DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ In a Year of Capitol Feuds, Oregon Has a Political Breakdown
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-04 | by ( Mike Baker | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The bill passed, and Mr. Findley was targeted with a recall effort by hard-line members of his party, who argued that he should have joined the walkout. That recall effort failed, but it has contributed to Mr. Findley’s concern that there is a shrinking number of lawmakers who are willing to debate and compromise. “We can’t all run out the door if we don’t agree with the viewpoints,” he said. After a previous Republican walkout in 2019, the governor at the time, Kate Brown, unsuccessfully tried to have state troopers round up the lawmakers and force their return. The latest tactic, proposed by Democratic lawmakers, is a $325-a-day fine imposed on absentees, equivalent to their daily pay.

Persons: Findley, ”, Kate Brown, Tina Kotek, Ms, Lieber Organizations: Republican, Democratic

☆ Oregon Secretary of State Resigns Over Cannabis Consulting Job
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Talal Ansari | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Shemia Fagan’s salary as Oregon’s secretary of state was $77,000 in 2022, according to state records. Photo: Matthew Hinton/Associated PressOregon’s secretary of state is resigning after it was revealed that she worked on the side as a consultant for a cannabis company, earning $10,000 a month, while her office was overseeing an audit of the state’s marijuana regulator. Democrat Shemia Fagan announced her resignation Tuesday, as fallout and political pressure over the consulting job grew. Tina Kotek last week asked the Oregon Government Ethics Commission to investigate Ms. Fagan’s dealings. Kotek also asked the state’s Justice Department to look into a recent audit of the cannabis industry overseen by the secretary of state’s office.

☆ Here are 22 of the top LGBTQ news stories of 2022
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-30 | by ( Jo Yurcaba | Jo Yurcaba Is A Reporter For Nbc Out. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +12 min

Here are 22 of our top LGBTQ news stories of the year. Ron DeSantis signed the controversial Parental Rights in Education law — or what critics have dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill — on March 28. 'It’s already having an impact': LGBTQ people fear abortion rights reversalA supporter of gay marriage waves a flag in front of the Supreme Court on June 25, 2015. Nicola Goode / Prime VideoAmazon’s “A League of Their Own” series, which debuted Aug. 12 and was inspired by the 1992 cult classic by director Penny Marshall, brought much-needed representation to the screen for lesbians and other queer women, who celebrated how “gay, gay, gay” it was. Biden signs same-sex marriage bill at White House ceremonyPresident Joe Biden signs the Respect for Marriage Act on the South Lawn of the White House on Dec. 13.

☆ Oregon Gov. Kate Brown commutes sentences of 17 people on death row
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Zoë Richards | Zoë Richards Is The Evening Politics Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

Kate Brown announced plans Tuesday to commute the sentences of the 17 people on death row to life in prison without the possibility of parole, most likely using her executive clemency powers for the last time as governor. “Unlike previous commutations I’ve granted to individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary growth and rehabilitation, this commutation is not based on any rehabilitative efforts by the individuals on death row. Instead, it reflects the recognition that the death penalty is immoral." Brown said the commutations were consistent with a moratorium on the death penalty Gov. The death penalty was first legalized in Oregon in the 19th century, but it has been abolished and reinstated three times since then.

☆ Oregon Gov. Kate Brown commutes sentences of all 17 inmates on death row in her final month in office
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Sophia Ankel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Oregon is one of 27 states in America that allows for the death penalty. Kate Brown commuted the sentences of all 17 inmates on death row. Kate Brown commuted the sentences of all of the state's 17 death row prisoners to life in prison without the chance of parole. Brown added that the commutation "is not based on any rehabilitative efforts by the individuals on death row" but instead "reflects the recognition that the death penalty is immoral." She is the seventh US governor in the past 50 years to commute all death sentences in a state.

