Her name was never mentioned in a recent NPR story, For election workers, Trump’s lies have meant threats, harassment and a poisoned dog, nonetheless, most locals know that the woman driving a Jeep Gladiator harassing and threatening election workers collecting ballots for the 2022 November election is local business owner, CRL (Citizens Restoring Liberty) member, and outspoken political activist, Denesa Rains.

Also unnamed in the article is fellow election denier and CRL member, Diane Rich.  Rich’s frivolous lawsuit against the county alleging a litany of unsubstantiated election fraud and which was dismissed by a judge for a complete lack of merit did receive mention.

Chris Arnold’s reporting lays bare for a national audience the inexcusable conduct of Rains, Rich, and members of CRL toward our election workers and how, up to now, too many citizens have normalized this behavior.

Both women have taken issue with the well-sourced and accurate representation of how CRL treated county staff. Rains opted to defend her character and refute the NPR story inexplicably appearing anonymously as the “mystery woman” on Rob Taylor’s far-right outrage radio program.

Rains begins her character reconstruction by lying and denigrating Arnold and his reporting, the same vile fact-free accusations she delivered to election workers.  She falsely claims Arnold was “wined and dined” by local democrats.

“I definitely was not wined and dined.  I ate all my meals by myself.” Arnold writes in an email. “And NPR paid for my trip and meals and lodging and everything else of course.”

Rains again stretches the truth and complains Arnold never interviewed her for the story. Yet Arnold made numerous attempts to reach her while he was in town even asking Rod Taylor to connect him and she failed to respond.

“She finally responded to a text just this week,” explains Arnold, “and she refused to do an interview with me.”

Rob Taylor has exhibited no qualms about allowing factually challenged guests on his program so her claims were presented as truthful to his listeners and even he referred to the NPR story as a hit piece on CRL. One interesting thing did come out and has been alluded to earlier by Matt Wilbanks on his blog is that a rift has formed amongst the CRL ranks.

CRL is taking a hiatus for the summer, according to sources, and the main cause of the schism is Rains. Apparently, her treatment of election workers including following them to their homes was too much and some members stopped attending the regular Friday meetings.

Her aberrant behavior did not discourage CRL co-founder, January 6th insurrectionist, and Commissioner Rod Taylor from voting for Rains last February to replace David Brock Smith in Oregon House District 1. Rains’ contribution to his campaign may have influenced his decision but it appears Rains is one of the unherdable “cats” Taylor alludes to in the NPR story. As we have seen with the MAGA crowd, all too often competence is sacrificed in favor of loyalty.

Rich uses her monthly newsletter, Coos News, to downplay and belittle their victims in the county clerk’s office. “Coos elections office have not been under attack – the most vial (her spelling not mine) thing that plagued them was a loud and pushy group (four people) who ate fried fish lunch in the hall and asked questions.”

Like Rains, and the documented lies of Rod Taylor, Rich has a tenuous relationship with honesty. These people along with radio host Rob Taylor who has his ties to terrorist organizations like the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, are representative of the quality of people currently calling negative national attention to Coos County.

Rains interview is available on Taylor’s blog under podcasts. The segment begins on the third hour of July 3, 2023. Just prior Taylor is engaged in a discussion with Tom, of Tom & Gig’s, an advertising supporter of the show. During the chit chat Tom jokes that LGBT stands for “liberty, guns, beer and Trump” and then shares his opinion that the LGBTQIA+ community is, and I am paraphrasing, an abomination.

What is important to note here is that local businesses continue to provide financial support through their advertising dollars. It would not be much of stretch to expect that Tom & Gig’s or any of their advertisers will not treat pro-democracy liberals, people of color, or the LGBTQIA+ community with the respect and dignity they deserve.

Oregon’s Bay Area, a licensee of Coos Commons Protection Council, is compiling a list of ally-owned businesses where everyone can expect to be treated and charged fairly. For now, we suggest caution when using the following businesses.

 

Rob Taylor’s advertisers include:

Bandon Supply

Bayshore Automotive

Coos Comfort Furniture & Appliance

Gib’s RV

Herbal Choices Cannabis

Tom & Gig’s

World Pawn Exchange

Coos News advertisers as of July 2023 issue include:

The Rob Taylor Report

Johnson Rock

Les Schwab Tires

Multi-Use Storage, Coquille

Act Now Websites & Marketing

Expert Towing and Auto Sales

Pacific Properties

Lloyd Electric

Avery Plumbing

Clean Rivers Landscaping

Lakeside Vintage

Coos Comfort Furniture & Appliance

 

 

 

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