Scuffle at the scam shop
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| Lewkow, Mottet. |
I see that there's trouble in the Portland "small donors program," the latest version of public financing of city politicians' election campaigns. The deputy of the office has loudly quit and is accusinng the director of being an incomptent bully.
Daniel Lewkow alleged in a Nov. 22 letter that Small Donor Elections head Susan Mottet fostered a toxic work environment that made his job untenable, documents obtained through a public records request show....
Lewkow, who joined the city’s matching funds program after its creation in 2019, claimed his boss’ poor stewardship prompted persistent complaints about payment delays and other administrative hiccups from candidates and their campaigns during an historic 2024 election year that saw more than 100 people run for Portland office.
Even if Mottet, a former lefty lobbyist who has been hawking public campaign finance for years, is being wrongfully accused here, that office is a blight and really needs to be shut down. Handing out scarce taxpayer millions to every Tom, Dick, and Harry running for City Hall offices has always been a bad idea. It was supposed to get big money out of local politics, but it hasn't. It's attracted utterly unelectable nutjobs and weasels who are quick to manipulate the system to get money they aren't entitled to.
I was disappointed to see the O reporter (sorry, he's behind the Paywall of Pity) regurgitate the phony line that this program dates back only to 2019. In fact, Portland has been paying big bills for local hacks' campaigns since the initial "clean money" fiasco of 2006. They just rearranged the deck chairs and changed the name a couple of times. It's been all very Amanda Fritz-y.
But at least the O is now saying "The program has faced numerous troubles and challenges in the past 12 months." Gee, d'ya think? Every once in a while they come close to getting it right.
After nearly two decades of this, it's time to ask the ultimate question: Have all those millions made city government better? Of course they haven't. And they never will.
The political machine in Portland seems to like nonsense like this department. It encourages oddball candidates. Who would never attract enough support to fund a cheap mailer and therefore makes the machine candidates appear to be a better choice.
ReplyDeleteAre you telling me money doesn't grow on trees? Instead of paying candidates, how about banning political ads and providing media outlets with a budget to provide forums that host the candidates?
ReplyDeleteFritz made rational and appropriate use of the funds and was reasonably moderate and astute comish. We should be so fortunate.
ReplyDeleteCount me among the people who don’t feel fortunate.
DeleteFritz sat next to Eudaly and Hardesty for years and said, “This is fine. We need more of this.”
Delete"How about banning political ads?" Meet the First Amendment.
ReplyDeleteHowever high minded the concept, the potential for abuse and graft is simply too great, so there's folks who are literally in the business of gaming the system. A version with more $$ is flailing in NYC, Adams being denied millions because the "small donors" turned out to be straw people through which foreign money was funneled.
ReplyDelete