PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Four candidates for Oregon’s Third Congressional District held a press conference on Tuesday denouncing dark money in their race and claimed they were “excluded” from a similar joint press conference with fellow candidates.
During Tuesday’s press conference, called “We are Also Running,” District 3 candidates Michael Jonas, Nolan Bylenga, Ricky Barajas, and Rachel Rand laid out their platforms and called for transparency in campaign financing.
The press conference was in response to a separate press conference held by two other District 3 candidates – Susheela Jayapal and Eddy Morales – held May 2, in which they denounced dark money supporting fellow candidate Maxine Dexter.
“The influx of dark money and outside spending in our primary race is an afront to our democratic values. These shadowy groups often backed by undisclosed donors are trying to buy influence and shape the outcome of this election without transparency or accountability. This is not the kind of politics that the people of District 3 want or deserve nor are accustomed to given [outgoing Congressman Earl Blumenauer’s] high-level integrity,” Jonas said.
“My fellow candidates and I are standing united against this corrosive influence. Our democracy should not be for sale. Every voter has the right to know who is funding these attack ads and manipulative campaigns. We need comprehensive campaign finance reform that prioritizes transparency and levels the playing field,” Jonas added. “We must do these things: ban dark money, all political groups influencing elections should disclose their donors in real-time, so voters have a clear understanding of who is funding the messaging they see. We must end super PACs, outside groups like super PACs wield far too much power. We should limit their influence and hold them to stricter standards. And finally, we must have public campaign financing. We have to empower candidates who refuse corporate money by expanding financing options to amplify the voices of everyday Americans.”
During the press conference, Jonas claimed the group of four candidates were “excluded” from the joint press conference held by Jayapal and Morales, in which they claimed a Federal Election Commission filing showed a group supporting the political action committee 314 Action has spent $1.6 million to date on behalf of Dexter.
In a statement to KOIN 6 News, Graham Nolen with the Morales campaign, said, “We agree that Maxine Dexter should come clean about her knowledge of the outside spending in support of her.”
KOIN 6 News also reached out to Susheela Jayapal’s campaign but has not heard back.
In a statement to KOIN 6 News, Dexter’s campaign manager Nathan Clark said, “Maxine is the only candidate in this race who has championed and passed meaningful campaign finance reform. She supports transparency in the system, and she is proud to have the support of 314 — grassroots scientists and doctors. It’s the height of hypocrisy that Maxine’s opponents are calling on one group to operate outside the scope of the law while simultaneously benefitting from and encouraging big-money groups coming into the race to help their own campaigns.”