☆ In California, 10% of Legislature now identifies as LGBTQ
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +8 min

People by and large are totally fine with LGBTQ people, they support us, they are accepting and willing to vote for LGBTQ candidates,” California state Sen. Scott Wiener, a member of the LGBTQ Caucus, said Monday. Meanwhile, the Legislature has not yet reached parity in gender or in race and ethnicity, according to statistics from the California State Library. New Hampshire and Vermont have each had more LGBTQ legislators, according to the institute, but their legislatures are bigger than California’s and so have not reached the 10% threshold. Alaska and South Dakota elected their first out LGBTQ legislators, and Montana and Minnesota elected their first transgender legislators, according to the Human Rights Campaign. By contrast, “as California’s Legislative LGBTQ Caucus has grown, the state has led the nation in passing groundbreaking legislation protecting LGBTQ+ civil rights,” said Equality California spokesperson Samuel Garrett-Pate.

☆ Lesbians score big political gains in midterm election's 'rainbow wave'
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( Matt Lavietes | Matt Lavietes Is A Reporter For Nbc Out. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

The 2022 midterm elections ignited what LGBTQ advocates called yet another “rainbow wave,” with over 430 lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer candidates emerging victorious. Across the country in Oregon, fellow Democrat and lesbian Tina Kotek was in a much tighter three-way gubernatorial contest. Lesbians and other queer women were successful in down-ballot races as well, according to advocacy groups and political action committees that have been tracking these races. “These are people who have taken the normal political path and are ready for the big leap,” she said, referring to lesbian election winners. “Queer women, just like all other women, understand that we’re in a really fraught time here in America.”Follow NBC Out on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram.

Democrat Tina Kotek has won the race for governor in Oregon, NBC News projects, narrowly defeating Republican Christine Drazan. With her victory Kotek will be one of the first out lesbian governors in the United States. She joins another out lesbian governor-elect, Democrat Maura Healey of Massachusetts, in making history in the 2022 midterms. Drazan came close, bombarding Kotek with relentless attacks over record-breaking crime and homelessness and tying her to term-limited Democratic Gov. Her victory suggests those messages may have broken through to Oregon voters.

Nov 10 (Reuters) - Democrat Tina Kotek won a tough three-way race to become the next governor of Oregon, the Associated Press projected on Thursday, enabling Democrats to extend nearly four decades of control over the Oregon governorship. Official returns from Tuesday's election showed Kotek winning 47.1% of the vote to 43.5% for Republican Christine Drazan. The last time a Republican was elected governor was in 1982, and Kotek was always favored to succeed Democratic governor Kate Brown, who could not run again due to term limits. With the polls tightening late in the race, President Joe Biden visited Oregon in mid-October to campaign with Kotek, a former state legislator. In Michigan, Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer was re-elected and voters flipped the state House and Senate from Republican to Democratic control.

☆ A record number of LGBTQ candidates claim victory in another 'rainbow wave'
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-10 | by ( Jo Yurcaba | Jo Yurcaba Is A Reporter For Nbc Out. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +8 min

A record number of LGBTQ candidates won their midterm races this year, creating what some advocates are calling yet another “rainbow wave.”Many races are still too close or too early to call, but as of Thursday afternoon, at least 400 out LGBTQ candidates had won their elections, according to the LGBTQ Victory Fund, which supports queer people running for office. “With so much at stake this election, from the future of marriage equality to abortion, LGBTQ candidates’ grit and exceptional grassroots support is paying off.”National firstsQueer candidates celebrated a number of notable victories and firsts across the country. Alaska is one of four states with zero out LGBTQ state lawmakers, according to the LGBTQ Victory Institute. Magni said the results prove that LGBTQ candidates can successfully compete in both blue and red states. “This is a powerful message, saying, ‘Hey, LGBTQ candidates can win elections and can win elections in many states and many districts across the country.’” he said.

Share this -Link copiedWisconsin Senate race too close to call Wisconsin's Senate race between GOP Sen. Ron Johnson and Democrat Mandela Barnes is too close to call, NBC News says. Vance wins Ohio Senate race, defeating Democrat Tim Ryan, NBC News projects COLUMBUS, Ohio — J.D. Ohio Republican Senate candidate J.D. Vance is leading The Senate race in Ohio is too early to call, NBC News says, but Republican candidate J.D. Share this -Link copiedGeorgia Senate race too close to call Georgia's Senate race is too close to call about three hours after polls closed at 7 p.m.

