Salem-Keizer candidates accept donations from Oregon Right to Life, Planned Parenthood
Natalie PateSalem-Keizer School Board candidates Marty Heyen, Satya Chandragiri and Danielle Bethell have each accepted contributions from an Oregon Right to Life political action committee, organized by the Keizer-based anti-abortion group.
Each candidate was given an in-kind donation worth $2,666 from the PAC for literature, brochures, printing and postage, according to campaign finance records.
On the other side of the debate, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Oregon gave David Salinas — opponent to Chandragiri in Zone 4 — about $161 for canvassing support.
Abortion also was a factor in the 2017 election.
The Oregon Right to Life committee endorsed three candidates for the Salem-Keizer board that year, claiming on fliers that Planned Parenthood was "targeting ... neighborhood schools" and they had "financial interest in pushing students to use their lucrative abortion 'services.' "
Officials of the PAC also alleged that Salem-Keizer Public Schools "let (Planned Parenthood) employees into (the schools) to teach students."
Board not responsible for sex ed
The district spokesperson in 2017 told the Statesman Journal the only involvement Planned Parenthood had in the district in recent years was a Teen Outreach Program at North and McKay high schools that ended in 2015.
Lillian Govus, the current director of communications for the school district, confirmed that information is still relevant today.
Because the school board has a "policy governance structure," she said, there's not really a place for Oregon Right to Life or Planned Parenthood to insert health standards, which are determined by the Oregon Department of Education and don't appear to have any likelihood of changing soon.
The majority of parents — 93% of middle school parents and 96% of high school parents — support comprehensive sex education, Govus said. The curriculum includes abstinence education, as well as additional information that allows students to have "accurate and complete information on their sexual health," she said.
"With Right to Life and Planned Parenthood, there really isn't much they can do," Govus said.
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David Kilada, political director for the PAC, wrote a blog post in 2017 calling for "pro-lifers" to serve on school boards. Additional blog posts detailed losses and successes where "pro-life candidates" made it onto different school boards.
The Statesman Journal is not aware of new, physical fliers being circulated this election.
Oregon Right to Life has directly or independently supported candidates for state, local and federal offices since it was organized in 1979, according to its website. Candidates are identified by the PAC's Board of Directors through background research, questionnaires and personal interviews.
They are supported through a combination of organized grassroots efforts, financial contributions, and educational materials like the "pro-life voter guide," they wrote.
PAC officials did not respond to requests for comment.
The candidates are scheduled to appear in a public forum on May 2 at 6 p.m. at the Salem Public Library.
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Candidates stand by donations
When asked about the donations, incumbent Heyen, Zone 2, said, "Laws about abortion are not made on the school board."
However, she said she is "pro-life, pro-student-life, pro-parent-life, pro-teacher-life, pro-community-member-life."
"Each of these groups (is) made up of human beings and they are all precious and deserve dignity and respect," she said.
Bethell, Zone 6, and Chandragiri, Zone 4, have both publicly identified as pro-life before running for the school board or accepting the donations.
"I am pro-life, and pro-education. That is no secret to the people who know me," Bethell said. "Oregon Right to Life and I agree on this issue and I am happy to have them on my diverse list of supporters."
When Chandragiri ran for state House District 19 as a Republican candidate in 2018, he spoke openly about being a doctor who calls himself pro-life. His truck, for example, displayed a campaign banner that read: "30 years experience as a pro-life physician and psychiatrist."
"My pro-life beliefs (have) nothing to do with (Oregon Right to Life)," Chandragiri said. "It is a shame that this school board (election) is becoming so conflicted ... This campaign is about children."
People were also talking on Facebook about Chandragiri being endorsed by Oregonians for Immigration Reform, the 501(c)4 that is registered by the Southern Poverty Law Center as an anti-immigrant hate group. This endorsement appears to be false.
OFIR officials told the Statesman Journal they are not endorsing any Salem-Keizer School Board candidates in the May election. There was also no evidence of their support in Chandragiri's campaign finance reports.
Additionally, Chandragiri said he did not get an endorsement from them during his state campaign either.
Planned Parenthood, workers' rights
In addition to the three candidates who received in-kind donations from Oregon Right to Life, Salinas, the Zone 4 candidate opposing Chandragiri, received about $161 from the Planned Parenthood Advocates of Oregon.
Salinas said he supports Planned Parenthood's emphasis on services for all, especially "their assistance to under-represented populations and economically challenged people seeking medical services they may not otherwise be able to afford."
"They seek to serve the same populations we know have the least access to a high-quality education," he said. "That said, my focus is in serving ALL children equitably regardless of the privileges, challenges or political leanings of their parents."
Candidate Raul Marquez, opposing Heyen in Zone 2; incumbent Chuck Lee in Zone 6, and Salinas each have accepted donations from different workers' rights groups.
Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste, known as PCUN, works specifically with farmworkers and Latinx families.
The organization has contributed thousands of dollars to Marquez's campaign. He said groups like PCUN and the United Food and Commercial Workers have played a significant role in his ability to engage with voters throughout the area, and help them engage in the democratic process.
"PCUN has done a fantastic job of empowering people who have historically been left out of the decision making the process by ensuring that they are aware of this upcoming election," he said. "I believe that working in collaboration with (these groups) help keep me grounded in the values of my community.
"As a candidate and a board member, I will uphold these values to ensure that every student has access to the best education possible."
Lee did not respond to requests for comment in time for publication.
Marquez and Salinas are each endorsed by the political committee, Progressive Salem, as well. The group donated in-kind contributions of about $2,820 each for postage.
Progressive Salem has endorsed Marquez, Salinas and Lee, but there are no records of in-kind contributions to Lee in his campaign finance activity logs.
Candidate totals to date (2019 only)
Information below is based on campaign finance records as of April 26.
Zone 2
- Total contributions (cash and in-kind): $16,421
- Total expenditures: $13,374
- Cash on hand: $2,746
- Total contributions: $5,258
- Total expenditures: $3,623
- Cash on hand: $2,747
Zone 4
- Total contributions: $13,398
- Total expenditures: $13,698
- Cash on hand: $3,929 (remaining balance from unsuccessful legislative campaign)
- Total contributions: $20,962
- Total expenditures: 13,710
- Cash on hand: $6,802
Zone 6
- Total contributions: $14,638
- Total expenditures: $10,051
- Cash on hand: $4,586
- Total contributions: $8,903
- Total expenditures: $5,362
- Cash on hand: $6,117 (remaining balance from prior campaigns)
For more information on each candidate's campaign activity, go to https://sos.oregon.gov/voting-elections.
Contact reporter Natalie Pate at npate@StatesmanJournal.com, 503-399-6745 or follow her on Twitter @Nataliempate or Facebook at www.Facebook.com/nataliepatejournalist. To support her work,become a Statesman Journal subscriber and get unlimited digital access to stories that matter.