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By Damian Mann February 03. 2016 4:00AM Breidenthal's Hood River claims don't jibe with commissioners there Jackson County Commissioner Doug Breidenthal Jackson County Commissioner Doug Breidenthal’s claim that he met with “local commissioners” after a conference in June 2014 isn’t backed up by four of the five commissioners in Hood River County. “I don’t remember him coming to my commission or to any of my meetings,” said Ron Rivers, chairman of the five-member Hood River County Board of Commissioners. The Hood River trip is one of many expenses being investigated by the Oregon Government Ethics Commission as it looks into $73,000 in travel by Breidenthal over the past three years as well as a separate Association of Oregon Counties campaign account that raised a total of $12,900 that paid for other travel and entertainment expenses. A 37-page complaint filed by Jackson County with the Ethics Commission triggered the investigation. Hood River Commissioner Karen Joplin is the only commissioner in that county who said she recalls discussing Breidenthal’s efforts to be elected as second vice president of AOC, which advocates for public lands policies and other issues affecting Oregon counties. Breidenthal has made a point of stressing that he spent two extra nights in Hood River to promote his candidacy, according to documents he filed with Jackson County and with the Ethics Commission. “I extended my trip that time to work with local commissioners who were willing to help with my running for the AOC office,” Breidenthal wrote to the Ethics Commission. Eventually, Breidenthal dropped his bid for the AOC position. Despite repeated attempts over several days to contact Breidenthal, he could not be reached for comment either through his cellphone or at his office to explain which commissioners he met with during his extended trip. Joplin said she recalled speaking to Breidenthal during an Association of Oregon Counties meeting June 8-10, 2014, in Hood River. Joplin said it was well-known at the meeting that Breidenthal was making a bid for second vice president of the AOC, running against Lincoln County Commissioner Bill Hall. Breidenthal "talked about it with all the commissioners (at the conference),” she said. Joplin, who represents the Hood River County Board of Commissioners at the AOC and was aware of the Ethics Commission investigation, said it’s possible Breidenthal might have discussed his bid for office with other commissioners who stayed for special meetings that are sometimes held after a conference. “There could have been a handful of commissioners,” she said. However, the AOC had only two meetings, set up around noon, right after the conference concluded. Most commissioners from other counties in Oregon typically leave right after a conference ends, according to AOC officials. Other informal meetings also could have been held the day the conference ended. A public records request to Jackson County provided an itemized list of receipts and an accounting of Breidenthal’s time on the 2014 Hood River trip. Breidenthal drove to Hood River on June 6 and stayed until June 11. The Friends of Doug Breidenthal account paid for the night of June 6 at a cost of $161.45. The county paid for his remaining nights at $141.70 each night. (Corrected version: See below.) On June 10, the AOC conference concluded, but Breidenthal stayed another night. The county paid him a stipend for lunch and dinner, but he traveled to nearby White Salmon, Wash., to have dinner at Henni’s Kitchen and Bar at a cost of $87.80. Breidenthal paid for the dinner at the upscale bistro out of his AOC account. Receipts don’t indicate with whom Breidenthal had dinner that night. His attorney, David Griggs, stated in a letter to the Ethics Commission that Breidenthal met with AOC members at Henni’s and at other restaurants on the trip. AOC members are commissioners from counties throughout Oregon. The Ethics Commission recently reviewed an initial 37-page complaint filed by Jackson County Auditor Eric Spivak on Oct. 22, 2015. The preliminary review by the commission found “substantial objective basis to believe that violations of Oregon Government Ethics law may have occurred, and that Mr. Breidenthal may have committed such violations." In its preliminary review, the commission found Breidenthal may have violated four provisions of Oregon law concerning the receipt of gifts valued at more than $50 from parties with interests before the Board of Commissioners, the use of an official position for financial gain and questions over the proper reporting of payments to cover trip expenses. Breidenthal’s Hood River trip is specifically mentioned in the review, and his travel expenses will face additional scrutiny during an up to six-month investigation. Breidenthal has faced criticism — including from fellow Commissioners Colleen Roberts and Rick Dyer — for his travel expenses over the past three years and his absence from more than 30 Board of Commissioners meetings in 2015. Most Hood River commissioners hadn't heard of the Ethics Commission investigation and didn't know much about Breidenthal. Hood River Commissioner Maui Meyers said he doesn’t recall meeting with Breidenthal at any time and didn’t recall meeting Breidenthal about his bid for an AOC position. “I haven’t the slightest idea what you’re talking about,” he said during a phone interview. Commissioner Bob Benton said it’s possible that Breidenthal approached the commissioners, but he said he couldn’t remember anything and doesn’t know much about Breidenthal. “I don’t recall it,” he said. Commissioner Les Perkins said Breidenthal’s name sounded familiar but added, “The name doesn’t ring any bells.” After looking up a photo of Breidenthal online, Perkins said he did recognize him from a regional meeting about another issue that wasn’t related to the AOC. “I do not remember meeting him here in Hood River,” he said. Lincoln County Commissioner Bill Hall said he didn’t keep track of Breidenthal’s campaign strategies or whether Breidenthal met with county commissioners in Hood River after the conference ended. Both Hall and Breidenthal vied for second vice president of AOC. Hall said sometimes there is a meeting right after the end of a conference, but the meetings generally don't run much past an hour or two. He said most AOC members leave shortly after the conference. Ultimately Breidenthal withdrew his candidacy, and Hall became second vice president. Hall became first vice president last year and hopes to become president in the future. Hall said candidates run vigorous campaigns for the second vice president position, printing brochures, displays and hosting hospitality suites. Hall said he plans to meet with commissioners in Eastern Oregon later this summer prior to the upcoming 2016 AOC conference in his own bid for the president position. “If you’re going to be a viable candidate, you need to stage a full-blown campaign,” Hall said. Jackson County Commissioner Rick Dyer said he expects Breidenthal’s Hood River trip will be one of many that are going to be reviewed over the next six months. “These are issues that I believe will be looked into by the Ethics Commission as well,” he said. “I’m looking forward to that process playing out. This has been a huge distraction for the county.” Dyer said he felt that the county should have more constraints on travel and more cost-benefit analysis of trips to determine whether they are worthwhile for the county. “Not too many commissioners had the desire to travel as much as Doug has,” he said. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 541-776-4476 or [email protected] . Follow on Twitter at @reporterdm . Based on incorrect information from the Jackson County Auditor’s office, a Feb. 2 article on Commissioner Doug Breidenthal incorrectly stated the dates he traveled to Hood River in June 2014. Breidenthal’s travel dates to Hood River in 2014 start on June 6 and ended on June 11 rather starting on June 7 and ending on June 12. The Friends of Doug Breidenthal account paid for the hotel room on June 6, not on June 11. http://www.mailtribune.com/article/20160203/NEWS/160209916 © 2016 Copyright © 1995-2011 Crain Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. Terms of Use Privacy Statement -->