Ethics Ruling on Rep. Greg Smith Likely Delayed Past May Primary

Rep. Greg Smith, a Republican from Heppner whose House seat spans nine mostly eastern Oregon counties, will likely avoid a public ethics ruling before the May 19 primary after his attorney obtained a time waiver from the Oregon Government Ethics Commission in February.

The commission had been scheduled to present investigative findings at its April monthly meeting. Instead, Smith's attorney requested and received a time waiver to explore potential settlement negotiations, forgoing any public session on the matter until those deliberations concluded. The practical result: voters in Baker County and across eastern Oregon's nine-county district will cast primary ballots without a final ruling on the pending allegations.

The investigation centers on allegations that Smith took pay from a public development authority in eastern Oregon while simultaneously operating his consulting business and serving in the Legislature. Commission staff have 180 days to complete an investigation, and the commission had previously voted to formally open this inquiry.

The current case is not Smith's first encounter with the commission. In December 2025, the Oregon Government Ethics Commission unanimously determined that Smith violated state ethics laws in relation to his efforts to secure a pay raise for his work with the Columbia Development Authority of Boardman. In January 2026, Smith agreed to a letter of education from the Oregon Government Ethics Commission after a commission investigation found Smith did not report his company's activities.

Doherty, Smith's challenger for the House seat representing nine mostly eastern Oregon counties, said he believes Smith asked for the time waiver and possible settlement because he's "facing the electorate in the May 19 election." "It's the cornerstone of what I'm running for: clean water and clean government. And, you know, the plethora of ethics violations he's faced this year is outstanding, frankly," Doherty said.

Under Oregon procedures, the subject of an ethics investigation retains the right to request scheduling accommodations during settlement discussions, and the commission accepted Smith's February request on those grounds. Critics, however, contend the timing effectively shields him from pre-election public scrutiny on one of the most significant accountability questions of his tenure.

The commission will continue its review, and any findings, recommended sanctions, or formal responses from Smith will become public once settlement deliberations conclude. With ballots set to go out ahead of May 19, the timeline means eastern Oregon's nine-county district may render its verdict before Salem renders its own.