The city's number-one lobbyist has made its pick for the 2012 mayoral race: The Portland Business Alliance (PBA) announced Tuesday, December 13, that it's endorsing New Seasons co-founder Eileen Brady over East Portland State Representative Jefferson Smith and former City Commissioner Charlie Hales. The endorsement, which came after Police Chief Mike Reese took his name out of the running, likely brings with it lots of cash. But its imprimatur hasn't always helped candidates win big races. SARAH MIRK
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On Friday, December 9, in a nod to peace activists and the Occupy movement, Mayor Sam Adams proposed two potentially controversial additions to the city's federal lobbying agenda. One of the resolutions is a call to stop funding military ventures in Iraq and Afghanistan with money that ought to be used to shore up cities and counties. The other would press the federal government to restore campaign finance limits on corporations—while also making clear that the Portland City Council officially opposes so-called "corporate personhood" laws that provide the same rights and protections to corporations that real, actual Americans also receive. Adams is promising further resolutions on foreclosures and banking. DENIS C. THERIAULT
A housing nonprofit whose testing of landlords sparked a fury over rental discrimination this spring—and then a political drama once flaws were found in the results—released an independent report on Friday, December 9, that backed up its central findings that black and Latino Portlanders face undue hurdles when trying to find apartments in Portland. The report from the Fair Housing Council of Oregon (FHCO), which also acknowledged errors were made and offered prescriptions for fixing them, may pave the way for a mended relationship with Commissioner Nick Fish's housing bureau. The city suspended contract talks with FHCO over the summer but may decide to hire them again for another round of landlord tests. DCT
Freelance writers and independent bloggers found their lack of traditional media credentials threatened this week in federal court. The court ruled that bloggers and other unaffiliated new media journalists do not qualify for the same protection rights as journalists working for traditional news entities. This ruling developed from an Oregon defamation case involving blogger Crystal Cox, who refused to share her source, believing that she was covered by the state's Shield Law. Judge Marco Hernandez ruled that Oregon's Shield Law solely protects traditional media, such as newspapers, and radio or television stations. ALEX ZIELINSKI
