WW raises questions about HD-36 candidate Jennifer Williamson
John Calhoun
As the Willamette Week article, “House Candidate Fears Being Labeled a “Lobbyist – Even Though She is One”, states, she sent out a mailer saying, "Insurance companies are ready to spend a fortune to smear Jennifer Williamson as a ‘lobbyist’" even though there was no evidence to say that would happen, let alone was happening. The result was that she smeared her opponent, by claiming she was the one who would be smeared.
The article goes on to say that in her mailer, Williamson made a distinction calling herself "a lobbyist for public interest causes." It then points out that all her clients are not public interest causes and mentions PacifiCorp.
However, she also seems to have cleaned up her bio. I swear that when I first heard that she was a candidate and I wanted to learn about her, that her Linked-In profile said that she spent time as a public affairs specialist at Intel. It made an impression on me, because I spent 19 years there. Nothing wrong with that, but why did she now erase that corporate part of her history? Let’s face it, private corporations help pay the bills, but most Salem lobbying firms do a mix of corporate and non-profit accounts and Jennifer is no different. And why is her largest donation, $15,000, from Phil Knight -- someone not known for pushing public interest issues?
The last point in the article is that she claimed primary credit for a 2007 budget that grew education funding. While success has many fathers, former Sen. Vicki Walker (D-Eugene), who chaired the Senate Education and General Government Committee in 2007 says Williamson’s impact was not significant. Even Jennifer now admits that she overstated her influence.
This is not the only issue her mailings have overstated. In another one she places a statement regarding health care saying, “She is the only candidate in this race who will fight for a publicly-funded plan from Day One.” She never clarifies what is meant by “publicly-funded”, but the implication is that her opponent, Sharon Meieran, is not in favor of universal or single payer healthcare plans, which is not true. Of course "publicly-funded" could also mean Medicaid. What we are not told is what the specifics of her plan for getting all Oregonians insured in a cost effective way are. You can read Sharon's views here.
Now I live in HD36 so I get all the mailings and phone surveys. In 2000 I actually ran for this seat which Mary Nolan won in a tight 4-way race. I was encouraged by many people to run again.
After getting to know Sharon Meieran, I concluded that she would be a great addition to the legislature. She has expertise in both the legal profession (intellectual property rights) and medical care. While Jennifer talks about how important healthcare is Sharon has lived the issue on a daily basis, led the state professional organization for her specialty, and developed a working relationship with Governor Kitzhaber on this issue who, as a result, has endorsed her.
Sharon has a depth of understanding and substance on health care that few legislators have and certainly much more than Jennifer Williamson. Given the choice we have between a lobbyist whose expertise is public affairs and a physician whose expertise is healthcare, I hope my neighbors will select the person of substance who has not tried to mislead them.
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1:19 p.m.
May 6, '12
If it were my district, I'd be voting for Williamson.
Meieran's campaign, according to everything I've heard, has been a mess. She burned through at least 2 campaign managers and had a lot of difficulty working with people. To me, that's bodes poorly for her ability to work with others and a lot of bad decision making.
Meieran is probably a really bright and capable physician. But Williamson is a gifted & talented policy wonk. Salem needs more of those kind of people, not fewer.
I'm newly redistricted into Mitch Greenlick's district, probably the House's most knowledgeable policymaker on health care. When I spoke with him about Williamson, he was virtually giddy about having someone of her skill & ability in the House.
2:44 p.m.
May 6, '12
Carla, as one of the two campaign managers who you have referenced in this post without ever having spoken to, much less asked about the situation, I am personally offended by what you have chosen to write.
I left the campaign for family reasons. I remain not only supportive of Sharon, but involved in the campaign and helping in whatever way I can. Working with Sharon was a wonderful experience, and there is a reason that I am still giving my time and energy to her campaign while caring for an ill family member.
I will let the second person give their own response if they see this post and choose to, but I can absolutely guarantee that they also made their choice for reasons unrelated to the campaign, and enjoyed working with Sharon.
There is a reason that Sharon has been endorsed by community leaders such as Ellen Lowe and Mike Roach, and I have never seen a candidate get such a positive response from everyone who meets her. I have also never worked with a candidate who enjoys talking to voters more than Sharon does, and am excited about the prospect of seeing such an informed, talented, and genuine person elected to the legislature.
3:48 p.m.
May 6, '12
Jessica:
You're right. I should have spoken with you about your experience. Please accept my apology for speaking out of turn on that.
I will say however that the broad discussion around that campaign is not very flattering toward Sharon. I've spoken with others who have had direct contact with her and with the campaign. Those experiences do not in fact mirror what you're articulating here.
4:28 p.m.
May 6, '12
Jennifer Williamson is a passionate advocate for a wide range of causes that benefit Oregonians and protect the interests of families in her community. The term "lobbyist" clearly has a pejorative connotation when used by the Meieran campaign. This is all about context. Meieran could just as easily describe Williamson as a communications professional or a policy expert. She chose the label "lobbyist" as an attack. Williamson built close working relationships with lawmakers across Oregon. Her understanding of how government actually works will allow her to hit the ground running as an Oregon Representative. Meieran may be sincere, but she lacks the depth of experience Williamson brings to the job. Williamson is the right choice for District 36 and will serve her constituents with distinction.
