2024 Elections | Oregon Attorney General

Neither candidate for Oregon Attorney General responded to Street Roots’ multiple requests for comment. While the AG race may not be at the top of voters’ list during a presidential election, the race is highly consequential for a host of social justice issues. The Oregon Fraternal Order of Police, the Taxpayer Association of Oregon, Associated Oregon Loggers and others endorsed Republican Will Lathrop. The Planned Parenthood PAC, Working Families Party, NAYA Action Fund and others endorsed Democrat Dan Rayfield.

Here are the questions we wanted to know the answers to.

– ORS 195.530 requires cities’ regulation of survival activities must be “objectively reasonable,” and also take into account the resources available to houseless individuals and the impact of the regulations on people experiencing homelessness. Elected officials across the state have called on the State Legislature to change this law, but it is still the current state law. How can you assure homeless constituents your office will protect their civil rights if cities choose to respond to homelessness through punitive measures?

– Last year, the Oregon Legislature intervened to repeal the fledgling Measure 110, which Oregon voters passed with over 58% of the vote in 2020. HB 4002 recriminalized possession of a controlled substance and left the option for counties to offer deflection programs, but did not require it. How will your office ensure equal protection under the law as cities grapple with differing drug laws and a statewide public defender crisis?

– Energy companies have recently promised elected officials and consumers that they are transitioning from traditional fossil fuels to renewable energy. Recent reporting shows that one of the largest companies in Oregon, NW Natural, falsely claimed it would transition despite no apparent changes in the amount of fossil fuels it used before. This tactic is used by other companies as well, including Zenith Energy, whose oil-by-rail and storage operations sit along the Willamette River. Like NW Natural, Zenith has consistently violated its own promises since as early as 2018. How will your office hold companies accountable and ensure they uphold their commitments to the environment?

Street Roots is an award-winning weekly investigative publication covering economic, environmental and social inequity. The newspaper is sold in Portland, Oregon, by people experiencing homelessness and/or extreme poverty as means of earning an income with dignity. Street Roots newspaper operates independently of Street Roots advocacy and is a part of the Street Roots organization. Learn more about Street Roots. Support your community newspaper by making a one-time or recurring gift today.

This article appears in October 9, 2024.