Officials are allowed to confide in staff

The Oregonian recently reported on whether Portland city council candidate Jim Middaugh had an unfair advantage by learning of Erik Sten’s eventual retirement more than a month prior to Sten’s formal announcement. This story wreaks of political opportunism to taint a candidate who did nothing more than work for the very man he wants to succeed.

What’s the big rant? A few of Middaugh’s competition are trying to allege that because he knew Sten was resigning a few weeks prior to the rest of the world that Middaugh established an unfair advantage for himself when he decided to enter the race.

Really. Who cares?

Three-time candidate Nick Fish complains that Middaugh could better “assemble advisors” and “reach out to friends” given the advance notice of Sten’s retirement. But, what about all the relationships with “advisors,” donors and “friends” Fish established in his two prior city council campaigns? Should Fish now be forced to share all that information with his opposition? Clearly not.

Ed Garren, another candidate in the race, claims Middaugh violated the “spirit” of voter owned elections by having more time to gather the required 1700 $5 contributions. Are we then to assume that Middaugh spent every breathing moment calling hundreds of potential supporters, asking them for five bucks and them telling them not to say anything to anyone or leak his ambitions to the press? Or is it more likely that Sten sent out a letter asking his previous supporters to get behind Middaugh once the resignation announcement was made, which is perfectly legal and certainly within the spirit of political campaigning.  Come on, use your common sense Ed.

Obviously, some are using this as another opportunity to lash out at Sten for his past misgivings (which I really have no problem with, just be honest about it). But, Middaugh really shouldn’t be punished for working for an incumbent city commissioner who had the audacity to confide in his staff (as most elected officials do) of his future decisions.

Its unfortunate the campaign dialogue has come down to who knew Sten was retiring and when. Hopefully, the candidates, and the Oregonian for that matter, will focus more on the urgent issues facing Portland residents (like the damn potholes in front of my house).