The endless legal maneuvering and lawyers all over the place definitely shows this program makes things easy and affordable for all!

If Jim Middaugh and Chris Smith get elected it might as well be called
Voter Owned Cloning.

This is now officially "gotcha" funding. I think its a land mine to get the outsiders who don't understand the arcane VoE. I am just wating for Adams' next big dirty trick against Dozono now.

How come no one is making a big deal of Adam's NOT taking VoE funds? I thought this signified someone who was in the pockets of big money? I am sure the only reason Sammy boy did this is not to get out-spent.

Why let the voters decide on the next Mayor when Tram boy can lawyer up and (possibly) knock his only legitimate opponent out of the funding game?

If Sho keeps his VOE funds (and doesn't lose outright in the primary), you can expect more legal challenges to VOE compliance before the general election.

It's a strategy designed to smear Sho Dozono as an "insider who can't be trusted" so that "Shake Up City Hall" Commissioner Adams is the progressive and populist alternative.

The double-dub is at def-con 3 and will do everything in their power to discredit Sho. It will be interesting to see if they dig up any new dirt, or have to recycle the old innuendo.

Conversely, a helmet hair photo of Sam standing next to his bike will soon be on he cover (next to a bike box), with in depth analysis of how much has been accomplished in the last few years, and how much more Sam will do for us if he wins the Mayor's race.

Blech!

There are some distinct issues that keep getting blurred--deliberately?

One is who will be mayor. Lots of loathing of Sam Adams. I put myself in that camp.

Separate from that is whether or not Dozono screwed up by getting an in-kind contribution larger than permitted for anyone who wants public campaign funds. I have to say, it certainly looks as if he did. The article about the hearing in Tuesday's Oregonian in fact gives a timeline of all the campaign-related activities that Dozono was engaged in before his nominally official declaration of candidacy.

Please keep the issues separate.

The VOE business has most definitely taken on circus-like characteristics this year. But why is a law professor seemingly dissing the fact that a court has been convened to interpret the law? Isn't that what courts are supposed to do?

Did anyone else notice the woman who is running SCAM ADAM's campaign turned her face away when they were taking photos at the election hearings? Is she that affraid to be identified?

That woman is Jennifer Yocom. She ran Sten's campaign in '06 and I got to know her and like her. I am terribly disappointed that she remains Sam's campaign manager after his decision to mount this legal challenge. I think it is a strategic blunder that will backfire on their campaign.

Sho Sam the Door!

I agree with joeldanwalls, the court is needed to help the public understand our confusing new VOE law. Not all citizens have the prerequisite understanding that the professor's students have.

This case has taught me how influential lobbyists like Len Bergstein are as Portland's kingmakers. As long as he pays for his own polls, he should be able to influence, if not dominate, nearly any future VOE campaign. I had no idea how important polling is. Nor did I realize how important the timing of the announcement to run was.

Unlike Jack, I don't think it's a waste of time and money to educate the public about our laws.

Regardless of the outcome, it looks to me like Sho is in Bergstein's pocket.

I thought that Sam did not mount a challenge. I thought the "other" candidates did it.

That fakery is over, eh?

The VOE law is confusing and someone needs to clarify what it all means. However, it seems like everyone is piling on Sho Dozono for what may have been an unsuspecting mistake. If the city and the state cannot agree on what the VOE rules are, how can anyone expect any citizen to know all the ins and outs. I don't think Sho Dozono is in anyone's pocket; he is successful enough as a businessperson to know his own mind. I do think that Sam Adams has a terrific sense of entitlement, i.e. you must elect me mayor because I am the heir apparent. Sorry Sam, you will not have my vote ever.

John and others, I know time is precious, but it would be great if some of you read, watched the news, or clicked on "this" above, before you post nonsense. Yes, Sam did mount a challenge. Its been all over the news and here.

why is a law professor seemingly dissing the fact that a court has been convened to interpret the law?...

I don't think it's a waste of time and money to educate the public about our laws.

To the extent that these words were written by different people (which I doubt), you're both badly mischaracterizing my position on VOE. Typical Stennies.

The VOE law is stupid. It's bad policy, even if it were well written. And of course, it was written by Sten and Blackmer, whose combined brain power is not strong.

Now we are wasting full days on interpreting their handiwork, with guys like Roy Pulvers sitting there with the meter running at $200 or $300 an hour. The taxpayers are paying for many of the people who are sitting there, over and above the $1 million plus that's been handed out to guys like Branam and Busse to fritter away.

The Sellwood Bridge is falling down. The schools are crumbling. The streets are crumbling. The gangsters are shooting the place up all day and night. And we have millions for this? No.

The whole program is a mistake, starting with Emilie Boyles and running right through the many sideshows this time around -- Sho, Branam, and who knows how many more before we get through '08. It needs to be put up for a public vote, where it is doomed. As it always was.

"Unlike Jack, I don't think it's a waste of time and money to educate the public about our laws."

I think the issue is more about making up laws like VoE to prove how pure/impure candidates are since there is no real basis that VoE results in any less corruptible of a candidate.

We then spin our wheels bending this rule around and then convening administrative law sessions interpreting what this poorly written and executed piece of crap does.

Meanwhile the potholes grow and now it looks like we will lose the Sellwood bridge to traffic.