Does anyone buy Karen Minnis' explanation for her failure to report a $4000 trip to Israel last fall, paid for by the Portland Jewish Federation? If I weren't so polite, I'd call it for what it is --a "crock" and bull story.
Here are the facts. The trip was arranged by Paul Romain, the very same lobbyist at the center of last week's failure to report scandal. That nailed five Oregon legislators for not remembering that they also had traveled --free of charge-- to Hawaii at the behest of the Oregon Beer and Wine Distributors Association .
What a coincidence.
Why was Minnis in Israel? Let me speculate. Romain said it was an "economic development trip." I say it was a reward for services rendered --keeping taxes on beer and wine among the lowest in the nation. That's what I said in my Hawaii post. Steve Duin subsequently said exactly the same thing --"[r]ewards for services rendered"-- in a column published last Sunday.
Who you gonna believe?
The executive vice-president of the federation, Charles R. Schiffman explained it this way:
" 'We feel it's important for community leaders and for anybody in an official position to understand the Middle East,' he said.
" 'They can't have an effect on foreign policy, but . . . the point is many of them go from the state level to a national level.' "
That doesn't sound like an economic development trip to me. It sounds like a reward, perhaps even a bribe, just in case Minnis does make it to the "national" level.
In the meantime, Minnis has raised $387,733 in her race for re-election, $18,323 of it from the beer, wine, and liquor industry.
But I'm sure Paul Romain had nothing to do with that.
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