Oregon DOJ won’t look into deal with Brown, Nike, unions

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – The Oregon Department of Justice declined to open a criminal investigation into a complaint alleging that a ballot initiative agreement negotiated by Gov. Kate Brown, Nike and public employee union was illegal.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reports Department of Justice Criminal Justice Division chief counsel Michael Slauson says, “A criminal investigation is not warranted in this matter.”

Slauson referred the complaint, filed last month by Portland resident Richard Leonetti, back to the Secretary of State’s office to determine whether it should take civil or administrative action.

Leonetti’s complaint focused on an apparent deal to keep the public employee union’s so-called corporate transparency initiative off the November ballot. Initiative Petition 25 would have required large companies such as Nike to disclose their taxes and other sensitive business information in filings with the state, or pay a fine.

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Information from: The Oregonian/OregonLive, http://www.oregonlive.com