2:12 p.m.
May 8, '12
Sour grapes much, Chris? I find it so odd to see you venting your spleen about Sharon Meiran all over the blogs when you were anxiously petitioning her for a job just a few short months ago.
5:16 p.m.
May 6, '12
I see the argument that Williamson's experience as a lobbyist gives her some useful insider knowledge regarding how to get things done in Salem. But I'm more impressed by the "real world" knowledge Meieran will bring as a physician and also as a mother of children in our perpetually underfunded public schools. Meieran is very smart--she'll learn the ropes in Salem quickly, and will be effective. Since public education and health care are two of the most critical topics on the legislature's agenda, I will vote for the candidate who has real-world experience with those two topics from being in the trenches as a physician and a parent of school-aged children.
7:06 p.m.
May 6, '12
I am in the district and will be voting for Sharon. While I am sure there is validity to the statement that Jennifer has learned lots during her time in Salem, I am personally more impressed with Sharon's experience and positions. These are both pro-choice, progressive women - but Sharon's on the ground work as an ER doctor, her experience in working with people as president of the Oregon ER Doctor's group, and her hard work as a PTA mom with her kids in our public schools puts her over the top for me. I am a health care provider, too, and feel that has helped me understand these healthcare issues in ways I did not before.
I think Sharon has a great balance or realism, hope and smarts that will be good for our Oregon House.
7:43 p.m.
May 6, '12
I am certain that both women are wonderful people with good intentions. But, with that said, I am currently volunteering for the Meieran campaign because I too am extremely impressed with her heartfelt genuineness and real world experience. I believe Legislature needs a hefty dose of reality, not insider shoulder rubbing. I am a business owner and an advocate for the homeless, people with disabilities and the uninsured. I help extremely poor people navigate and access the Medicaid system. There are still so many of them. Sharon sees the people and families that I help every time she pulls her shift at Adventist Hospital's ER. As far as I'm concerned she is on the front line in this national healthcare debate and she has personally explained to me that it is from these everyday encounters that she decided she could actually do more for them all by taking her concerns into the policy making realm.
We all have our signature issues that steer our votes, but Sharon still looks into the eyes of the poorest of the poor and the sickest of the sick. It is because so many of them are uninsured and cannot afford regular medical treatment that they are forced to call on emergency services that they cannot afford. It is heart wrenching. She is deeply caring of people. If she were not she would have stuck with her legal career instead of becoming the doctor that she is today. A lot of GREAT work gets done by truly passionate people. She will be such an asset to this state.
9:09 p.m.
May 6, '12
I am a resident in HD 36 and have been supporting Jennifer's campaign since last fall. She has the skills, experience and enthusiasm we need in the state legislature. Her experience is directly related to the work she will need to do starting Day 1 to help reform our health care system and improve funding for our schools. She will be a strong advocate for our families and our neighborhoods. I've gone door to door with Jennifer every week for the past few months and her grasp of issues that concern our neighbors is impressive and convincing.
9:46 p.m.
May 6, '12
If Mr. Calhoun does not understand what Jennifer means by "publicly funded healthcare for every Oregonian," he can ask Jennifer. He can read Oregon Rep. Michael Dembrow's single payer bill HB 3510, which received a well-attended hearing in March of 2010 (Jennifer supports this bill). He can consult Physicians for a National Health Program (pnhp.org). He can also contact me ([email protected]).
In contrast, based on campaign statements and donors, Sharon Williamson apparently supports reinforcing our dependency upon private insurance companies for financing rather than publicly funded healthcare.
Mr. Calhoun (and perhaps Sharon) seem unaware every industrialized country with publicly funded universal healthcare spends half what we spend with better outcomes.
Oregon does not need another legislator who will watch publicly funded universal health care happen. We need a legislator who will make it happen.
Samuel Metz, MD
2:36 p.m.
May 8, '12
Dr. Metz, you are obviously new to this site or you would know that I am a believer in single payer as the best solution and do not need to be educated on its advantages, but put a higher priority on getting universal health care any way possible for both personal and societal reasons. Sharon and I share that view. At this point in time we have a plan on the table that Kitzhaber and the Democratic legislative team are leading and Sharon will support. Heading off in another direction and throwing away the work of the past two years is not helpful.
Once that is done we can join together and pursue single payer. If the Supreme Court kills Obamacare we will be on the same side of the issue, as will Sharon.
8:42 p.m.
May 8, '12
My post was inappropriately strident and did not accord proper respect for the dedication you and Sharon give to health care reform. I apologize to both of you. Future comments will be edited before posting.
I firmly believe our health care system will continue to devastate Oregon's families, businesses, and government until we achieve single payer health care. Our private insurance model has never produced cost-effective universal care and we cannot afford a delay of decades confirming its failure. No patient in a single payer system here or abroad has endured medical bankruptcy or loss of life or limb from inadequate access to health care. Oregon has enough legislators believing single payer must wait until we fix everything else. Given a choice between a candidate who will immediately dedicate herself to single payer and a candidate who will not, my vote goes to the one who will.
