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Friday, February 22, 2008
Election 2008 Is Sho Dozono Thinking About Dropping Out of Public Financing?
Posted by on Fri, Feb 22 at 4:41 PM
2/28 UPDATE: See this post for a clarification of Abbott’s comments.
I’m writing to correct my statements made to you last Friday, which were reported in your Election 2008 blog 2/22/08. I made a mistake by saying that Steph Dozono is not affiliated with the Sho for Mayor campaign. Obviously as the daughter of the candidate she is by virtue affiliated.Additionally, Steph had an integral role in the campaign launch. While I do not see Steph at our campaign headquarters often, she does volunteer on behalf of the campaign, assisting with campaign-related events.
In my statement last Friday, I did not intend to say that she does not play a role in her Dad’s campaign. My intent was to clarify that she was not speaking on behalf of the campaign.
While Steph does not speak on behalf of the campaign, she is very active in working to get her Dad elected. I used poor word choice in representing Steph Dozono’s role in the campaign, and am writing to amend my past statement.
UPDATE: I heard back from Amie Abbott, Dozono’s campaign manager. Are they thinking of switching to private financing?
“We do not have any intentions whatsoever of switching to go private financing. We’re committed to going the public financing route, and we’re confident that the auditor will get us our certification and we’ll be running,” she says.
She wanted to add that “Stephanie Dozono is not authorized to speak on behalf of the dozono campaign.”
Why does that matter? Because the questions to the auditor came from Stephanie, Sho’s daughter. The answers to the questions were cc’d to Dozono, Abbott, and the campaign’s treasurer. I had requested all communication between the Dozono campaign and the auditor’s office over the past week; None of the communications came from Dozono staffers claiming Stephanie wasn’t authorized to ask the questions.
Abbott adds: “She’s an innocent child who I would assume is just sort of feeling things out as a child of a parent running for office. She in no way shape or form speaks on behalf of the campaign. I want you to clearly understand that Stephanie Dozono is not affiliated with our campaign.”
Indeed, Stephanie Dozono sent the questions from her personal email account. However, I’ve received a campaign press release from Stephanie, sent from a steph@shoformayor.com email—on January 14 she reported that the campaign had reached the halfway point in collecting contributions, and she’s spoke to the press during the signature gathering effort, updating on the campaign’s progress.
Originally posted at 10:38 am: The Sho Dozono campaign has turned in all of the paperwork needed to address the issues the auditor’s office outlined in Dozono’s initial certification letter for public financing. The Auditor now has 10 business days—by March 5—to make a final determination on whether Dozono gets roughly $160K in public funding.
But it looks like the Dozono campaign is stressing about that determination, and what happens if it triggers a complaint from another mayoral candidate—which would in turn result in a hearing before a city hearings officer.
Earlier this week, the Dozono campaign submitted a list of questions to the auditor’s office, asking things like:
Would a certification hearing or a request for a certification hearing delay the potential certification of Sho Dozono or delay the distribution of funds were Sho Dozono to be certified[?]
and
If an appeal is filed from another candidate in the Mayor’s race, is a press release also issued with this notification to the media, or is a hearing related to certification considered between the disputing parties?
Clearly, the campaign is concerned that questions over the poll—which Dozono finally reported in ORESTAR on February 15 as an in-kind from himself, but backdated to December 21—are likely to lead to a hearing. Their concerns aren’t unfounded: The auditor has also responded to a question from the Adams campaign, asking if the auditor’s determination that the poll doesn’t exceed the $12K in-kind cap for publicly financed candidates is a final determination, subject to appeal. (Answer: No, that determination won’t be subject to appeal until the final determination letter is issued—the one due by March 5.)
The Dozono campaign’s most revealing questions, however, are these:
Regarding a status change: What is the process for a candidate to change from a participating to a nonparticipating candidate[?]During the appeal process/certification hearing, can Sho Dozono decide during the process to withdraw as a Participating Candidate?
If Sho Dozono were to choose to change from a Participating candidate to a non-participating candidate before certification, the City Code seems to indicate that this needed to happen before the end of the Qualifying Period. Can a participating candidate change to non-participating status after the end of the Qualifying Period (January 31)?
