Greg Smith (Oregon politician)
Greg Smith | |
|---|---|
 Smith in 2015 | |
| Member of the Oregon House of Representatives from the 57th district | |
| Assumed office 2002 | |
| Preceded by | Lynn Lundquist |
| Member of the Oregon House of Representatives from the 59th district | |
| In office 2001–2002 | |
| Preceded by | Lynn Lundquist |
| Succeeded by | John Mabrey |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 7, 1968 Portland, Oregon, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Sherri |
| Children | 5 |
| Education | Eastern Oregon University (BLS) |
| Signature |  |
Greg V. Smith (born November 7, 1968) is an American politician serving as a member of the Oregon House of Representatives from the 57th district. As of 2025, he is the longest-serving member of the Oregon House.[1]
Early life
[edit]Smith is descended from Oregon pioneers.[1] He grew up near Portland and attended Sam Barlow High School.[1] He achieved the rank of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts.[1]
Education and career
[edit]Smith graduated from Eastern Oregon University in 1992 with a bachelor's degree in Liberal Studies. He owns a consulting firm, Gregory Smith & Company, LLC.[2] As of 2019, he also earned $31,200 a year for his work as a legislator.[1]
Political career
[edit]Early political involvement
[edit]After graduating from college, Smith served as a community advisory member for Senator Gordon Smith. He was also an intern for then-Oregon House of Representatives Majority Leader Greg Walden. In 1996, Smith was an alternate delegate in the 1996 Republican National Convention.[3]
Oregon House of Representatives
[edit]In 2000, Smith successfully ran for Oregon State Representative for district 59. In 2001, redistricting moved Smith into Oregon's 57th House district, which comprises all of Gilliam, Morrow, Sherman, and Wheeler counties, most of Wasco County, parts of Jefferson and Umatilla counties, and small areas of Clackamas and Marion counties. He ran for re-election and won.
Smith's 2024 committee assignments are as follows:[4]
- Joint Ways and Means Committee, Co-Vice Chair
- Joint Ways and Means Subcommittee on General Government, Co-Chair
- Joint Ways and Means Subcommittee on Capital Construction
- Joint Legislative Administration Committee
- House Revenue Committee
- Joint Emergency Board
- Joint Emergency Board Subcommittee on General Government, Co-Chair
Awards and recognitions
[edit]During his terms in office, Smith has earned a 100% voting record with the Taxpayer Association of Oregon, Oregon Gun Owners of America, Oregon Farm Bureau, Oregonians for Food and Shelter, and the National Federation of Independent Business.[5] The Oregon Cattlemen's Association has given Smith the "Lariat Laureate", their highest award. The Oregon Fair Association has given Smith the title "Grand Champion Legislator" for the work he has done on their behalf. He has also received the "Outstanding Freshman Legislator of the Year" award during the 19th Annual Oregon Rural Health Conference.[6] The NRA Political Victory Fund has consistently given Smith an A+ grade on his votes regarding gun-related legislation.[7][8][9][10] In 2009, Associated Oregon Industries named Smith "A Champion for Oregon Jobs and Business."
Controversy
[edit]Smith regularly declares his conflict of interest regarding legislation on which he votes.[1] In 2017, the state approved legislation to spend more than $50 million on two railroad projects.[1] Smith was a member of the legislative committees that approved the projects, and he also voted for them.[1] His consulting firm was then hired to manage the projects, which earned the firm $16,000 a month.[1] Although politicians such as former Republican state representative Vicki Berger disapprove of this practice, it is legal in Oregon.[1]
Smith has been the subject of several ethics investigations due to his significant income, reported as approximately $1M per year, but lack of discernible personal income outside of contracts with government entities that directly benefit from state funding, which he helps to secure as a legislator.[11]
Smith's consulting work has drawn particular criticism due to the significant allocations of state funds that his work brings to clients located outside of his home district, raising questions about influence-peddling at the expense of his constituents.[12]
In September 2024, in his role as the executive director of the Columbia Development Authority (CDA) (overseeing the redevelopment of the former Umatilla Chemical Depot),[1] Smith agreed to repay a 51% salary increase, which CDA board members stated they had never approved.[13] This came after the Malheur Enterprise brought public awareness to the issue.[14]
In January 2025, the Oregon Government Ethics Commission voted to investigate Smith over a possible failure to disclose a major source of household income. Smith said he misunderstood the law and updated his client list after the commission began its review.[2]
In February 2025, the United States Department of Defense suspended a $800,000 grant to the CDA after finding a funding request had false information about Smith's raise.[15][16] In response, Republican politician Kerry McQuisten called for Smith to resign.[17]
Personal life
[edit]Smith resides in Heppner with his wife Sherri and their five children.[18] He is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.[19]
Political positions
[edit]Following the Standoff at Eagle Pass, Smith signed a letter in support of Texas Governor Greg Abbott's decision in the conflict.[20]
Electoral history
[edit]| Year | Democrat | Votes | % | Republican | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | No Candidate Filed | Greg Smith | 19,728 | 97.60% | ||||
| 2022 | No Candidate Filed | Greg Smith | 17,384 | 97.40% | ||||
| 2020 | Roland Ruhe | 5,917 | 23.20% | Greg Smith | 19,487 | 76.60% | ||
| 2018 | No Candidate Filed | Greg Smith | 15,794 | 98.20% | ||||
| 2016 | No Candidate Filed | Greg Smith | 17,432 | 98.74% | ||||
| 2014 | No Candidate Filed | Greg Smith | 12,637 | 98.27% | ||||
| 2012 | No Candidate Filed | Greg Smith | 15,242 | 98.35% | ||||
| 2010 | Jean A. Falbo | 4,721 | 22.49% | Greg Smith | 16,211 | 77.23% | ||
| 2008 | Jerome (Jerry) Sebestyen | 7,186 | 30.25% | Greg Smith | 16,504 | 69.48% | ||
| 2006 | Tonia P. St. Germain | 6,058 | 29.95% | Greg Smith | 14,119 | 69.81% | ||
| 2004 | No Candidate Filed | Greg Smith | 20,876 | 98.08% | ||||
| 2002 | Elizabeth Scheeler | 6,382 | 32.80% | Greg Smith | 13,025 | 66.95% | ||
| 2000 | Linda Harrington | 7,676 | 30.71% | Greg Smith | 17,283 | 69.15% |
| Year | Republican | Votes | Pct | Republican | Votes | Pct | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Colleen MacLeod | 2,864 | 36.78% | Greg Smith | 4,905 | 62.99% |
*All elections were for Oregon House of Representatives District 57 except for year 2000, which was for Oregon House District 59.
