The Portland city auditor’s office has issued a warning to Mayor Ted Wheeler for failing to disclose his top campaign donors, which candidates are required to do under stringent campaign finance regulations that went into effect in September.
The auditor’s office said Wheeler, who is running for reelection, violated the rules by failing to put the necessary disclosures on his campaign website, which would have identified the campaign’s biggest donors and their industry alignments.
The mayor’s Facebook and Twitter account also didn’t have the necessary disclosures, according to the auditor’s office. The office said the social media sites related to the mayor’s campaign need to disclose the largest donors. This could occur in the "about" section of the profile, according to Deborah Scroggin, Portland’s elections officer.
Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler announces his reelection campaign Monday, Oct. 15, 2019, in Portland, Ore. Few mayors in recent history have sought a second term.
Rebecca Ellis / OPB
These new rules are some of the few enforceable parts of the strict campaign finance limit law, which was approved by Portland voters in 2018. The rest of the measure, which would limit individual donations to $500, is in legal limbo while the Oregon Supreme Court decides whether these sorts of contribution limits violate constitutionally guaranteed free-speech protections.
The alleged violation of these rules was reported to the city auditor's office by Ron Buel, a Portland campaign finance activist. Voters "should know [Wheeler's] big contributions are coming from corporations and prominent businessmen and trade associations," Buel told OPB last week.
According to the city auditor’s office, the four biggest contributors to the mayor’s campaign are:
- Melvin Mark Brokerage Co.
- Local 48 Electricians PAC (4572)
- Portland Metropolitan Association of Realtors PAC (6165)
- Peter Brix, an owner of a tug and barge company
Portland Metro Firefighters PAC (223), American Beverage Association, Kroger and four individual donors — including Peter Brix’s wife — were tied for fifth-place. Scroggin said this ranking had been confirmed by the mayor’s campaign.
The mayor’s campaign must list these donors and provide information about them on his website and social media profiles by May 5 or be fined up to $3,000 for each violation, according to the auditor's office.
In a statement, the mayor’s campaign said they’ll make the changes by the auditor's deadline.
“The City acknowledged that these new rules are complex, and clarity was delayed because of COVID-19 disruptions,” read the statement. “We have always maintained that we are committed to transparency and disclosure, and these new rules, while late in the process, provide needed guidance not just for our campaign, but all City of Portland campaigns.”
On Wednesday, the mayor's campaign website was updated to include the top contributors and their industries. His social media profiles have yet to be updated.