At the recent Bandon candidate forum for position one candidates Bob Main, Randy Sanne and Fred Messrle the topic of campaign donations from the Coos County Alliance for Progress which included funds from Jordan Cove Energy and Oregon Resources. Some audience members asked if Messerle would recuse himself when voting on the ORC mineral leases or on Jordan Cove LNG and his answers can be viewed at Coos Media Center and are roughly transcribed below.
MESSERLE: There’s 63,000 people in this county… It is somewhat humbling the support I have had in this campaign. With regard to who has chosen to support me, that has certainly been their choice and I have a lot of support, really gratifying the support I have had all across the spectrum and my feeling from that is that very encouraging that the message I have for Coos County and that I want to bring some vision and leadership to it and that so many are willing to support it.
Messerle’s $15,155 in campaign contributions is greater than any of the fifteen candidates running for commissioner but does it breakdown into broad support as he claims? Of the total money received $11,159 or almost 74% is from only eight contributors. Messerle’s OreStar account shows a couple of aggregate entries with donations of less than $100 but of the 34 notations for contributions eight contributions between $200 and $500 amount for almost 18% and eighteen contributions of less than $200 account for less than 9% of his purse. As Messerle points out there are 62,000 people in this county and very few are showing financial support for his message and it remains to be seen how this will translate into votes.
8 contributors $11,159 73.63% >= $500
8 contributors $2,671 17.62% $200
18 contributors $1,325 8.74% < $200
Total $15,155
Asked if Messerle would recuse himself from voting on matters benefiting his donors, specifically ORC which contributed $5000 to CCAP, Messerle answered, "I do believe that when the lease comes before the board it will be fully transparent and I certainly will have the obligation to look out for the county's interests and I believe that I can do that."
$15,155 34
Thanks M…
And as an aside, I’ll be voting for Rocky Anderson (Justice/Oregon Progressive Party candidate) this fall…Go Rocky!
Excellent choises, Salmonologist, although I don’t know your conservative friend. Nevertheless, a third party vote or in this case a vote for whom you want versus what is presented is a powerful statement. As a matter of course I have voted third party for years just to register my disappointment with the two party system and in some instances I really wanted my alternative choice to win.
edit: an honest
Ok folks, I have to send my ballot in because I’m leaving town…I’m going to put Randy down, and my small protest write-ins will be for Jody in #2, and the Myrtle Point Water Treatment operator, Ernie Newton, in #3. Mr. Newton is conservative but is very open-minded (can a conservative be that way?…he can) and is a honest, hard-working guy. I realize that these write-ins are purely symbolic, but there is no one running for #2 or #3 that is palatable.
Happy May Day!
Messerle is transparent all right. The moron slimeballs who have been driving Coos County and its beautiful Bay into the ditch have created interest from other parts of the state. Their schemes for pipelines and coal trains have the potential to harm other areas and we notice. If he wins this election, it will be great news for the attorneys waiting to sue any decision where there is a conflict of interest and back room shady deals on issues from the sale of public timber to the mismanagement of the Port. The cash they make disappear comes from all of the taxpayers of this wonderful place, Oregon. Like I said, we notice.
The few people who will support these three have already given all they will give unless one of them makes it through the primary.
It’ humbles me too Fred. You’re going to lead us? Where to Fred? I’ve seen no leadership, just a coup of sorts. Isn’t that what it’s called? The man doesn’t speak most of the time, lead my arse.
Also, have you noticed that Messerle, Sweet, and Cribbins reported campaign donations to the state frequently, now seldom. since they know you are watching and reporting. Times up. Who is best qualified for positions 2 and 3. This is the first time that I have not received and returned my ballot the same day.
Messerle was correct calling himself a slimy snake! If Barton, Pettit and Slater pull this off and get us to elect Messerle, they, not Messserle, deserve recognition. Listen to KWRO 630 AM at 3:07 PM today to hear Jim Bice go ballistic for his audience that last measured about 11,000 local people.