McKeel is a life long Democrat and has the endorsement of Sheriff Skipper and outgoing Commissioner Lonnie Roberts.

Plus, you forgot a couple of Carla Piluso's supporters according to Willamette Week - Chuck Adams and Karen Minnis!

"On June 26, Piluso took $700 from former House Speaker Karen Minnis (R-Wood Village), who's come under scrutiny for donating her own campaign funds to committees that then hire her as a consultant. Piluso spokesman Seth Prickett says Minnis gave the money to Piluso so Piluso could pay for a poll by Chuck Adams, a GOP consultant used by Minnis and reviled by Democrats."

McKeel's latest ad was so immature and disrespectful that it pretty much solidified my decision to vote for Piluso. I'm not going to reward overwhelmingly negative advertising with my vote.

Lonnie Roberts endorsed Diane McKeel?

That pretty much locks it up for Carla Piluso.

If McKeel thinks the support of the most ineffective politician to ever grace the halls of the Oregon Legislature or the Multnomah County Commission is worth bragging about, then that proves just how out of touch she really is.

Thought you guys might like the truth from the source.

1. Diane and I are lifelong Democrats, I worked on JFK's presidential campaign.

2. We did not seek the Democratic or Republican endorsements because this is a non partisan race. Carla brought that element into this. We have support from D's and R's, mostly d's.

3. We both come from union families, our son is a shop steward presently at KPIX in SFO.

4. I have won environmental awards for my developments, the last being Salish Ponds Cottages. This project was published in the Oregonian, mentioned in the Boston Globe and NYT. We have gifted over 60 acres to open space with no compensation or tax deduction (developers are limited to their cost only).This project was also published in the book "Good Green Homes," by Jennifer Roberts.

5. I was on the Gresham Barlow School Board for twenty years, and almost all the OEA uniserve reps have become patients in my practice, even though we sat across the bargaining table for six contracts.

6. Diane and I have both been named Citizens of the Year.

7. My real estate fortune in Multnomah County consists of 4 rental small homes that I rent under market to people who cannot afford a home. Sonny Hess, a blues singer in PDX lived in one home rent free when she had cancer and could not afford anything.

8. We hired Command after being turned down by two other D style consultants, who were booked. I think we taught them us D's aint so bad.

9. I do not like Carla Piluso for many reasons but mostly because she changed her story to every endorsement group she addressed. We told them all the same, and it cost us endorsements. That's fine

10. If you look at where endorsements came from, Carla's were from Portland or farther, ours are local where they count and people know us both.

11. We took no special interest money. That is a trick both R's and D's need to take to heart. there is too much of that.

12. I will sit down face to face with anyone who wants to discuss any of these issues.

Uhmmm...Mike, that's all great, but your post brings up a point that many in Gresham have said to me about WHY they WON'T vote for Diane.

Mike, YOU are not running for this office. Why isn't Diane here defending her campaign? Why isn't Diane offering to sit down and talk to her potential constituents?

Although Kari opened the door by mentioning that most of Diane's money was coming from you, the bigger concern amongst many people is that Diane is not running for herself but as your proxy. While your service to Gresham and the community is admirable and I respect you for it, for the purposes of this campaign, YOU shouldn't be the focus and "we" shouldn't even be used in your comment. Over and over, I've heard people say that they're worried that you'll be the one actually running the show, wich is fine...IF you run yourself.

I really debated about who to vote for in this race, I really did. But for me, the bottom line was that the Board is business-heavy already and I think we need someone there who will push the social services and safety end of things more. I'm also concerned that Diane won't be willing to mix it up and speak up loudly on East County's behalf. Due to Lonnie Robert's lack of action, the Board is used to our rep being quiet or non-existent. That has to change.

Diane is an admirable, intelligent woman and I look forward to her future work and service in East County. But not this position, not this race.

I have really enjoyed working with Carla and her campaign this election cycle. East County needs a powerful voice on the County Commission. Carla is going to be great!

First of all and for the record, yes, Diane is the candidate. These are simply my views alone and should be taken only for that.

Diane IS sitting down and talking with constituents.She does that about 18 hours a day. She has by this week been to 25,000 doors, nightly meetings, forums and talks, and made countless phone calls and personal visits.

My complaint was that Carla attacked me personally and my family personally. Jenni should check out Carla's mailer claim that I own $20 million in real estate in Multnomah County. That is simply false. Besides the modest rental homes, I own my office. That's it. I have a 50% interest in a small family manufactured home park in Sandy.

Our argument with Carla is that she minimizes economic development. That is the only way out for the County to be able to serve people. The County is going broke. But the economic development we have always done is the sensitive development everyone wants. I have used the ODS building in Milwaukie as an example. 300 people on 3 acres making $38,500. plus medical and plus retirement. Carla wants more cops to put more people in jails that can't hold any more.

Carla also represented that Diane managed a deficit. That is also totally false. Her Chamber had an excess in cash and her board decided to spend it down in additional services to members. That is not deficit spending. Thay have never borrowed a dime or used credit cards to keep going, ever.

As far as Diane's leadership, I have never been involved in her Chamber business. She does fine by herself in all she does. And she will work harder, smarter and more effectively at the County than Carla.

As far as the campaign consultants, we were first referred to Mark Wiener, who had a conflict in working in some way with Carla. We then contacted Laurie Monnes Anderson's guy, who could not add anyone. We then were referred to Command by a business associate. We started late and that was a problem, but Command served us very well. It may surprise you, but we did not talk about partisan politics with the Command guys, we simply ran our campaign. By the way, Laurie Monnes Anderson is a donor and supporter and she will tell you that if asked. Shirley and John Vandermosten, great D's also support Diane.