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Jaquiss, Nigel (May 29, 2019). "Rep. Greg Smith Is a Member of the Select Group That Doles Out State Dollars. He Also Makes a Tidy Living From Public Contracts. It's Perfectly Legal". Willamette Week. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
- ^ a b Shumway, Julia (January 24, 2025). "Oregon Ethics Commission Faults Rep. Greg Smith for Not Naming Clients". Oregon Capital Chronicle. Retrieved April 16, 2025.
- ^ "The Voter's Self Defense System". www.votesmart.org. Archived from the original on October 30, 2010. Retrieved September 21, 2009.
- ^ "2015 House committees announced". www.statesmanjournal.com. Archived from the original on November 2, 2023. Retrieved January 15, 2015.
- ^ "Greg Smith's Ratings and Endorsements". Vote Smart. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
- ^ http://www.leg.state.or.us/smithg/home.htm Archived August 7, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, Biography Section, Retrieved September 22, 2009
- ^ "NRA-PVF | Grades | Oregon". nrapvf.org. NRA-PVF. Archived from the original on November 4, 2014.
- ^ "NRA-PVF | Grades | Oregon". nrapvf.org. NRA-PVF. Archived from the original on November 3, 2020.
- ^ "NRA-PVF | Grades | Oregon". nrapvf.org. NRA-PVF. Archived from the original on November 7, 2022.
- ^ "The Voter's Self Defense System". www.votesmart.org. Archived from the original on September 30, 2010. Retrieved January 26, 2010.[title missing]
- ^ Zaitz, Les (February 27, 2024). "Smith reports $1 million annual household income – but some sources aren't clear". Malheur Enterprise. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
Greg Smith & Company LLC, based in Smith's home in rural Morrow County, has a long practice of obtaining contracts from government agencies that benefit from state appropriations. At the Legislature, Smith is a powerful force on the budget committee that maps out how state money is spent.
- ^ "Public Money, Private Empire: Greg Smith serves many public masters – for a price". Malheur Enterprise. June 4, 2019. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
- ^ Thorson, Berit (September 21, 2024). "Smith, CDA board at odds over controversial salary increase". East Oregonian. Archived from the original on September 21, 2024. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
- ^ Zaitz, Les (September 10, 2024). "Greg Smith exaggerates his duty to engineer major pay raise from struggling public agency". Malheur Enterprise. Retrieved April 16, 2025.
- ^ Zaitz, Les (March 12, 2025). "Greg Smith defends actions giving him now-revoked pay boost". Salem Reporter. Retrieved April 16, 2025.
- ^ Zaitz, Les (February 3, 2025). "Federal Officials Shut Down Oregon Agency Funding Over 'Concerns' with Smith Pay". Malheur Enterprise. Retrieved April 16, 2025.
- ^ Zaitz, Les (February 27, 2025). "Republican Leader Calls for Greg Smith to Resign as State Representative". Salem Reporter. Retrieved April 16, 2025.
- ^ http://www.leg.state.or.us/smithg/home.htm Archived August 7, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, Biography Section, Retrieved September 21, 2009
- ^ "The Voter's Self Defense System". Archived from the original on April 20, 2023. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
- ^ "OR Republicans 2024-2-5 Joint letter on Texas" (PDF).
- ^ "Oregon Secretary of State". sos.oregon.gov. Archived from the original on December 11, 2013. Retrieved April 27, 2019.
- ^ "Content Manager WebDrawer - 2012 General Election Official Results". records.sos.state.or.us. Archived from the original on October 11, 2020. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
- ^ "November 5, 2024, General Election Abstract of Votes" (PDF). Oregon Secretary of State. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 12, 2024. Retrieved December 12, 2024.
- ^ "Content Manager WebDrawer - 2010 Primary Election Official Results". records.sos.state.or.us. Archived from the original on October 8, 2020. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
External links
[edit]