8in; margin-left: 0.8in;"><span
style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span> </span>2.<span> </span>to
pay "any expenses incurred in connection with the person’s duties as a
holder of public office," including unrestricted payments to friends or
relatives for office work; and</span></span></span> </p>
<p style="text-indent: -0.8in; margin-left: 0.8in;"><span
style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span> </span>3.<span> </span>to
repay to a candidate any loan the proceeds of which were used in
connection with the candidate’s campaign.</span></span></span></p>
<p> <span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"><span
style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">This last
category means that a campaign contributions can be deposited directly</span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"><span
style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">into the
personal bank account of the candidate or former candidate.</span></span></span></p>
<p> <span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"><span
style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">In
addition, campaign contributions have ended up in the pockets of
sitting legislators. For example:</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left: 0.4in;"> <span
style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The political action committee for the
House Republicans’ caucus reported Friday that it paid Rep. Karen
Minnis, a caucus member, $2,700 for campaign consulting services this
month.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left: 0.4in;"> <span
style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Minnis, R-Wood Village, donated $10,000
to the caucus’ PAC, Promote Oregon Leadership PAC, in December. She
formed a consulting business, Karen Minnis and Associates, that month
and the caucus committee has now paid her $15,500 for consulting
services.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"><span
style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">House
Republicans Pay Minnis $2,700, Oregonian (August 23, 2008);</span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"><span
style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><a
class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2008/08/house_republicans_pay_mi">http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2008/08/house_republicans_pay_mi</a></span></span></span><span
style="font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">nnis_2.html.</span></span></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;">For more information:<br>
</span></p>
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<td><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span
style="font-family: Arial;">Daniel Meek, attorney<br>
(503) 293-9021<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated"
href="mailto:dan@fairelections.net">dan@fairelections.net</a></span></span></span></td>
<td><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span
style="font-family: Arial;">Linda Williams, attorney<br>
(503) 293-0399<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated"
href="mailto:linda@fairelections.net">linda@fairelections.net</a></span></span><span><span
style="font-family: Arial;"><br>
</span></span></span></td>
</tr>
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