Candidates for Oregon Attorney General Spar Over Drug Deflection

Dan Rayfield and Will Lathrop got into it over Oregon’s latest plan to handle illegal drugs.

Attorney General Candidates Will Lathrop and Dan Rayfield at WW's endorsement interview. (Anthony Effinger)
By Anthony Effinger

The Democratic Party nominee for Oregon attorney general, Dan Rayfield, and his Republican foe, Will Lathrop, disagree about lots of things. Among them: deflection.

Rayfield, a state representative from Corvallis, is a fan. Lathrop is not.

Rayfield served as House speaker in March when the legislature passed House Bill 4002, undoing much of Measure 110, the 2020 referendum that decriminalized possession of illegal drugs. The bill called upon counties to offer people arrested for possession the option of seeking treatment before being charged, a process they called “deflection.” Participation by counties is optional, and there is state money available.

Lathrop, a former deputy district attorney in Marion and Yamhill counties, says deflection is flawed and that counties should stick with drug courts, which offer a choice between sobriety and hard time, with court supervision and regular drug testing. If a person succeeds in recovery, possession charges are dropped.

Lathrop and Rayfield came to WW for our endorsement interview, and the sparks flew on a number of topics. Deflection prompted some of the most heated interplay. Watch this clip to see the exchange.


Willamette Week’s reporting has concrete impacts that change laws, force action from civic leaders, and drive compromised politicians from public office. Support WW's journalism today.