I’ve asked the Dozono campaign if they’re considering a switch, to get out ahead of any negative publicity that could come with a hearing or disqualification. I’ve yet to hear back from the campaign from questions I asked about the poll’s reporting on Tuesday, but if they respond to my new inquiry, I’ll update here.
Comments
Is anyone else worried that if Sho and his team cannot even figure out how to handle this one small task of getting public financing -- how in the world can we expect them to run the city? Given the last mayor with zero experience (Potter) has not accomplished a single thing I'm voting for Sam.
Is anyone else worried that if Sho and his team cannot even figure out how to handle this one small task of getting public financing -- how in the world can we expect them to run the city? Given the last mayor with zero experience (Potter) has not accomplished a single thing I'm voting for Sam.
If a local businessperson makes a donation, why is that not a "grass roots" donation? Sort of sounds as if business people are considered by some as BY DEFINITION not "grassroots". As the vast majority of business people in Portland are neither wealthy not members of powerful networks of the wealthy, why should their donations be considered suspect?
You are correct, Joel. The point I was trying to make was that the Portland Business Alliance will most likely heavily support Dozono. Their interests are not always the interest of the small business people that you mention.
This is the same scam that John McCain is trying to run right now.
The VOE system is an incumbent insurance policy. Adams is an incumbent, although not an incumbent mayor. Dozono cannot beat him in an even money race, which VOE ensures.
I agree with Bob and have thought so from the get go. Dozono jumps onto the wildly popular VOE program, gathers an impressive number of signatures in no short order, and rides a populist wave.
Meanwhile, Len Bergstein knows they will need more money to win. So, Dozono cites his popularity, claims he tried to do the right thing, switches to conventional financing and starts raising big bucks for the campaign.
With Adams at only sixty grand so far, Dozono will probably easily out spend him.
This just goes to show that the whole public financing system is stupid and needs to be dropped asap!
Sho should not use public funds because Sam the Scam isn't...The Scam will just buy the election otherwise.
Also, I can't wait for the skeletons in the Scams closet to start coming public because he is a bad man. It will be funny to see Scam taken down.
I have used up my one complaint already.
Amy
Can you please release what you mentioned in your post - what did the Adams campaign specifically ask - sounds like they were prying and jumping the gun - to try to make sure Sam Adams has no competition in the race - sounds juicy - tell me more about how the Adams campaign triggered this reaction
Here's the real question: if Sho doesn't qualify for public funds, will he still run? He promised he wouldn't back in January. Will he break his word if things don't go his way?
Here's the real question: if Sho doesn't qualify for public funds, will he still run? He promised he wouldn't back in January. Will he break his word if things don't go his way?
I believe he promised he wouldn't if he didn't get the signatures. He got the signatures. The way things have unfolded he may or may not get financing, but either way I think he will and should still run.
No. That's not true. Here's what he said, in his own words:
"I made a commitment that if I don't qualify, I will not run for mayor."
Here's the link to the Tribune article where he says it: http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/story.php?story_id=119974072886075600
I'm a supporter of VOE but I find it unfortunate that as a sequel to Emily Boyles we have the Sho debacle. It also doesn't help VOE's case that the first candidate to qualify for the program, Amanda Fritz, is an annoying blowhard who is willing to bring the campaign to the gutter to win. Oh well. Thanks for ruining a great program guys!
So, is there some kind of time-frame or deadline for filing this complaint?
ooooh.
what a scandal. not.
i still think he'd be better than sammy boy
ooooh.
what a scandal. not.
i still think he'd be better than sammy boy
ooooh.
what a scandal. not.
i still think he'd be better than sammy boy
Amy Ruiz misquoted Amie Abbott - Amie Abbott didn't call Steph an "innocent child" but she said that Steph made an "innocent mistake." Amy Ruiz didn't get it right.
Steph never speaks on behalf of the campaign – that’s Amie Abbot’s job. She mentioned to me that the reporter in "The Bee" grabbed her name out of thin air - she wasn't even at the event in which he said Steph was at. Steph never spoke to that reporter but he quoted her and put her name down on it as if it she'd had some sort of interaction with him.
To be clear here about the contents of this post, Amy Ruiz and Steph never spoke, although her name is all over this blog posting...
I never claimed to speak to Stephanie—I said I've received a press release from her, via her official campaign email address.
