Look who—and what—is back.

[February 27th, 2008]

»Last week, the Oregon State Bar for the second time dismissed a complaint alleging Gov. Ted Kulongoski lied when he denied knowing about Neil Goldschmidt’s sexual abuse of a 14-year-old girl. Bar General Counsel Sylvia Stevens justified that dismissal by citing the claim from longtime Kulongoski chum Steve Schneider that Goldschmidt speechwriter Fred Leonhardt never told him about Goldschmidt. Stevens did not interview any of the other 10 or so people Leonhardt says he told about his conversations with Kulongoski before 2003. Those people include a number of high-ranking execs, public officials and Leonhardt’s best friend, Dr. Duane Ochs . “Fred told me everything about his conversations with Kulongoski from the beginning in the early ’90s,” says Ochs. “He didn’t make this up afterward.” Stevens says even if 10 others repeated Ochs’ claims, it would not prove Kulongoski lied .

»Portland lawyer and inveterate Ralph Nader supporter Greg Kafoury says he’ll again back the man accused of spoiling Al Gore’s 2000 presidential run. Nader, who announced his latest White House bid on Feb. 24, may run under a different party in each state, says Kafoury, a close Nader friend and adviser. In Oregon, Kafoury says Nader’s best bet may be running with the Green Party, on whose ticket Nader got 5 percent in Oregon in 2000. He didn’t make Oregon’s ballot in 2004.

»The Skanner reported “buzz” last week that a “group of business leaders” is pushing State Sen. Margaret Carter of Northeast Portland to run for City Council. Presumably, one of those business leaders wanting Carter to run for Sam Adams’ council seat is Skanner publisher Bernie Foster. Neither Foster nor Carter returned Murmurs’ calls. Fred Stewart , a candidate for a different Council seat, calls Foster and Carter part of the local black community’s “old guard.” “Margaret’s a nice person,” says Stewart, who’s also black. “But politically, she’s not been effective…and everybody knows that.”

»Accused arsonist Tre Arrow on Monday sent his first update to supporters in a couple of moons. Arrow’s email, dictated from a Victoria, B.C., prison to a supporter, focused on matters cosmological instead of on his case. “The sun bursts through the clouds,” Arrow wrote Feb. 25 in his first written contact in more than two months. “The mountains sing with radiance throughout the afternoon.” He then links the Big Dipper, the North Star, the Underground Railroad that led slaves to Canada, and Barack Obama. Back on earth, Arrow remains in jail fighting extradition. Arrow, who insists he is innocent, is wanted to stand trial in Oregon for two 2001 attacks on logging equipment.

»Self-promotion alert: The political season’s perennially coolest event, Candidates Gone Wild, will be April 28 at the Roseland Theater. On the guest list for the bash that blends beer, brass (host Storm Large) and battling candidates: mayoral hopefuls Sho Dozono and Sam Adams, plus City Council contenders. Aching to learn more about what WW and the Bus Project are cooking up? Go to candidatesgonewild.com.