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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Prepping for Pioneer Mike's return ... As It Was: Ashland Natatorium gave way to Twin Plunges ... Ticket availability ... Prepping for Pioneer Mike's return ... As It Was: Ashland Natatorium gave way to Twin Plunges ... Ticket availability ... OUR VIEW Our View: Goup's attempt to help Breidenthal backfires Comment DailyTidings.com Writer Posted May. 4, 2016 at 12:01 AM Posted May. 4, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Social News A news release issued late last week announcing that the Secretary of State's Elections Division had "cleared" Jackson County Commissioner Doug Breidenthal of any wrongdoing was a blatant attempt to influence voters. Unfortunately for Breidenthal, and for the property-rights group behind the move, it backfired badly. On Thursday — the day before ballots were mailed to voters in the May 17 primary — David Smith, president of Citizens for Constitutional Fairness, issued a news release claiming he had received an email from the Elections Division saying Breidenthal had been cleared. That turned out to be false. Breidenthal remains under investigation by the Oregon Department of Justice and the Government Ethics Commission over a campaign account set up under the Association of Oregon Counties that he used to seek office with the Western Interstate Region, a subgroup of the National Association of Counties. It's not clear why Smith thought any reputable news organization would accept such a statement without checking with the state. What the Elections Division actually told Smith in an email was that it had no authority over the campaign account in question because it was used for an election under the auspices of a national organization, not one governed by state law. The Justice Department is investigating whether Breidenthal accepted gifts valued at more than $50 from from entities that had business before the Jackson County Board of Commissioners, whether he used his official position for personal gain or whether he improperly reported payments to cover trip expenses. None of that has been proven. But, despite Smith's false claim, neither has Breidenthal been cleared of anything. Citizens for Constitutional Fairness was active in the campaign for Ballot Measure 37, a property-rights initiative Breidenthal supported. Smith has said his group is grateful for that support. the group has filed its own complaint against county officials on Breidenthal's behalf. He says he is not connected with Smith's group but supports the complaint it filed. Unfortunately for Breidenthal, Smith's clumsy attempt to manipulate voters resulted in more news coverage reminding those voters that the investigation is still underway. DailyTidings.com Writer Posted May. 4, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. DailyTidings.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501