☆ DeSantis wins re-election in Florida governor's race
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( Daniel Trotta | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Michigan's Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer has made abortion a focal point of her re-election campaign. In Texas, Republican Governor Greg Abbott is expected to win a third term despite a lively campaign by his Democratic opponent, former U.S. congressman Beto O'Rourke. Georgia's Republican governor, Brian Kemp, also looks likely to prevail against Democratic challenger Stacey Abrams in a rematch of their 2018 race. In Pennsylvania, Republican candidate Doug Mastriano has echoed Trump's false claims of voter fraud. Democratic candidate Josh Shapiro has cast Mastriano as too extreme.

The polls will close over a seven-hour period on Tuesday, starting at 6 p.m. Eastern time in parts of Indiana and Kentucky and ending at 1 a.m. in western Alaska. Here is a guide to when the first polls close in each state, and what races to watch at each point. Show times in: Eastern Central Mountain Pacific Alaska HawaiiPolls open First polls closing First polls closed6 p.m. P.T. Not all polls in each state close at the same time, and polls in some areas may close earlier than shown if all registered voters in that polling district have already voted. There is also an unexpectedly competitive Senate race in Utah between Senator Mike Lee, a Republican, and Evan McMullin, an independent candidate.

OregonTina Kotek, a former state House speaker, hopes to retain Oregon Democrats’ 36-year hold on the governorship and would be one of the first openly lesbian governors if she won. She faces Christine Drazan, a Republican, and Betsy Johnson, an independent.

☆ U.S. governors races carry high stakes for abortion, elections
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( Daniel Trotta | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

The high stakes have brought increased money and attention to the state-level races, which typically get overshadowed in midterm elections by the fight for control of Congress. Georgia's Republican governor, Brian Kemp, also looks likely to prevail against Democratic challenger Stacey Abrams in a rematch of their 2018 race. Democrats are expected to flip Republican-held governorships in the states of Maryland and Massachusetts, but they face tough battles in a couple of other Democratic states. ABORTION RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACYAs with congressional races across the country, Democratic candidates for governor have warned of the threats Republicans could pose to abortion rights and elections should they win on Tuesday. Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer has made abortion a focal point of her re-election campaign in Michigan, where voters also will consider a ballot measure that would safeguard abortion rights in the state's constitution.

Nov 7 (Reuters) - Thirty-six of the 50 states will elect governors in Tuesday's U.S. midterm elections. Polls show him ahead of opponent Charlie Crist, a former Republican governor who switched parties and was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives as a Democrat. GEORGIARepublican Governor Brian Kemp faces Democratic nominee Stacey Abrams in a rematch of the state's close 2018 gubernatorial election. If elected, Abrams would be the first Black woman to serve as governor in the United States. MAINERecent opinion polls show Maine Governor Janet Mills, a Democrat, leading her Republican opponent, Paul LePage, who served as governor of the state from 2011 to 2019.

Nov 8 (Reuters) - Thirty-six of the 50 states are electing governors in Tuesday's U.S. midterm elections. Crist is a former Republican governor who switched parties and was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives as a Democrat. MAINERecent opinion polls show Maine Governor Janet Mills, a Democrat, leading her Republican opponent, Paul LePage, who served as governor of the state from 2011 to 2019. NEVADA[1/6] Campaign signs for Georgia Republican candidate for U.S. Senate Herschel Walker and Georgia Republican Governor Brian Kemp are seen defaced during the midterm elections in Columbus, Georgia, U.S., November 8, 2022. Although Trump endorsed him, Lombardo has sought to distance himself from the former president, accepting the 2020 elections results as legitimate.

☆ How Diverse Are the Candidates in the Midterm Elections?
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-05 | by ( Maggie Astor | Eleanor Lutz | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +11 min

The House of RepresentativesThere are at least 403 people of color, women or nonbinary candidates running for seats in the House of Representatives in Tuesday’s midterm elections. Incumbent Democrat Republican White men women Black men women Hispanic men women Other and multiple race men womenThere are 11 Senate candidates who are Black this year. Democrat Black candidates Republican Ga. Raphael Warnock Ala. Will Boyd Ark. Incumbent Democrat Republican White men women Black men women Other and multiple race men womenThere are 25 women nominated for governor — 16 Democrats and nine Republicans. Democrat Black candidates Republican Ala. Yolanda Flowers Ark.

