New Conservative Coalition in Oregon Has Abramoff Ties

This morning The Oregonian reports on a secretive meeting held by the Taxpayer Association of Oregon at which Republican gubernatorial candidate Kevin Mannix spoke. According to the article,

the coalition sometimes calls itself "Center Right," a group associated with national anti-tax activist Grover Norquist. A representative of Norquist's organization, Americans for Tax Reform, was at the meeting.

Norquist's group has contributed to petition drives for two potential measures on the November ballot that would restrict state spending and limit legislative terms. [emphasis added]

So who, exactly, is Grover Norquist, and what is Americans for Tax Reform? According to an article last month in The Washington Post, Norquist was a close friend to the convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff and that there are allegations that Americans for Tax Reform acted as a conduit to hide political contributions.

Newly released documents in the Jack Abramoff investigation shed light on how the lobbyist secretly routed his clients' funds through tax-exempt organizations with the acquiescence of those in charge, including prominent conservative activist Grover Norquist.

The federal probe has brought a string of bribery-related charges and plea deals. The possible misuse of tax-exempt groups is also receiving investigators' attention, sources familiar with the matter said.

Among the organizations used by Abramoff was Norquist's Americans for Tax Reform. According to an investigative report on Abramoff's lobbying released last week by the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, Americans for Tax Reform served as a "conduit" for funds that flowed from Abramoff's clients to surreptitiously finance grass-roots lobbying campaigns. As the money passed through, Norquist's organization kept a small cut, e-mails show. [emphasis added]

We do not need outside agitators coming into Oregon to foment discontent among voters -- especially Washington fatcats who were close allies of Jack Abramoff and even earned money from dealing with him.

The flow of money from Abramoff-ally Grover Norquist into Oregon must cause us to begin rethinking the campaign finance laws in our state. While Mike strongly believes in individuals' right to fully participate in the political process, he also believes that out-of-state power-brokers like Grover Norquist shouldn't be able to throw unlimited dollars into our elections.

[UPDATE]: The fact that Nevada businessman Loren Parks is dumping hundreds of thousands of dollars into Oregon ballot measures -- not to mention the gubernatorial campaign -- only underscores the need for reform. And since the entrenched career politicians in Salem are apparently unwilling or unable to get real reform accomplished, it's time to get some new blood into Salem, a person unencumbered by the ties to the big special interests. It's time to send Mike Caudle to Salem!