Civil Rights

Oregon Progressives Hammer Smith On FISA

Oregonians are turning up the heat on Gordon Smith and his voting record.

Wilsonville progressive Dave Lewis posted to Blue Oregon yesterday on Smith, FISA and the rule of law.

He praised Ron Wyden for opposing retroactive immunity for the telecom industry and asked why Smith would cancel out Wyden's vote - again.

Key excerpts from Lewis’ post:

-"On Monday, Jan. 28, 2008, Sen. Gordon Smith voted to invoke cloture against Sen. Chris Dodd's filibuster of an amendment to the FISA Amendments Act of 2007. (Thank you Sen. Dodd!) The passage of this amendment would have resulted in giving retroactive immunity to the telecommunication companies and to President Bush and his administration for any of the crimes committed related to the domestic spying on US citizens which was done without legal warrants. Sen. Ron Wyden understands the protections provided to citizens by the Constitution of the United States and as a result he voted no on cloture."

-“By voting for cloture Gordon Smith was accepting and affirming the act of breaking the law. He could actually have been independent and a statesman at the same time by saying no to the illegal wiretapping of US citizens by voting no on cloture. Instead he decided to support the lawlessness of both Pres. Bush's administration and the telecoms.”

-“Clearly, the only reason to provide retroactive immunity is if laws were broken. There is significant testimony that the telecoms and the administration have been performing illegal wiretaps on US citizens long before 9/11 (it started 2 months after Bush took office).”

Discuss: Oregon Progressives Hammer Smith On FISA

Posted January 31, 2008 in Civil Rights - 0 comments

New Flyers! Gordon Smith’s GLBT Record

Gordon Smith voted for the Federal Marriage Amendment to ban gay marriage, and supported Measure 36, which banned gay marriage here in Oregon.

Download these flyers to help spread the word about Smith’s record.

Discuss: New Flyers! Gordon Smith’s GLBT Record

Posted January 31, 2008 in Civil Rights, Grassroots Resources, static - 0 comments

Oregonians Would Not Support Southwick. Why Does Smith?

Unlike Ron Wyden, Gordon Smith voted today for extremist judicial nominee Leslie Southwick.

Here is the kind of judge Smith thinks represents Oregon values:

“As a judge on the Mississippi Court of Appeals for over ten years, Judge Southwick amassed a record that favored business and insurance interests, at the expense of workers, consumers and other victims. In fact, he voted for those interests 89 percent of the time in 180 published split-decision torts and state employment law cases. Moreover, his decisions involving racism in the workplace, the qualifications of gays and lesbians to be parents, women’s property rights following the dissolution of a marriage or relationship, and allegations of racial bias in jury selection, raise questions about his commitment to equal dignity and equal justice. This report addresses specific cases which raise concerns about Judge Southwick’s suitability for a lifetime appointment to the federal bench."
(Alliance for Justice Report)

Does someone with a track record of suppressing gay rights, suppressing women's rights and favoring corporations over workers represent your values?

Would you feel comfortable appearing before Judge Southwick and having him decide your legal fate?

Especially if you knew his track record?

Consider this information from Working Assets’ website:

"• In another case, he agreed that an eight-year-old girl could be taken away from her birth mother, in large part because the mother was living with another woman in a 'lesbian home.' He also joined in the opinion that sexual orientation is a 'choice,' and that one legally acceptable consequence of that 'choice' is losing one's child.

• In a third case, he argued that a worker made sick by on-the-job exposure to toxic chemicals could not sue her employer because the three-year statute of limitations had run out...even though the worker had not learned that her illness was job-related until ten years after the onset of her symptoms.

• When pressed by Senator Durbin during recent hearings to name just one example of an unpopular decision he made in favor of the powerless, the poor, minorities or the dispossessed, Judge Southwick responded, "no.'"

Gordon Smith is elected to serve the interests of Oregonians. How can he claim those judicial decisions represent Oregon values?

Discuss: Oregonians Would Not Support Southwick. Why Does Smith?

Posted October 24, 2007 in Civil Rights - 1 comments

Will Gordon Smith Answer on Gay Rights?

President of DPO’s GLBT Caucus challenges Smith on his anti-gay record.

Before U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith (R-OR) touts his support for the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007, voters should know where President Bush’s Personal U.S. Senator stands on other important equality issues affecting Oregon.

This week Governor Ted Kulongoski is expected to sign historic anti-discrimination and gay equality bills, Senate Bill 2 and House Bill 2007. As Oregon moves forward, Frank Dixon, head of the DPO’s Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Caucus, challenged the senator on his support for pushing Oregon backward.

Questions for Senator Smith:

1. In 2004 you supported ballot Measure 36 which changed the Oregon constitution to ban gay marriage. In June of 2006 you voted for a constitutional amendment to ban same sex marriage. Why do you feel gays deserve less rights than straight people?

2. Although a United States Senator, you have often taken public positions on issues before the state legislature. So, if you were in the state legislature, would you vote for HB 2007 or SB 2?

If not, why not?

3. You are supporting U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) for president. Do you pledge to withdraw your support if Senator McCain does not vote for the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act?

Discuss: Will Gordon Smith Answer on Gay Rights?

Posted May 8, 2007 in Civil Rights, Press Room - 1 comments