☆ Democrat Tina Kotek faces off against Republican Christine Drazan in Oregon's gubernatorial election
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( Hanna Kang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Democrat Tina Kotek is running against Republican Christine Drazan, independent Betsy Johnson, and three others in Oregon's gubernatorial race. Just months after being elected, she was chosen by her peers to become the state House minority leader. While serving as the Republican leader of the Oregon House, Drazan opposed the governor's emergency COVID-19 orders and fought against implementing additional taxes. Prior to personally serving in office, Drazan was the chief of staff for Oregon House Speaker Mark Simmons. Her opponent, Drazan, has raised $17 million and spent nearly $16.3 million, while Johnson has raised just over $16.9 million and spent $16.1 million.

☆ GOP Has a Chance at Oregon Governorship for First Time in Four Decades
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Eliza Collins | Photographs Kristina Barker For The Wall Street Journal | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

PORTLAND—Oregonians might choose a Republican governor for the first time in 40 years, polls show, as voters look for new leadership to take on homelessness and crime and a well-funded independent candidate complicates the race. Former Democratic state House Speaker Tina Kotek and former state House GOP leader Christine Drazan are running evenly at just under 39%, according to the polling average on the website FiveThirtyEight.

☆ Oregon Might Elect a Republican Governor for First Time in Four Decades
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Eliza Collins | Photographs Kristina Barker For The Wall Street Journal | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

☆ In a historic first, LGBTQ Americans will be on the ballot in all 50 states
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( Matt Lavietes | Matt Lavietes Is A Reporter For Nbc Out. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

For the first time in the nation's history, Americans from all 50 states and the District of Columbia will have a chance to elect an LGBTQ person to public office. More than 340 anti-LGBTQ bills have been introduced in state legislatures this year, according to the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest LGBTQ advocacy group. The word “grooming” has long been associated with mischaracterizing LGBTQ people, particularly gay men and transgender women, as child sex abusers. "So, if you're voting against some LGBTQ rights, you're not voting against LGBTQ rights in abstract anymore, but you're voting to deny rights to someone who sits next to you every day at work." Within the record-breaking election year for LGBTQ candidates, dozens of them will also have the chance to make history on their own.

☆ U.S. midterm outcome in certain states could affect approach to energy
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( Laila Kearney | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

States have taken the lead on climate in recent years in the absence of federal policy. But voters in some states are now worried about rising energy costs, while other states must reckon with poor air quality and higher emissions. If it flipped, it could increase renewable energy power generation, said Troy Rule, faculty director at Arizona State University's Program on Law and Sustainability. "That could open the door for an increase in the state’s Renewable Energy Standard, which at 15% renewables by 2025, now lags far behind most neighboring states," Rule said. If Republicans win, it would "effectively eliminate the prospect of any meaningful progress on Arizona renewable energy policy over the next couple of years," Rule said.

☆ These 10 LGBTQ candidates could make political history in November
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-23 | by ( Matt Lavietes | Matt Lavietes Is A Reporter For Nbc Out. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +11 min

More than 600 lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer candidates will be on the ballot Nov. 8 — up from the 432 candidates in the previous midterm elections in 2018 — according to the political action committee LGBTQ Victory Fund. But even as an LGBTQ political leader, Balint, who is a lesbian, has faced pushback for her sexuality. He previously told NBC News that his Republican political affiliation was a result of his family's affection for former President Ronald Reagan. Jennie ArmstrongRunning for: Alaska House of Representatives, District 16Andrew GrayRunning for: Alaska House of Representatives, District 20If elected would be the first: LGBTQ state lawmaker(s) in Alaskan history. Alaska is one of four states with zero out LGBTQ state lawmakers, according to the LGBTQ Victory Fund.

Christine Drazan, the Republican nominee in the tight three-way race for governor in Oregon, is ratcheting up attacks on Democrat Tina Kotek on homelessness and education in a new ad that will launch later Monday. The 30-second ad, shared first with NBC News ahead of its release, will run statewide on television and on digital. It is part of a weekly ad buy for more than $1 million, Drazan campaign spokesperson John Burke said. “Leaders like Tina Kotek and Kate Brown have let us down,” Drazan says in the ad in a direct-to-camera appeal. Oregon voters have not elected a Republican governor since 1982.

Search resuls for: "Tina Kotek"

25 mentions found