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Week in Review: Abortion Takes Center Stage, Betsy Johnson Still Refuses to Take Accountability for Attempted Abuse of Legislative Immunity


In other news: Pulse Nightclub survivor weighs in on Governor’s race, Anniversary of Sick Leave and Retirement Security bills highlight stakes for working Oregonians

[Portland, OR] – This week, Oregon press zeroed in on how abortion and reproductive rights will impact the Governor’s race: 

Willamette Week – Three Clues to Where the Candidates for Oregon Governor Stand On Abortion Rights

OPB – Oregon’s next governor will have a big say in abortion rights. Voters don’t seem to realize that yet

Oregon Capital Chronicle – After Supreme Court decision, abortion rights are on the ballot in Oregon

The increased scrutiny of the candidates’ positions solidified Tina Kotek as the only true reproductive health champion in the race, and laid bare Betsy Johnson’s attempt to have her cake and eat it too:

The Oregon Capital Chronicle: 

“Betsy Johnson, a former Democratic state senator who is running as an unaffiliated candidate, is trying to have it both ways. Johnson describes her position as no different from Kotek’s, while her Republican supporters contend Johnson’s stance is effectively the same as Drazan’s.”

Erica Fuller, Pro-Choice Oregon PAC Co-Chair:

“Betsy Johnson said that she’s ‘thrilled’ to have support from the anti-choice extremist Bridget Barton. We can literally watch Barton say out loud what Betsy Johnson has been trying to hide: if she is elected Governor, Johnson would be ‘identical’ to the Right to Life-endorsed Republican, Christine Drazan. This is a red alert to every Oregonian who cares about reproductive rights: vote for Tina.

As for Christine Drazan, she continues to make it crystal clear that she is deeply out of touch with Oregonians, telling OPB that she would have vetoed the state’s landmark Reproductive Health Equity Act in 2017. 

Drazan has also been proud to tout her endorsement from Oregon Right to Life, an affiliate of the national organization that recently came under fire for arguing that the government should effectively force a 10-year-old rape victim to give birth.

Betsy Johnson Continues to Dodge Questions About Ethics, Transparency

Following last week’s reports detailing how Betsy Johnson rear-ended a driver in 2013 and then tried to “pass the costs of the crash on to taxpayers,” both The Oregonian and Tina for Oregon have been raising questions about Johnson’s stance now that she’s running to hold Oregon’s highest office:

  • Was Johnson aware of her lawyers’ invocation of legislative immunity to defend against the $260,000 personal injury lawsuit?
  • Does Johnson still stand by the argument that Oregon taxpayers should have paid for the costs resulting from her car crash?
  • Why did she believe the State of Oregon and taxpayers should take sole responsibility for her car crash?

Pulse Nightclub Survivor Weighs in on Governor’s Race

In an op-ed published by Eugene Weekly, Brandon Wolf, an Oregon native and survivor of the Pulse nightclub shooting, says that only one candidate for governor in Oregon has the courage to fight for common-sense gun violence prevention: Tina Kotek.

“While Johnson was blocking common-sense gun violence prevention legislation in the Senate, Kotek was leading the way to get it passed through the House.

“Under Kotek’s leadership, Oregon passed legislation to strengthen background checks for gun purchases, allow school districts to prohibit concealed weapons on school property and prohibit individuals convicted of domestic violence and stalking from purchasing a firearm. 

“And each time, Johnson voted no. 

“And when Drazan, a Republican, began serving in the Oregon House of Representatives in 2018, she followed suit, earning an A rating from the NRA.”

Anniversary of Paid Sick Leave, Retirement Security Highlights the Stakes for Working Oregonians 

Earlier this week, Tina Kotek celebrated the anniversary of Oregon’s paid sick leave and retirement security policies getting signed into law.

As House Speaker, Tina worked to get both landmark bills across the finish line, delivering for hundreds of thousands of workers across the state. At a time when working families struggle to keep up with rising costs, these victories are more important than ever. In contrast, both of Tina’s opponents in the Governor’s race have shown that they will side with large corporations and work against the interests of average Oregonians.

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