OEA News Releases
Appeals Court affirms Sizemore organizations committed racketeering and "criminal conduct"
Press Release - Sizemore, Initiatives
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Court of Appeals upholds criminal misconduct and racketeering ruling against Bill Sizemore's operations.
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Plaintiffs respond: Larry Wolf, Oregon Education Association, Richard Schwarz, American Federation of Teachers-Oregon, and attorney Greg Hartman.
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10:30 a.m., Thursday, October 5, 2006.
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Offices of Bennett Hartman Morris & Kaplan
111 SW 5th Ave., Suite 1650, Portland.
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The Oregon Court of Appeals ruled today that the Multnomah County jury was right when they ruled in 2003 that Bill Sizemore engaged in fraud and racketeering in running his initiative empire.
The ruling, issued this morning, included very strong language from the court about the importance of the Oregon initiative system.
The citizens who ratified the initiative in 1902 certainly never intended that it would confer a license for fraud and a shelter for "money laundering." The citizens of Oregon did not intend to trade governmental corruption for private corruption by individuals and interest groups
For the Oregonians of a century ago, the initiative process meant pure, "open" democracy—and (at least) most Oregonians would like to think that it still does. But this case involves the antithesis of that ideal: It involves cynical, criminal manipulation of the democratic process.
The appeal—brought by Bill Sizemore after a 15-member jury found his organizations had engaged in fraud, forgery, and racketeering in a 2002 civil trial related to initiative petitions—upheld most of the original findings and judgments against Sizemore's operations. The judgment includes more than $3 million in damages and attorneys fees.
"We filed our civil suit against Sizemore's operations to protect Oregon's initiative process," said Richard Schwarz. "With this opinion, two courts and a jury agree that Sizemore's organizations broke the law and the penalty must be paid. The court said it more clearly than I could: Bill Sizemore's operations are a cynical, criminal manipulation of the democratic process."
"This ruling is an affirmation of the rule of law in a democratic society," said Larry Wolf. "Sizemore gamed the system to attack hard-working Americans. Today's opinion shows, once again, the legal system will hold him accountable."
OEA represents more than 45,000 educators and education support professionals in Oregon's public preK-12 schools and community colleges. AFT-Oregon represents some 10,000 Oregon workers in K-12, community college and higher education in faculty and classified positions; and childcare workers, in both public and private sectors.
More information about the history of this case can be located at: www.oregoned.org/sizemoretrial
Date: 10/4/2006
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