Vote Linn and others from office (liberal <i>Oregonian</i> newspaper endorses recall!)

Oregonian/OregonLive.com ^ | 03/21/04 | Editorial Staff

[B Knotts]

Vote Linn and others from office

Leaders who disregard the public so blatantly on big issues should not be trusted with county government

03/21/04

Multnomah County Chairwoman Diane Linn and the three commissioners who conspired in secret to approve gay marriages may believe history will judge them kindly.

It had better, because the present does not.

They have proved themselves unfit for public office. They should be recalled or voted out.

Leaders in both Multnomah and Benton counties agreed this month to ignore state statutes and start issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples, under the belief that denying licenses to gay people would violate the Oregon Constitution.

Both groups took the same historic action. Both groups have made a big legal mess for the state, which does not recognize same-sex marriage under its statutes. But only in Multnomah County did commissioners violate the public trust so baldly that they've permanently harmed their ability to govern.

If they can't be trusted to make a momentous decision in an open, fair, respectful and transparent manner, they shouldn't be trusted to direct the daily operation of county government.

For some, the desire to recall or vote Linn and Commissioners Serena Cruz, Lisa Naito and Maria Rojo de Steffey from office is motivated by opposition to gay rights. The Christian Coalition of Oregon, which views homosexuality as sinful, is leading the recall effort against Linn and Naito. The coalition describes the recall as part of a moral fight.

We don't see it that way. The problem is not that the county leaders support gay marriage, or that their attorney interpreted the law to mean that homosexual people have the same right to marry as heterosexual people: That's an untested but reasonable interpretation of the state constitution.

The fatal problem is that they conspired to foist a profound social, cultural and legal change onto the unsuspecting public. They orchestrated the change with one interest group, behind closed doors.

They've rationalized their behavior by describing the issuance of licenses to same-sex couples as a mere procedural issue; a matter of compliance rather than of the utmost public interest.

Now, they feel misunderstood. They note how scrupulously they followed the technical requirements of Oregon's open meetings laws.

They are either naive or disingenuous. Political leadership is about far more than technical compliance. Good leaders listen to all sides before making big decisions. They act openly and take pains not to alienate constituents or fellow officials. They represent the whole public, not just their favorite groups.

That's democracy. Linn, Naito, Cruz and Rojo de Steffey don't get it.

The Oregon Supreme Court will rule on the constitutionality of same-sex licenses. Whatever the outcome, Oregon needs to ensure that gay couples have significant legal protections. Oregon also needs to define the proper role of government in marriage -- a contract issued by the county and blessed by churches, families and society.

That historic decision will play out. Behind it is the shorter-term but significant issue of county leadership. Linn and three of her fellow commissioners have earned a vote of no confidence.

[B Knotts]

Woo hoo!

These gals are TOAST!

[B Knotts]

Multnomah County (Oregon) Recall 2004

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[Tailback]

Holy cow, the pigs are now reaching cruising altitude. The Oregonian is endorsing the recall of Democrat county commisioners? We are truly living in crazy times.