HOUSE REPUBLICAN OFFICE
NOVEMBER 7, 2017 DAILY CLIPS
STATE GOVERNMENT & POLITICS
Unclear why leaders weren’t told of OHA over payments
Portland Tribune
The Oregon Health Authority can’t say who the federal government told in 2016 that it wanted repayment of $74 million in health care funds, or why that information wasn’t shared with top managers or the governor until last month. “I don’t know what informed the decision to share and not to share,” said OHA Spokesman Robb Cowie.
Knute Buehler calls for investigation into Medicaid overpayments
Bend Bulletin
“The effective delivery and transparent administration of providing health care to Oregonians should not be a source of partisan division,” Buehler wrote in a letter to Brown. Buehler said he supports Medicaid and the expansion of the health insurance program for the poor under the Affordable Care Act. But Oregon’s problems administering the program have chipped away at the state’s reputation for health care innovation and undermined public trust in state government, Buehler said.
Knute Buehler calls for special counsel to investigate Medicaid overpayments
Portland Business Journal
“If that isn’t bad enough, officials within your administration were aware of the overpayments for over a year, did not disclose this information to the public or legislators and chose to do nothing about it. This is an unacceptable situation. The time has come for truth and accountability.”
Kate Brown adopts broad green building mandates and electric vehicle goals
The Oregonian
The goal of Brown’s two executive orders is to “drive the state’s efforts forward in reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” she told reporters after the event. “Buildings, both residential and commercial, consume about 30 percent of Oregon’s energy use.”
Oregon lawmaker resigns to lead business lobbying group
The Oregonian
In a statement, Johnson, who had a career as a general contractor, said he is grateful for the relationships he made with Capitol colleagues and constituents. “I continue to believe that if we can set aside the partisanship and focus on doing right by the people of Oregon, there is no limit to what we can accomplish regardless of the role we are serving in,” said Johnson, 60.
Trump fills 2 top fed jobs in Oregon
Bend Bulletin
The tempo of Trump administration appointments in Oregon has received a long-awaited jump start, but two key top jobs remain open 10 months after the president took office.
Former Legislator From The Dalles Wins Job With Trump Administration
Oregon Public Broadcasting
John Huffman, a Republican from the Dalles, has received one of the plum political appointments from the federal government. Huffman left the Oregon House in October after 10 years to become Oregon’s director of rural development for the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Embattled Oregon lawmaker says he is victim of blackmail campaign
The Oregonian
State Sen. Jeff Kruse said Monday he is the victim of an extortion campaign related to a YouTube video that appears to show him engaged in a video chat with a partially-clad woman.
State Sen. Jeff Kruse Claims He’s the Victim of an Extortion Attempt Involving a YouTube Video
Willamette Week
“This was a private conversation between two adults, which appears to have been captured and altered by a third party in an attempt to extort money,” Kruse tells WW via email. “This video has been reported to the Oregon State Police.”
ENERGY & THE ENVIRONMENT
Environmental groups sue over Willamette basin dams
Statesman Journal
The Native Fish Society, Wild Earth Guardians and Northwest Environmental Defense Center issued a notice of intent to sue the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers over what they’re calling the agency’s failure to improve dam passage for adult and juvenile fish. They say the corps has consistently missed deadlines or dragged its feet in meeting requirements to improve habitat conditions following a 2008 legal agreement.
MARIJUANA
December deadline for medical marijuana
Bend Bulletin
“We’re going to have to track everything in our system,” said Mark Pettinger, spokesman for the OLCC Recreational Marijuana Program. The Oregon Legislature during this year’s session imposed the deadline and tracking requirement as part of Senate Bill 1057, which requires medical marijuana produced and transferred within the medical marijuana program to be tracked by the state Cannabis Tracking System.
OPINION
Editorial: Looking for leadership, not more excuses
East Oregonian
Bad news keeps rolling out from the Oregon Health Authority. But instead of taking responsibility, Gov. Kate Brown not only ducked it but also tried to spin it as positive news. The issue is that OHA paid too much to regional health-care organizations, collected too much money from the feds as a result, and might have to repay all of it.
Register-Guard
“Women who don’t think they’re qualified don’t think about running for office. Men who don’t think they’re qualified still think about running for office.” And, history suggests, too often wind up running, winning and embarrassing themselves — and letting down their constituents — through power grabs, sex scandals or plain ineptness. If, as Lawless suggests, the issue is not voters — they’ll happily back a female candidate who’s qualified — then let’s hope the Seattle surge of women candidates is a catalyst for others. America is hungry for good leadership — perhaps as never before — and can only benefit from women’s willingness to step up and provide it.
Editorial: Congress should pass a narrow bill to end fire borrowing
Bend Bulletin
The Oregon delegation, Democrats and Republican, must agree to work for legislation that at least just ends fire borrowing this session. They all know that without that shift, there’s no chance of serious improvements to forest health.
OREGONIANS IN CONGRESS
Wyden presses UO over its handling of Bigby-Williams rape allegations
Register-Guard
Oregon’s senior U.S. senator, Ron Wyden, is demanding more information from the University of Oregon on how it handled a rape allegation leveled last year against one of its basketball players. “If these reports are accurate, they raise major questions about the university’s commitment to creating and maintaining a safe campus environment,” Wyden wrote.
Willamette Week
Wyden went on to say that the university’s response to allegations against Bigby-Williams raises questions about the sincerity of the university’s pledge to more effectively address campus safety and sexual assault. “Time and again, colleges and universities demonstrate to policymakers, students, the general public and especially to victims that too often they are acting to protect their own self-interests.”