9:11 a.m.
May 9, '12
Thanks for you initial comments. I deeply appreciate it. We can agree to disagree on how we work to get to our preferred end.
9:55 p.m.
May 6, '12
I am in district 36 and have already voted for Jennifer. She is by far the better, more qualified candidate. The Meieran folks keep bringing up the fact that Sharon is a mom, the implication being that Jenn is not. Excuse me, have we turned into a bunch of Republicans who don't consider someone a parent unless they contributed the actual DNA? Apparently so, since Williamson's step daughter isn't considered a "real child" for some reason. Also, love you John, but your continued harping about Williamson's lobbying has become tiresome. Jenn has lobbied for years for things that I believe in, and I'm pretty sure you believe in them too.
11:21 p.m.
May 6, '12
I've worked closely with Jen when she was board chair of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Oregon and I was the executive director of the organization. I found Jen to be passionately supportive of health care access for all, regardless of income, and to be a savvy and dedicated advocate for women's rights. She's a great candidate and will be a smart, hardworking legislator who will be a go to person for health care and women's health issues.
7:03 a.m.
May 7, '12
You don’t have to be a doctor to understand how to reform health care, and you certainly don’t need a biological child to improve our education system (many people with biological children have in fact failed to adequately protect our education system). What you need are: An expert understanding of how the legislature works (Jen’s got it); proven leadership ability (Jen’s got it); relationships with people in Salem that will allow you to make an impact from day one (Jen has them); the ability to stand up courageously for what you believe but maintain good working relationships with your opponents (this is how Jen rolls!); and an understanding of other issues like criminal justice reform that impact Oregon’s ability to make any headway in education or health care (Jen is the ONLY candidate with expertise and leadership in this area). While Sharon has been going to once a month PTA meetings and seeing one patient at a time (both admirable) Jen has spent years working in Salem on the very issues that concern our future most. We actually don’t need a doctor in the House – what we need is someone who can lead our state on these critical issues ¬– and that is Jennifer Williamson.
5:01 p.m.
May 9, '12
I totally agree with your comments as a mom of both adopted and biologic kids, and with a former commenter about both women being able and personable. However, as a physician on the front lines, I have to tell you, seeing it in your face day in and day out, fighting the battle shift after shift for your patients who can't afford care, or medications, or even things like housing and transportation, there is nothing like being there to know and understand the multiple ways the system is broken and understand the complexity of the problem. I also have to differ about Jennifer Williamson being the only one in the race with proven leadership ability. I have served on the executive Board of the Metropolitan Medical Society with Sharon and can testify that she deiniftely HAS the leadership ability. Finally, Sharon indeed has the connections and relationships around the state to excel at this job, as her endorsement by Gov. Kitzhaber shows. She has my vote!
9:52 a.m.
May 7, '12
Jennifer is the type of candidate that makes me want to move just to be able to vote for her. She's shown herself to be a true progressive, deeply understanding issues of race, class, gender and sexual orientation, as well as the need for fundamental tax reform to build a truly sustainable, successful Oregon. It's rare that someone so smart, so in touch with the issues, and so eager to learn from her constituents, comes along.
12:53 a.m.
May 8, '12
I'm pretty sure we've never had ten straight comments get the bright-blue "you really like me!" treatment. And this is actually 13 in a row.
8:12 a.m.
May 8, '12
It's the result of campaigns asking supporters to come to the site who have never been here before, are uncomfortable posting, but want to support their candidate. The question is whether they will come back in the future?
1:11 p.m.
May 8, '12
The campaign didn't ask me, at all, to make a comment. I'm happy to do it without any prompting.
2:26 p.m.
May 8, '12
Yes, but you are a regular and you comment. All the likes without comments are from newbies.
6:53 p.m.
May 8, '12
If you click on these folks, you'll find that just isn't true. Carla? Roey? And so forth? Not so much.
9:28 a.m.
May 9, '12
For the record, I was not asked by Jennifer Williamson (or anyone else) to comment on this thread. I also clicked "like" on some of the comments on this thread, and nobody asked me to do that either.
12:25 a.m.
May 10, '12
KT, John said "All the likes without comments are from newbies." Not comments.
And FWIW, there's no way to actually determine that. We don't have a publicly available list of who liked which post.
11:32 a.m.
May 8, '12
A very short holiday has me returning to some welcome changes and some that are concerning. I read the Willamette Week article and John Calhoun's follow-up on Jennifer Williamson's retraction of her assertion that she was responsible for saving Oregon's schools and also her acknowledgment that her assertion of a smear campaign was hollow. But then I find the first comment and a subsequent one to totally ignore the initial pieces, but rather to use Blue Oregon to attack Sharon Meieran and her capable campaign team with falsehoods and then to allude to being part of a gossip train. If it is thoughtful inquiry and exchange you are seeking about District 36, I suggest you watch and listen to the Willamette Week taped editorial board interview with Sharon Meieran and Jennifer Williamson. And if you visit Sharon's web page or call her office, you will find the neighborly qualities that fit District 36. After such a visit, I became a volunteer in my district for my next State Representative - Sharon Meieran.