Google Carla's consultant Seth Prickett, and take a look at his past problems in the world of election ethics.

I have helped Diane with her economic development strategy. What we favor is changing East County from the capital of minimum wage poverty jobs to higher paying jobs and education. We want environmentally well done businesses, we have done it, and we know how to do it.

Diane can be contacted at her website votemckeel.com

Mike,

You've neatly delineated the main difference I see in Carla and Diane----Diane believes we must develop economically first and that will improve the social structure and public safety issues in East County. Carla feels we must make citizens (and businesses) feel safe and secure in East County first. Businesses will not locate in areas they feel are high-risk or can't support them.

It's a bit of a chicken or the egg syndrome, but East County has, I believe, gone past the tipping point and MUST address the social and safety issues first and hard. Then businesses will see an opportunity to locate here. I think Diane's ideas of economic development first simply won't work....unless her idea is to give massive tax cuts to businesses to get them to come out here, which doesn't help us either.

As for the campaigns themselves, neither is Snow White. I've been disapppointed in some aspects of both campaigns and have disliked mailers from both sides....but that's politics and it's a dirty game no matter who is playing.

I voted for Carla and stand by my vote. We'll have to just respectfully disagree. I look forward to Diane's next venture in politics, as I believe she has much to offer.

Exactly, Sue! This is what so many people have said to me in Gresham...it seems to be a package deal and Mike appears to overshadow Diane quite a bit. People have asked why Mike isn't the one running since he regularly refers to what are supposedly Diane's opinions as "our" opinions or "we" believe. Even if he agrees with her stand on an issue, it should be "HER" opinion or "SHE" believes. After all, it's her we're being asked to vote for, right?

Gotta disagree, Kari. Obama and McCain are the candidates, so when they say "we" they are referring to either their administrations or the American people. But when Michelle Obama speaks, she says "Barack says" and "Barack's administration will...".

Mike isn't the candidate and his "we" clearly refers to himself and Diane and he frequently puts/inserts information about himself or HIS experience or HIS abilities out there without mentioning Diane. That is telling to me.

Enough OK. The "we" is Diane and I and about 50 people including who are helping Diane's campaign. We all agree on most things, Diane disagrees with me daily. I will watch the I we and they more carefully.

The thing to remember is there is no conspiracy. If you check with anyone in her past record they will tell you Diane is her own person. I have little or no input in her Chamber stuff or any of her activities.

What I have been of value is helping with economic development issues. These issues should all be discussed publicly and thoroughly. The county and every city will be better able to do all there services with good jobs, people working and resources coming in to jurisdictions.

Any private citizen can do as much, they just need a forum that will listen.

So lets get to a higher altitude, we all want to do the same thing. And that "we" is us.

25,000 doors? that has to be a load of bull. anyone who has been around campaigns would know that. She would have to be walking 24/7 and how could she do that if she has a job?

Laurie Monnes Anderson? I thought she was staying neutral? Although i have seen her at a piluso fundraiser...

Vandermostens? I also find that hard to believe.

Also, you say that piluso changed her answers to suit each group? how do you know that? where you there?

Regarding all the above,

We go out every weekend (Sat and Sunday)with about 6 to 12 volunteers, Each volunteer does about 125 doors per day including Diane, Diane goes out 3 to 4 times weeknights and does 60 to 80 doors. We have been doing this since February with a little time off after the primary. Diane was out on doors today and phoning tonite. The math is not that hard.

And yes, Laurie gave us 100 bucks and has Diane's sign in her lawn. And the Vandermostens are with us. They understand Diane is for good job creation, and that is high on their list.

And as I said earlier, Command had little or no conversation with us about R and D stuff. We simply worked on Diane's campaign and continue to do so.

And yes I was there at every forum and Diane was at joint endorsement interviews. Carla had different stories on BIT and Sheriff's contracting. That's why Bob Skipper went from neutral to endorsing Diane. He heard it too.

Carla also stated in several forums that the BIT had never been looked at for years, when, in fact, last year there was a BIT task force of which Diane was a member.

She stated that Economic development was not an important issue ubtil the recent tank of the economy, now it is on her website and mailers. Diane is for job creation as are the unions.

Also supporting Diane are Barbara Comstock and Paul Ghilarducci.They actually walked one precinct for us by themselves.

We also got a note from J. Isaac today that the Trailblazers are giving us $1000. Same as they gave Carla.

Seems hard for some of you guys to understand Diane is a good person, hard working, with great values and the ability to work effectively.

Mike,

Well, I'm not in that number. I agree that Diane has some terrific qualities and this race was actually a hard one for me since there are qualities in both candidates I like. In the end, I chose to vote for Carla, but if Diane wins I'll be happy to have her as our commissioner. If she doesn't I look forward to seeing what she chooses as her next political step and hopefully being able to support her in her campaign.

I understand the whole "we", "us", "I" thing from a grammatical standpoint. I was simply trying to tell you what I have heard around Gresham. Right or wrong, some folks are getting an impression you clearly don't want them to have and I think knowing that will be useful to Diane (and you) in the future, regardless of the outcome of this particular race.

If crime is indeed the more important issue, then why would you go with the retiring-Chief of Police of Gresham? Things are more insecure in Gresham - not less. Ask a commuter if they feel more or less comfortable. The ecomonic model is the answer. Encourage growth not a police state. Teach a man to fish...

<h2>Piluso probably didn't make it because of her personal image. She obviously does not take care of herself, and she has a very rigid way of addressing others in meetings. She does not come off as someone who would be open to discussion at all, a "my way or the highway" kind of personality. That is not going to set right with most people.</h2>