A Southern Oregon legislative race has been thrown into turmoil after decades-old sexual abuse allegations against a campaign consultant surfaced on the eve of the primary election.
Denise Krause, a Democratic candidate for Oregon's state Senate, announced she would part ways with Matthew Samp of Good Government Consultants following the May 19 primary. The decision came after an anonymous email circulated details of sexual abuse allegations against Samp dating back to 2003, according to Your Oregon News. Krause's campaign had paid Samp's firm nearly $70,000 since 2024.
The allegations stem from a 1998 incident involving 14-year-old Brad Fuglei, who reportedly died by suicide after reporting abuse by Samp. While charges were never filed, the accusations resurfaced multiple times over the years, including in 2009 when Samp resigned from a position in Omaha's mayoral administration. Former Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning confirmed receiving complaints from a second family during that period.
Two former Krause campaign volunteers, Jenai May and Aubrey LeVeque, told reporters they discovered the allegations in early March and immediately alerted Krause. The women say they resigned after weeks of inaction, producing emails showing Krause referred to Samp as her "campaign manager" despite later downplaying his role as merely "one of the campaign consultants."
The Jackson County Democratic Party responded by unanimously voting to suspend financial support for Krause's campaign pending a satisfactory explanation. Party Chair David Sours emphasized the importance of accountability, stating the party couldn't ignore reports of allegations involving sexual abuse. Krause initially defended Samp, calling the allegations "unsupported and untrue" and accusing opponents of weaponizing unfounded claims. She has since committed to ending the consultant relationship after the primary.
Krause is one of five Democrats vying to replace retiring state Senator Jeff Golden in a race that has now become a referendum on campaign ethics and crisis management. Attempts to reach Samp for comment were unsuccessful, with his business phone number disconnected.
