RC Hammond

Last month’s sudden departure of U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith’s (R-Pendleton) longtime spokesman RC Hammond may not have just been the “move to the private sector” Smith’s campaign claimed it had been.

RC Hammond has resigned as spokesperson for U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith’s (R-Pendleton) re-election campaign. Hammond has been replaced by Lindsay Gilbride.

In an email to PolitickerOR.com, Gilbride said: “RC resigned to explore new pastures in the private sector.”

Hammond’s sudden resignation comes during a heated re-election campaign against state House Speaker Jeff Merkley (D-Portland).

The AP is reporting on the Merkley campaign’s complaints about a spy.

“Russ Kelley, the campaign spokesman for U.S. Senate candidate Jeff Merkley, said he recently spotted a young man with a video camera at a Merkley event. Kelley learned his name was Tim Lussier, who said he was a fan of the Democrat and hoped to meet him.  read more »