Tonight, April 26th? Sounds as if he as confused as Opie.

I don't think "going" is support. You go, get the show, wine & cheese you've already paid for ... and then don't vote for him. Thinking about it, you could actually "hurt" his campaign; you take up space, food & booze that would have been used to attract additional folks. Plus, you (and those like you) will definitely put a damper on the mood (i.e. not applauding Middaugh), making the party seem like more about Jones than Middaugh.

VOE has become a vehicle for taxpayers to fund candidate booze parties, how nice. With Portland's lack of fund to enforce our drug laws, partially due to VOE $1.5M and increasing costs, I imagine illegal consumption of meth will be a part of it. Weird again.

It looks like you are going to have to pay for your own wine and food ...

The City's website says: "All candidates and treasurers are responsible for knowing and understanding the contents of this manual [the State of Oregon Campaign Finance Manual]."

The Manual states:

"Food or refreshments, at no charge, cannot be the featured attraction to induce people to attend a political event (e.g., an advertisement that announces 'Join John Doe at a free spaghetti feed')."

I'd rather see money spent on wine, cheese, and music (or even Spitzeresque hookers?) than lawn signs.

Don't the VOE rules prohibit the purchase of alcohol?

cannot be the featured attraction

But can they be an attraction? Can Stendaugh say the music is "the featured attraction," and free food or drink was just incidental?

Wait -- maybe we need a ruling from Blackmer, and a hearing in Tualatin!

The City's website says: "All candidates and treasurers are responsible for knowing and understanding the contents of this manual [the State of Oregon Campaign Finance Manual]."

C'mon, it doesnt matter what that manual says. VOE makes up its own rules as it goes along.

Nice attempt to make something out of nothing. The campaign didn't buy a thing - anyone who came last night bought their own wine, and, as you didn't notice, it says "order some great food", aka buy your own, for the Gotham event next week. Both musicians are volunteering to play. So no money of anyone's was or will be spent.

Barbara above says, "Both musicians are volunteering to play...So no money of anyone's was or will be spent."

But isn't that the definition of "in-kind" contribution? Such an in-kind contribution of a poll was enough to disqualify mayoral candidate Sho Dozono from getting public funding for his campaign. We're all waiting to see what value is placed on those musicians' in-kind contributions.

Sigh...I am reminded why I almost never blog. But to get back to the facts: 2.10.0990F: "Volunteer personal services to a committee are non-reportable other receipts and shall not count against the applicable limit on In-Kind Contributions...." A poll is not a volunteer personal service. A person making phone calls or playing music or doing data entry is a volunteer personal service.

"A poll is not a volunteer personal service. A person making phone calls or playing music or doing data entry is a volunteer personal service."

So phoning people to tell them how to vote is a volunteer service, but phoning people to ask them who they will vote for is not a volunteer service ...

I'm glad we cleared that one up.

"So phoning people to tell them how to vote is a volunteer service, but phoning people to ask them who they will vote for is not a volunteer service ..."

C'mon. Somebody paid people to conduct the poll. It was a professional service purchased and then donated. Yes, volunteers working on a phone bank are different, both legally and logically.

VOE and the Campaing Finance Manual don't say anything about free Vegan strippers and lap dances. Dancers work for tips only anyway, so business as usual.

Barbara Warner, the OLCC has many regulations and controls on people bringing their own liquor to events, establishments that control the dispensing of liquor. Sounds like your event might not have complied with Oregon's stringent liquor laws nor VOE regulations. It could be that the money limits on "in-kind contributions" were exceeded too.

Sam, and other candidates should make sure the laws are being followed as Sam so eloquently stated on TV and to the press.

So no money of anyone's was or will be spent.

What did the campaign pay to the owner of the bar? Do they allow large parties with live music in their establishments without a fee? If not, one would think the customary fee was an "in kind" contribution, at least.

I am sure there were campaign staffers there; were they getting paid for their time?

And if these events are Dutch treat, you might want to put that in the e-mail come-ons. I believe they call it a "no-host bar."

Anybody have the date/time and venue for the free VOE vegan strippers?

Not for me (I'm married), it's for a single herbivore guy I know.