NEWBERG CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL ELECTION

The Independent Party of Oregon State Council met on 11/22 and endorsed a slate of candidates in the Newberg Special Election - Casey Banks (District 2), Jefferson Mildenberger, (District 4) and Stephanie Findley (District 6) who align with the Party’s platform, which states in part:

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We stand against extremism, crisis entrepreneurs, and those who seek to place private concerns above the public interest.  We support policies that are intended to meaningfully bring us together.  We will work toward  reconciliation and to ensure that mistakes of the past are not repeated. 

 

We oppose the use of violence, intimidation, misinformation, property destruction, threats and related forms of abuse for political or personal ends.

 

We are concerned about the role of non-profit organizations, political committees and dark money groups in promulgating political extremist, anti-government and anarchist rhetoric in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest.

 

The party is deeply concerned at the way national elites are using elections for non-partisan public offices like school boards and city councils to divide Americans and promote extreme dehumanizing agendas by manipulating the public with polarizing and misleading targeted advertising.

 

In the last year in Newberg and other communities around Oregon, outside national organizations including Heritage Foundation, State Policy Network, and Family Research Council, have spent several thousands of dollars on deceptive political and issues advertising and engaged in extreme, often demeaning rhetoric that has promoted a climate of polarization and fear among members of the community.

 

This type of conduct by national organizations in local races does not just divide us politically, it contributes to stochastic terrorism – violence that is likely to occur without knowing exactly where or when – in the United States.  

 

In the last year in Newberg, we have seen businesses vandalized, people threatened, and, most recently, a pride flag burned at a person's home.  Newberg and other communities deserve better.

 

We stand with Oregonians who are targeted with violence as a result of hateful and demeaning messages and with Oregon communities whose non-partisan offices are targeted by crisis entrepreneurs and national monied interests that serve extreme and divisive ideologies. 

 

We invite you to stand with us.