This post could be titled: how Stimson Lumber defeated cap and trade in Oregon. The opposition which brought down the landmark legislation in Salem goes beyond the money of Andrew Miller, CEO of Stimson Lumber, who organized a 'flash mob' (Timber Unity) to demonstrate outside the state capitol against the green legislation complete with tractors and backhoes*. Miller is seeking to capture next door Clackamas County politics to offset the liberal voting weight of Portland. To date he has spent $2.2 million of his inherited fortune from the family lumber business on his pet PAC, more than any other business in the state. Predictably speakers characterized the dispute over the legislation as one between rural, conservative Oregon and urban, liberal Multnomah County.
The boycott by eleven Repugnant legislators that deprived the state Senate of a quorum prevented a vote on Bill 2020. It was fueled by corporate money to be sure. More than 65% of the campaign funding for the eleven AWOL legislators comes from corporate interests. Over the last decade, the length of time invested in creating the cap and trade plan, companies that would be affected by it gave $117,619 to these representatives. In comparison, the current Democratic state senators received only $43,250. That is significant money in Oregon where legislators are only part-time lawmakers. Oregon is first on the list of per capita corporate donations to lawmakers, and has among the weakest campaign finance laws in the nation, with no limits on the amount of contributions. Fossil fuel users and producers are prominent political contributors. Consequently, Oregon's environmental protection laws are weaker than those of its immediate neighbors, California and Washington. In Washington, fossil fuel interests spent $30 million to defeat that state's effort to reduce carbon emissions.
But corporate dominance in Oregon crosses the isle too. Democratic state senator, Laurie Monnes Anderson, who represents a district in Clackamas County (referred to as "Clackastan" by progressives) was expected to deliver a key vote in favor of the cap and trade scheme. But in deference to Boeing, Inc., which has a plant in her district, she said she would not vote for Bill 2020 this week. Boeing’s greenhouse emissions fall below the 25,000 metric ton threshold to be directly regulated under the proposed policy, meaning the company would not be required to buy allowances to offset its carbon emissions at state auctions. But it could voluntarily opt into the program. If it did, the company would receive 95 percent of its emissions allowances for free. Apparently the company was still concerned about higher electricity costs, which generated Anderson's opposition; “I’m fighting for Boeing because they’re in my district,” said Anderson. The Democratic Senate President, Peter Courtney, was then forced to admit there was not enough support within his own caucus to pass the complex legislation, even if the state police, upon instructions from the Democratic governor, were able to roundup the missing legislators in Idaho for a quorum.
This is not the first time Repugnants were able to defeat legislation supported by the Democratic super-majority using guerrilla tactics. Earlier this session, they were able to defeat a tax bill they did not like. They only returned to the chamber once a deal was struck to shelve vaccine and gun safety legislation in return for a promise not to walk out on their jobs again. Fooled again, Charlie Brown! So there is a lot of fear in loathing in Salem right now as legislators work their agenda backlog to avoid a detested special session.
*Miller claims Timber Unity was independently formed by employees from his timber mill. What he does not tell you is that Stimson Lumber recently laid off 60 workers at the Forest Grove mill.