Murmurs

[March 14th, 2007] • The Oregon State Bar has dropped its investigation of a lawyer accused of aiding a secret CIA program that flew terror suspects to countries where torture was legal (see "North by Northwest," WW, Feb. 21, 2007). The March 12 bar letter says there's "no probable cause" to believe Portland lawyer Scott Caplan committed misconduct. The investigation of Caplan arose when retired professor Michael Munk filed a complaint alleging Caplan represented a client, Bayard Foreign Marketing LLC, under false pretenses. Reporters and human-rights activists determined that the company Caplan filed paperwork on was likely a CIA front used to buy an airplane that transported terror suspects, and that the company's head, Leonard Bayard, didn't exist. Munk says he may appeal the bar's ruling.

• Oregon's 530,000 public-school students will get a dose of patriotism and be free to bring God into the classroom if state Rep. Ron Maurer (R-Grants Pass) has his way. Maurer is sponsoring a bill, HB 2947, that would let students study and report on topics that are "religious in nature." The measure also would require schools to "encourage" kids in all grades to read documents like the Mayflower Compact , the Federalist Papers , the Pledge of Allegiance and the national anthem , all dead-white-guy papers that contain religious references. Maurer, a former school board member, says students should learn more about religion's role in U.S. history. "You can't deny the history of this country," Maurer says, "and I unfortunately believe that some people want to do that."

• Roosevelt High's Roughriders experienced more than one kind of flashback at the class 5A boys basketball championship last Saturday in Eugene (see page 22 for more). The game against North Eugene at McArthur Court represented Roosevelt's first trip to the final since 1949. But the Roughriders' 38-28 loss wasn't the only 1940s time warp. Sources tell Murmurs that Roosevelt principal Deborah Peterson is interviewing Roosevelt students about racist remarks allegedly made by North Eugene fans to Roosevelt, which has a student population that's 51 percent black and Hispanic. Neither Peterson nor North Eugene officials could be reached for comment.

• Is City Commissioner Adams' first name Sam or Ansel? Forgive Murmurs' temporary confusion over Sam Adams, but our own commish will have two of his photos showcased at an upcoming art show at the Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center. The photos haven't been picked yet. But Adrienne Flagg, IFCC's creative director, says, "Personally, I love his stuff.... Instead of taking a larger picture, he goes in close and gets microscopic with his subjects. He's got a great sense of architecture and color." The show, running March 29–April 21, features both emerging and professional artists from North Portland.

• One final piece of Oregon State Bar news, this one involving divorce lawyer Allan Knappenberger (see "S.O.B., Esq.," WW, March 22, 2000): The association on March 12 moved to disbar Knappenberger as a final response to a long list of complaints, and multiple suspensions and disciplinary actions. Among other things, the bar deemed that Knappenberger has a "broken" ethical compass. Knappenberger will have 60 days to appeal the decision.