Police union picks Merkley for Senate

Eugene Register-Guard
By David Steves
August 21, 2008

SALEM — The union of Oregon State Police officers has endorsed Jeff Merkley in his U.S. Senate race, handing the Democratic challenger a shield against incumbent Republican Gordon Smith’s charges that Merkley is too soft on crime.

“The men and women of the Oregon State Police Officers Association have seen Jeff Merkley go to bat for law enforcement,” said the Democratic candidate’s spokesman, Matt Canter.

“This endorsement demonstrates their belief that he will do what it takes to protect our kids and families.”

Crime and law enforcement have been touchy issues in the Senate race and could flare up again. Last month, after joining successful attorney general candidate John Kroger in a plan to deal with crime, Merkley also criticized Smith’s record on the issue. Merkley cited 20 Senate floor votes in which Smith opposed legislation to maintain or increase appropriations for law enforcement and anti-crime programs.

Smith struck back through a political ally who runs Oregon’s Crime Victims United advocacy group. Steve Doell held a news conference the same day, distributing a list of five bills that Merkley had opposed as a state legislator. All made prison sentences stricter for lawbreakers. Doell also slammed Merkley because, as House speaker, he “failed to fund 24/7 police coverage of the I-5 corridor needed to help combat meth trafficking.”

That criticism ran counter to the Oregon State Police Association’s main reason for endorsing Merkley. The union’s president, Jeff Leighty, said it was Merkley’s leadership in a session that restored 100 trooper positions. It was the biggest increase since staffing reductions began in the 1980s, but fell short of the 139 trooper positions sought by the governor to provide round-the-clock freeway coverage.

“He was very helpful for us in the last legislative session, trying to get bipartisan support for the state police,” Leighty said.

The Merkley endorsement is the first to be made public among those made by the state police association, which represents about 650 of the agency’s unionized employees. Leighty said the full slate of endorsements will be released Monday. He said the endorsements include both Democrats and Republicans.

The state police association is the first law enforcement group to endorse either candidate in the Senate race. Both candidates have collected endorsements from district attorneys, and Smith has been endorsed by several county sheriffs, including Lane County’s Russ Burger.

Although crime hasn’t been a prominent issue in the Senate race since last month’s flurry of attacks, Canter said it could come up again. He said the Merkley campaign has received reports that voters were receiving telephone calls, presumably from the Smith campaign, “testing negative, misleading attacks about Merkley’s public safety record.”

Smith spokeswoman Lindsay Gilbride said she is unaware of any such activities.

Gilbride did not rule out future campaign ads criticizing Merkley’s record on crime issues, but said there are “no plans for anything right now.”

Posted August 21, 2008
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