Central Point, Ore. – Former twelve-year Oregon lawmaker Dennis Richardson announced yesterday that he’ll be filing for the position of Secretary of State.
Richardson, an attorney and decorated military veteran, cited concerns about a lack of transparency and a failure to implement real reforms in the wake of the Kitzhaber scandal as key reasons for returning to public office.
“It is simply not in my nature to walk away from a problem,” stated Richardson. “For the past year, I’ve watched as the legislature failed to restore the public trust after Governor’s Kitzhaber’s resignation. Instead, we see further corruption with stories of sweetheart deals at the Department of Energy relating to energy tax credit giveaways. I think voters are looking for someone who will be honest and willing to ensure state agencies stay on the right course.”
Richardson, who served as Co-Chair on the Ways and Means Committee, believes his skill set is the right match for the job description. “You know, in this position, it doesn’t matter whether you’re a social conservative or social liberal. The Secretary of State has limited authority, largely tied to budget and performance audits, managing the public records, ensuring fair elections, and rolling out the welcome wagon for businesses looking to settle in Oregon,” Richardson explained.
“As someone with budget experience and a law degree, I will be able to tackle auditing government agencies so we can streamline processes and return savings to the General Fund. I’ll also use the power of the audit, so failures like Cover Oregon, which cost taxpayers nearly 300 million dollars, won’t happen again.”
Dennis Richardson with Olympic Gold Medalist Ashton Eaton
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