And Abbott's comments to me were left in a voice mail. I just listened to them again, and she clearly says "innocent child."
And Abbott's comments to me were left in a voice mail. I just listened to them again, and she clearly says "innocent child."
Snap! Nice failed attempt at discrediting Amy, "volunteer."
Kyle – my understanding is that any mayoral candidate can file a complaint or challenge the certification of another mayoral candidate—but you would have to be a mayoral candidate. Maybe Amy can tell us the timeline?
Yes, any mayoral candidate can file a complaint—i.e., appeal another mayoral candidate's public financing certification.
Via the auditor's office, in response to the Adams campaign question:
If the Auditor issues Mr. Dozono a letter granting certification, an opponent of Mr. Dozono may then file a written request for a hearing no later than 7 days after the mailing of the determination letter for a certification.City Code Section 2.10.230.B.1:
B. Types of Hearings.
1. Certification Hearings. A Candidate who has received a Determination
Letter refusing certification or an opponent of a Candidate who has been
granted certification under Section 2.10.080 may challenge a certification
decision by filing a written request for a hearing as outlined in Section 2.10.230
Child implies someone young. The daughter in question in this case is in her late 20s...not that any of this really matters.
"...but you would have to be a mayoral candidate."
Damn. Not even Blogtown readers know who I am? I must really not be doing this right.
You better believe that if Sho gets his cert, Scam's campaign will contest it. It's just the sort of political game playing we can count on Scam to do, since he can't win an even race.
Or Sam will contest it because it's fairly clear Sjo is cheating the VOE system, and it would be the right thing to do for Sam to call him on it.
"Snap! Nice failed attempt at discrediting Amy, "volunteer."
Amy does a good job of that on her own.
Why is it that the Portland Alt media INCLUDING the Mercury is looking for the smallest, stupid stuff on Sho? Spend some time of Sam the Scam and you will find some very bad things...even criminal!
Sam the Scam can do no wrong in your eyes I guess...but he is a horrible person. I can't wait until the rather dark background of Sam the scam is exposed...because it will be soon, and he is a bad, bad man!
Since you are in the know FoSho, why is Sam a horrible person and what criminal things did Sam do?
I don't know about criminal, but Sam's record certainly shows that he is as inept a steward of public resources that can be found anywhere. Add to that his arrogance, vindictive nature and general disrespect of the subjects he wants so badly to rule and I must remain firmly in the "Anybody but Sam" camp.
I do not think the press will change their position on this poll "issue". The press is focused on this single issue which does not allow or provide any information on the candidates' goals for mayor.
Why doesn't the press change it's name to the "gossip channel" and stop disguising itself as a press media.
Not a Good Queer on Blogspot
I'm sure the Merc would be happy to talk about Sho's platform, if he ever got around to letting the public in on it.
I'm pretty sure that Steph, the "innocent child" is either 30 or 31. This first time candidate has sure mastered the art of spin control. What a joke.
I’m writing to correct my statements made to you last Friday, which were reported in your Election 2008 blog 2/22/08. I made a mistake by saying that Steph Dozono is not affiliated with the Sho for Mayor campaign. Obviously as the daughter of the candidate she is by virtue affiliated.
Additionally, Steph had an integral role in the campaign launch. While I do not see Steph at our campaign headquarters often, she does volunteer on behalf of the campaign, assisting with campaign-related events.
In my statement last Friday, I did not intend to say that she does not play a role in her Dad's campaign. My intent was to clarify that she was not speaking on behalf of the campaign.
While Steph does not speak on behalf of the campaign, she is very active in working to get her Dad elected. I used poor word choice in representing Steph Dozono’s role in the campaign, and am writing to amend my past statement.
Amie Abbott
Well I'm glad I'm finally getting the straight story. Amy Ruiz doesn't make it easy. I'm glad the Sho for Mayor Campaign is trying to help the media understand that everything is not always doom and gloom. Try to look on the bright side for once Portland Mercury and Willamette Week, you guys are bumming me out.
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I've suspected from day one that this would be Dozono's plan. He would make a very public effort to qualify for public support to show that his campaign is "grass roots" but in the end he would tap into his business community connections to actually fund his campaign. Doesn't surprise me in the least.