Dems still plan to protest fundraiser

Oregon Democrats will still turn out to protest a lunchtime fundraiser for U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Pendelton) in Portland Friday, despite the announcement that featured speaker Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-Calif.) will not be in attendance.

Democratic Party of Oregon spokesman Marc Siegel said protest would still take place. According to a release sent earlier in the day, the DPO, the Oregon chapter of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, the Oregon Fair Trade Campaign and others will protest Smith’s votes that they say have outsourced jobs and harm the economy.

The groups also planned to protest against Schwarzenegger’s support of President Bush’s economic policies, but according to an article in the AP Schwarzenegger canceled his trip at the last minute.

According to a release from the DPO, the protest will begin at 11 a.m. outside the Oregon Convention Center on Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.