Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Ted Sickenger - The Oregonian
Backers of the proposed Bradwood Landing liquefied natural gas terminal have acknowledged their polling of Clatsop County residents about an upcoming ballot measure.
Last week, two groups opposing the terminal accused Bradwood's backer, Houston-based NorthernStar Natural Gas Inc., of violating campaign finance laws by conducting "push polls" of Clatsop County voters without making required disclosures to state officials.
When pollsters advocate a particular position in what is called a push poll, backers need to report the polling as a campaign contribution.
According to Columbia Riverkeeper and Clatsop County Citizens for Common Sense, NorthernStar's poll urged county residents to vote "yes" on a Sept. 16 measure that would allow pipelines to cross county lands.
NorthernStar has challenged the measure twice in court, and the company refused to say last week whether it was conducting the polling. A day after the complaint was filed, the company disclosed to election officials that it spent $30,178 on polling and a yet-to-be-sent mailer on the referendum.
The anti-LNG groups contend NorthernStar should be subject to campaign finance fines because its disclosure came well after the applicable deadline.
NorthernStar claims that it filed within required time frames and that "Bradwood has never engaged in so-called push polling."
The secretary of state's office is investigating.
-- Ted Sickinger
©2008 Oregonian
4 comments:
such a respectable community member, that bradwood
If this referendum has no impact on Bradwood why did I just recieve a piece of propaganda from them about the referendum encouraging me to vote yes?
Anyone, Anyone, Anyone?
By all appearances somebody seems to be taking that referendum much more seriously than they let on don't they?
It won't stop them, really. It just complicates issues which may involve complications at FERC level.
Post a Comment