Adams tosses another challenge at Dozono campaign funds

UPDATE: State hearing looms as candidate blasts commissioner’s attempt to ‘inherit the mayor’s office’

By Nick Budnick

The Portland Tribune, Mar 10, 2008, Updated Oct 30, 2009 (55 Reader comments)

City Commissioner Sam Adams has joined a parade of mayoral candidates challenging Sho Dozono’s use of public funds for his campaign.

Adams filed late Wednesday afternoon the latest challenge to city Auditor Gary Blackmer’s decision allowing Dozono access to public funds to challenge Adams and others for the mayor's office in the May 20 primary election.

Other mayoral candidates Beryl McNair, Craig Gier and Bruce Broussard filed similar challenges with the city auditor’s office Monday and Tuesday.

A state administrative law judge will hold a hearing on the challenges Monday morning, March 17, in Tualatin. The hearing is at 9 a.m. in the Office of Adminstrative Hearings, 7995 S.W. Mohawk St.

Candidates who filed the challenges will have until 5 p.m. Friday to submit exhibits and lists of witnesses they plan to call during the hearing.

Adams’ challenge will be consolidated with the others for the hearing.

Dozono’s campaign responded Wednesday, saying Adams had “stooped to political gamesmanship in an attempt to avoid discussing the important issues facing our city.”

Amie Abbott, Dozono’s campaign manager, said the 11th-hour appeal “should make people ask, ‘What is Sam afraid of?’ ”

“He seems to believe that by eliminating Sho as the opponent, he will inherit the mayor’s office,” Abbott said. “It is arrogant of him to think that he deserves this position without having to prove to the community why he is qualified.”

Abbott also said the Dozono campaign expected to be exonerated in Monday’s hearing.

“I am confident that the Oregon state administrative law judge will confirm the decision that the city Auditor already made twice,” said Abbott.

Denied involvement

The decision to certify Dozono for public campaign funds was made by Blackmer March 5, who oversees the program.

Dozono also suggested that Adams was involved in appeals by the other candidates, citing contacts about the issue between the auditor’s office and Adams' campaign manager Jennifer Yocom.

“Jennifer Yocom, from Sam Adams’ campaign, has made repeated requests for information from the auditor’s office about the appeals process,” he said. “Once again I am disappointed that my opponent doesn't want to focus on the mayor's race.”

Yocom, however, denied any involvement in the development.

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