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Conservative donors scold Oregon GOP leadership

A conservative operative and some wealthy donors say the lack of discipline and concise messaging by Republican leaders has damaged chances of a party resurgence in the November statewide elections.

<p>Oregon House Republican Leader Mike McLane. (Photo: DANIELLE PETERSON / Statesman Journal file)</p>

SALEM, Ore. -- Republican lawmakers in the Oregon Legislature have slowed the wave of Democratic policies with stalling maneuvers for much of the 2016 legislative session. But even as they do, they've had few policy wins, and the tactics may be further stressing the Republican party itself.

A conservative operative and some wealthy donors say the lack of discipline and concise messaging by Republican leaders has damaged chances of a party resurgence in the November statewide elections.

An email obtained by the Statesman Journal from conservative political organizer Gregg Clapper to Republican lawmakers and wealthy donors describes how deep the discord is between elected officials and the donors who back them.

"Is there no adult supervision in the Republican House caucus?" Clapper wrote, angry that a group of Republicans voted with Democrats on affordable housing and clean energy legislation.

He wrote that under stricter caucus leadership, "Republicans whose actions threatened Republican electability would have clearly understood that they would receive no caucus money in the next election and would really need that money because they would probably be facing someone in the primary."

Clapper has organized campaigns for Oregon's top conservative donors, including businessman Loren Parks, who has spent more on Oregon elections than anyone else. Clapper's email was sent to wealthy donors Andrew Miller, CEO of Stimson Lumber, and Larry Keith, CEO of manufacturer Entek.

Clapper said in an interview that Republicans may hurt their party and donor base by voting with Democrats. The Republicans who voted for the clean energy bill, which is backed by environmentalists, make it difficult to attack that position during elections, he said.

For Republicans who step out of line with party or financial interests, Clapper said, primary challengers may emerge. But he isn't convinced party leaders have the power to corral Republican votes in the Legislature.

"I try to take out a Republican or two every primary to instill some discipline — the things (Mike) McLane and (Ted) Ferrioli ought to do," he said of the Legislature's two Republican leaders.

Miller was also skeptical, adding, "There’s just no leadership."

McLane, the House Republican leader, was unperturbed by the criticism.

"The Republican caucus needs leadership that encourages sticking to our principles and recognizing our opportunities all for our respective districts. I'm comfortable that's what I'm doing," he said in his office Monday.

Ferrioli, the Republican leader in the Senate, described Clapper as often wrong, yet never uncertain. Ferrioli also said Clapper and his circle of donors can affect the outcome of an election.

But Republicans vary in ideology, Ferrioli said, and they represent constituents — not the Republican party or donors.

Despite criticism from Clapper, Republicans have been playing hard ball, Ferrioli said. This session they've delayed votes for hours by requiring bills to be read aloud in full, and Senate Republicans even refused to show up for debate one night. The caucus is also using "sharply worded letters and moral suasion," Ferrioli said.

Miller and Clapper said the clean energy bill is one example of ineffective leadership. The controversial bill would move Oregon from coal power to at least 50 percent renewable energy by 2040.

The bill is backed by environmentalists and green business owners who say moving away from coal would create jobs. Critics say the bill would increase rates, while boosting profits for utility companies Portland General Electric and Pacific Power. It may also be that coal-fired plants don't close, but instead sell their power out of state, resulting in little environmental benefit.

Republicans have also been angered because members of the Public Utility Commission — which represents ratepayer interests — had their criticisms of the bill silenced by Gov. Kate Brown's energy policy leader, Ruchi Sadhir.

Republican votes for the bill deepened the rift with some donors, already annoyed that Republicans lost seats in both chambers during the 2014 election — the only state legislature to do so.

Knute Buehler, R-Bend, was lambasted in Clapper's email for "hopping into bed with the Dems on Clean Coal."

"I don't vote according to what's good for any political party. I vote for what's good for the state," Buehler said Monday.

Rep. Julie Parrish, R-Tualatin said she isn't afraid to lose her seat because of her votes. She criticized many of the bills now in the Legislature as "really about catering to somebody’s donor base rather than what’s good for the communities."

Parrish said she's stopped attending Republican caucus meetings and may propose legislation in 2017 to ban party caucuses.

Rep. Bill Post, R-Keizer, said he likes that his caucus isn't forced to vote one way by its leader.

"If you were a fly on a wall in the caucus room, you'd hear, 'We're Republicans. Vote however you want,'" he said. "Maybe that's good strategy, maybe it's not."

The Republican slow-walking continued Tuesday in the Senate, where a 42-page budget bill took nearly five hours to read aloud. Every Republican voted against the bill. It passed 18-11.

gfriedman2@statesmanjournal.com, (503) 399-6653, on Twitter @gordonrfriedman or Facebook.com/gordonrfriedman

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