Kitzhaber Fumbles on Facts in OAB Debates

Press Release

State Representative and candidate for Governor Dennis Richardson delivered an impressive win in today's debate with John Kitzhaber, hosted by the Oregon Association of Broadcasters at Sunriver.

"I'm grateful to the OAB for hosting this event, and for the opportunity to have a lively conversation with Governor Kitzhaber about the challenges our state has undergone under his leadership."

During the debate, Kitzhaber fumbled when asked about not reporting to the state the work of senior advisor Patricia McCaig on his campaign.

"I think the reason people attack Patricia McCaig is that when she shows up, things happen."

Patricia McCaig was responsible for advising and consulting on the failed Columbia River Crossing project -- a bridge that cost taxpayers $190 million but never got built -- while also being paid $553 thousand by the primary contractor on the project.

Tensions rose again in response to questions and comments on equal pay for women.

"First of all, the charges that my office doesn't provide equal pay for equal work is categorically untrue," Kitzhaber rebutted, "and even the reporter whose article you use to get these numbers has repudiated the way you have done this."

The Statesman Journal reported that "Gov. John Kitzhaber's office is less equitable than state government generally.

The governor has asked Department of Administrative Services Director Michael Jordan to study the state's disparity in how men and women are paid and find a way to fix it.

But Kitzhaber is not leading by example.

His office employs 27 women and 16 men. The average monthly salary for women is $6,507 -- about 79 percent of what the men are making."

Follow up reporting by The Oregonian reported on formal records requests and analysis provided to news outlets by the Richardson campaign, which show that over a period of four years, Kitzhaber pays female staffers even less than what the Statesman Journal originally reported -- 74 cents to women for every dollar earned by male staffers.

The next scheduled debate will take place in Eugene this Saturday, and will be hosted by the League of Oregon Cities.

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