Smith releases two new ads attacking Merkley’s vote on statute of limitations

U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Pendleton) released two new advertisements Friday accusing U.S. Senate candidate Jeff Merkley (D-Portland) of siding with criminals when he voted in 2005 not to extend Oregon’s statute of limitations.

According to the Smith campaign, Merkley was one of 13 representatives that voted against extending the statute of limitations in the bipartisan bill that was supported by current Secretary of State candidate Kate Brown (D-Portland) and sponsored by current State Treasurer candidate Ben Westlund (D-Tumalo).

The two advertisements apply that vote to the case of Richard Gillmore, known as the “Jogger Rapist,” who confessed to raping eight women, but was only charged with one rape because the statute of limitations ran out by the time he was charged.

Gillmore was charged in 1987, years before Merkley’s vote. But one of Gillmore’s victims, Tiffany Edens, was upset enough with Merkley to appear in the ad.

“Jeff Merkley, you should have voted to protect victims, not rapists,” she says.

Calls to Merkley’s campaign were not immediately returned.